You’ve picked out the perfect dress, the most amazing shoes, and your bridesmaids are all happy. Next up, flowers! The flowers you choose for your day play a huge role in the overall look of your wedding day. Flowers have been gifted as a way to express certain emotions or represent specific qualities for millennia, and each bloom carries with it its own unique and special meaning. Is your flower of choice associated with good luck, love, happiness or fidelity perhaps? We’ve rounded up the 15 most popular wedding bouquet flowers and revealed their deeper meanings, helping you choose the perfect blooms for your wedding bouquet. Let’s take a closer look at the love language of flowers…
15 Popular Wedding Bouquet Flowers and What They Truly Mean
1. Rose
Always a popular choice, and with good reason. The red rose symbolises everlasting love, romance, beauty and courage. As a flower, it is ruled by the planet of love, Venus, and are the ultimate expression of femininity. The white rose represents new beginnings and purity, pink means grace and admiration, while orange is a show of passion and enthusiasm.
2. Sunflower
Sunflowers are known as the happiest-looking flower, but they are much more than that. These flowers symbolise unwavering faith and unconditional love. In Chinese culture the sunflower is also associated with good fortune, vitality, intelligence and happiness. If you want a flower that oozes positivity and joy on your big day, you could do no better than sunflowers.
3. Tulip
Tulips are elegant and timeless, generally symbolising deep, perfect, and unconditional love. Blooming in early spring, they also represent rebirth, charity, and, in some cultures, prosperity. Different colours carry special meanings: red for true love, pink for affection, yellow for cheerfulness, and purple for elegance — making them a beautifully versatile choice for weddings.
4. Baby’s Breath (Gypsophilia)
Baby’s Breath is an all time favourite addition to wedding bouquets and we can see why! These sweet flowers represents everlasting love which is perfect for a wedding.
5. Calla Lilly
Calla lillies are said to bring wedded bliss when used in a bouquet on the big day! Not only that but they are also associated with life, fertility and beauty. The trumpet shaped blooms originate from Africa and will add a sleek and modern look to your arrangement.
6. Anthurium
With their glossy, heart-shaped petals, anthuriums represent love, abundance, and lasting happiness — a contemporary choice rich in symbolism for a joyful new beginning.
7. Orchid
Orchids represent love, luxury, beauty and strength. These flowers also symbolise opulence, so a perfect choice if you want to add a touch of the wow factor to you bouquet. Orchids were particularly treasured in Japan and when gifted can mean that you wish success for that person!
8. Sweet Pea
Sweet peas symbolise blissful pleasure, gratitude, and new beginnings — a beautifully fitting choice for a wedding day, marking the joy of love and the start of a new chapter together.
9. Peony
Peonies are such a sweet and happy flower! These beauties symbolise love, honour, happiness, wealth, romance and bashfulness. Peonies included in a bridal bouquet are said to attract a happy marriage, good fortune and wealth. Even a royal favourite, Meghan Markle included peonies in her big day!
10. Daisy
The humble daisy symbolises sweetness and purity of heart as well as nature spirits, love and children. These dainty childhood favourites are rumoured to have been the favourites of Norse Goddess Freya and thusly represented motherhood, sensuality and fertility too!
11. Waxflower
Delicate and beautifully detailed, waxflower symbolises lasting love, patience, and enduring success — its clusters of tiny blooms representing a strong, long-lasting marriage and a joyful future together.
12. Hydrangea
Hydrangeas symbolise heartfelt emotion, gratitude, and abundance, making them a beautiful choice for weddings — representing deep understanding, lasting connection, and a love that grows over time, all things that would be great for a wedding day!
13. Anemone
With their inky black centres and delicate petals, anemones add striking contrast to wedding florals and symbolise anticipation, protection, and the excitement of a new beginning. These graphic flowers are best for the modern bride, and usually come in black and white; they also come in some other varied styles such as red or purple petals, and more.
14. Lily of the Valley
Lily of the valley have always been a wedding favourite, and with good reason! These sweet little white blossoms commonly represents happiness, purity, sincerity, and the return of joy, often symbolizing the arrival of spring and new beginnings. Frequently used in bridal bouquets to represent a sweet, innocent, and lucky future, this flower also carries connotations of humility and motherhood.
15. Gerbera Daisies
Gerbera daisies are a gorgeous addition to any bridal bouquet with the colour variations being so fabulous! Yellow gerbera daisies are a symbol of cheerfulness and celebration. Red gerberas represent being fully immersed in love. While pink gerberas are a symbol of admiration, adoration, or high esteem for someone.
If you enjoyed diving into the meaning of flowers for your wedding bouquet, see these posts:
Looking for your perfect blooms? Check out our full list of amazing florists and follow One Fab Day on Instagram for more!
