(ARA) - Almost every wedding today
is graced with flowers. From the bride's bouquet to the church's
pews, flowers have become a way of expressing a couple's
individuality and adding beauty to an already extraordinary event.
Flowers are not only an extension of the bride and grooms
personality, but they express a language all their own, and
incorporating their beauty throughout the wedding takes planning
and a short lesson in the language of flowers.
Symbolically, flowers have come to
represent different things throughout the years. Many brides
choose flowers for their wedding that have sentimental value.
Perhaps it was the first flower she received from her fiance or
maybe the flower her mother carried down the aisle at her wedding.
For brides who want to create their own tradition, the meanings of
individual flowers can help with the decision
One of the more traditional
flowers most often used at formal weddings is the rose. This
customary flower's colors represent many different emotions and
the rose is the most widely given flower in the name of love. A
red rose represents passionate love; a white rose represents pure
love; a pink rose represents innocent love; and a yellow rose
symbolizes friendship.
Brides today are straying away
from tradition, and that includes flowers. Some of the more
non-traditional flowers have also come to represent certain
feelings and emotions.
The beautiful gardenia symbolizes
joy while the lacey Lily of the Valley is related to happiness.
For a regal feel at your wedding, purple lilacs - which represent
regal unity - might be appropriate. The softness of a white lilac
is often related to youthful innocence, while the strong aroma of
forget-me-nots may convey the feeling of true love during your
nuptials.
Along with the expression of
emotions, the flowers you choose for your wedding should also
coordinate with other items. The shape, size and style of the
bouquet should compliment your dress and you. Whatever flowers you
choose, be sure that the bouquet is well constructed to ensure
that it lasts all day. The attendant's flowers usually compliment
the bridal bouquet as well as their dresses.
For a more romantic feel, flower
headdresses are the perfect addition to your own wedding attire. A
traditional circle of flowers or small additions in any pattern or
shape to suit your hairstyle is another way to incorporate your
flower theme of choice into the day. Grooms, best men and ushers
should also accessorize with the use of buttonholes, continuing
the same theme or pattern of the bride and her attendants.
However you incorporate flowers
into your wedding day, the budding blooms convey a plethora of
messages all their own. Whether it's their traditional meaning, a
distinct aroma or colorful petals, the language of flowers at a
wedding is identical to the language of love.
