Flowers are an integral part of any wedding. Flowers have been used for centuries to decorate not only the church and the reception, but the bride and bridesmaids too. They add beauty and perfume, and they can carry a lot of hidden meaning. Even the buttonhole for the groom has its origins in Knights carrying the favours of their ladies.
It is not just a case of choosing flowers to match the colour scheme. From the 1600′s meanings were attributed to flowers, and in 1716 Lady Mary Wortley Montagu brought the tradition from Constantinople to England. The Victorians were very keen on the symbolism of flowers and several books on the Language of Flowers were published throughout the 1800′s. Care had to be taken however, as not every book attributed the same meaning to each flower. Giving daffodils, for instance, could mean respect or deceit!
With a carefully chosen bouquet, a bride can express love, (roses, tulips) happiness, (orange blossom, lily of the valley) affection, (daisy, honeysuckle) faithfulness, (violets) and fidelity (ivy). Not all flowers are considered appropriate, though, in some parts of the country the combination of red and white flowers are thought to be too closely linked with funerals, as are lilies. Continue reading