How to Choose the Best Wedding Flowers For the Season

As a Portland, Oregon wedding and event florist specializing in sustainable garden style flower arrangements, I am very tuned into which flowers and foliage are available in the various seasons, and what we can grow locally. Seasonal blooms typically cost less; and provide the best quality and freshness. Incorporating seasonal blooms means you are not competing for high demand flowers from far away places.  

Here in Oregon, early winter blooms include the beautiful Lenten rose. The hellebore plant is the first sign that movement is happening in the garden. They show up as early as January; and continue to bloom through spring. In addition to their lovely flowers, they have attractive green foliage, and require minimal care once established. Flowers are fragrant and long-lasting. 

Any color palette is great for the festive winter season. Winter bridal flowers can be all white for a classic winter look. They can include holiday greenery, pops of bright red and green, as well as berries and pinecones. Winter garden roses, hellebore and anemone can be used along with local winter greenery to flesh out bouquets and centerpieces. 

Spring is my favorite blooming season because it lends many different shapes and textures, much of which we can grow right here in Oregon. Some of my favorite spring blooms include fritillaries, snowdrops, narcissus, peonies, and many varieties of tulips. As the weather slowly warms, plants burst into flowers with lovely bright and pastel shades. Because cold snaps and late frost can impact available locally-sourced flowers, check with your florist close to your wedding date to ensure availability. 

When flowers you want are not in bloom, we can call on growers within the U.S., but these will be more expensive than local in-season blooms. There is beauty year-round in flowering branches and vines, winter branches with lichen and moss, old flower pots that have been left in the garden, and wild growing plants. Secure your wedding date and venue prior to connecting about seasonal blooms. 

Summer weddings are the perfect time to include bold blooms and colors, since many annuals reach their peak during the hot summer months. Lisianthus, digitalis, jewels of opar and dahlias (to name a few), make gorgeous additions to your bouquet. If you are looking for a particular color, longer lasting blooms, or particular scents, consult your florist to see what may be locally available on your wedding date. 

Fall flowers which look beautiful in wedding bouquets and centerpieces include chrysanthemums, delphinium, amaranths, and Sahara rudebeckia. Some summer blooms continue to flower through early fall, so you may still have many options, particularly with cool-weather bulbs that resurface from spring. Berries, twigs, and other seasonal touches can be incorporated into fall bouquets, reflecting local gardens and native plants. 

It is always best to consult with your florist regarding what is locally available in any season, and what colors, textures and shapes you’re looking for in particular. Sometimes, you will need to order blooms from growers in other areas, but frequently, local sustainable blooms can be sufficient for gorgeous wedding flower bouquets and decorations. If you are looking for a garden inspired floral designer in the Portland, Oregon area, reach out to Roots of Joy Botanicals!