Ever wondered why celebrities and some brides are very specific about what flowers they choose for their wedding? It might partially be because of how the colors of the flowers fit into their color scheme and wedding style, but also because flowers have special meanings. I don’t mean the sentimental kind, you know, like how someone loves yellow roses because it reminds them of someone special… Flowers have official meanings to them.
Wedding Flowers & Their Meanings
For example: let’s decipher the meaning of the flowers in Kate Middleton’s wedding bouquet:
Lily of the Valley | Sweetness & Humility
Myrtle | The Emblem for Marriage & Eternal Love
Hyacinth | Fertility & Constant Love
Sweet William | Gallantry & Masculinity
Ivy | Friendship & Continuity
How special is that? I have created a list of the most commonly used wedding flowers and their meanings and I started with roses, which are probably the most commonly used flowers at a wedding. I have also included a list of other flowers which is also commonly used. Enjoy!
Roses
Although the overall meaning of roses is love, passion and affection, each colored rose also has different meanings.
White | Farewell; New Beginnings; Respect; Purity
Pink | Thank You; Love; Gratitude; Admiration; Gentleness
Red | Romance; Love; Beauty; Passion
Yellow | Friendship; Care; Optimism; Empathy; Sympathy
Orange | Thank You; Congratulations; Friendship; Love
Blue | Love; Prosperity; Immortality
Green | Fertility; Richness; Prosperity; Abundance
Purple | Enchantment; Magnetism; Charm
Brown | Intimacy; Romance; Masculinity
Lilies
These are the most commonly used lilies at weddings and other special occasions. They also include the lovely, striped Stargazer Lily.
White | Purity; Virgin Mary; Christianity
Red | Passion; Marriage; Engagement
Yellow | Health; Prosperity
Pink | Encouragement; Ambition
Orange | Passion
Also Read:
- The ultimate gift guide for the bride before her wedding
- 7 Good reasons why you should rather elope
- 84 Greatest wedding hacks for the frugal bride
Calla Lilies
These type of flowers are also classified as lilies, but they have different meanings to each color as well. Notice that the Calla Lily has a more masculine look to it than the Stargazer Lilies above.
Yellow & Orange | Growth; Joy; Change
Light Blue & Lavender | Beauty; Grace
Pink | Flirting; Admiration
Dark Purple | Strength; Royalty
Dark Red | Intensity; Passion
Other Common Wedding Flowers
This is a limited list of other flowers. They are the most commonly used, but you may find other flowers present at weddings which may not be in this list.
Lily-of-the-Valley | Sweetness; Humility; Purity
White and Yellow Daffodils | Spring; Rebirth; New Beginnings
Dahlia | Change; New Beginnings; Grace; Kindness; Commitment
Gardenia | Dreams; Protection; Trust
Baby’s Breath | Innocence; Everlasting Love
Peony | Honor; Wealth; Riches
Tulip | Passion; Love; Affection
Gerbera Daisy | Purity; Joy; Spring
Orchid | Beauty; Charm; Thoughtfulness
Morning Glory | Mortality; Love in Vain
Forget-Me-Not | Fidelity; Undying Love; Care; Remembrance
Columbine | Winning; Hope; Association with Aphrodite
Frangipani | Spiritual Connection; Strength; Welcome
Protea | Courage; Transformation; Diversity
Bird of Paradise | Royalty; Faithfulness; Magnificence
Hydrangea | Honesty; Prosperity; Abundance
Delphinium | Openness; Celebration; Reaching of Goals
Snapdragon | Strength; Grace
Iris | Royalty; Wisdom; Valor
Aster | Patience; Elegance
Wisteria | Good Luck; Affection; Devotion; Spring; Birth
Gladiolas | Perseverance; Strength; Infatuation
Carnation | Distinction; Fascination; Love
