© Candie_N (Flickr) Pink rose without frame
© Candie_N (Flickr)
Roses typically infer love, joy, and beauty. They are the traditional symbol of love. There are roses that are a solid colour, bicoloured, striped, or even tipped. Most of the varieties of roses are slightly aromatic. There are three major types of roses that are used for weddings. These are the hybrid tea rose, the classic rose, the spray rose, the five to ten heads to a stem rose, the garden rose, or the open-headed old-fashioned heirloom variety.
Tulips infer love and passion. They are a native of Persia and signify happy years. There are a range of colours from pink, peach, yellow, white, cream, red, purple, and magenta. Some varieties can even be black. This is a flower good for boutonnieres and table settings. Tulips do not have an aroma. There are three major types of tulips for weddings, these are Dutch (the most typical), the parrot, or the ruffled-petaled variety, and the French (tapered blooms and longer stems). These do well in hand-tied posy bouquets.
The Calla Lily infers magnificent beauty. The most common calla lily colours for a wedding are white, burgundy, yellow, or flame. Theses are elegant and formal in appearance whilst having a light fragrance. There are two types of these lilies to choose from for a wedding. The large-headed variety and the smaller version. Large-head calla lilies do well in long spray bridal bouquets or sheath bouquets whilst the smaller versions do well in nosegays.
The gardenia means purity and joy. It has a wonderfully powerful scent and dark green waxy leaves. It works wonderfully as a centerpiece or as a floating floral complement in pools or water features. Blooms can be three to four inches wide and cream-white in appearance. These flowers also do well tucked behind an ear in more casual weddings or beach weddings.