Flowers come and go with the seasons, so before you decide on the perfect variety for your wedding day, you will need to determine whether it’s even in bloom. Here, Cloé Timperley outlines the most popular wedding flowers, from summer through to winter, to help you pick your ideal buds, bouquets and boutonnieres.

When deciding on your wedding date, there are a number of variables to consider. The time of year you choose will directly affect the theme and cost of your event, and may have some bearing on whether or not you can go ahead with an outdoor ceremony.

Moreover, the season in which you decide to tie the knot will determine the type of bouquet you carry down the aisle. The last thing you want is to lock in your dream date only to discover that your favourite bloom is out of season. If you have your heart set on a particular type of flower, it’s important to do a little bit of horticultural research beforehand to figure out when it’s actually available.

Luckily, each of Mother Nature’s glorious seasons afford a wide range of beautiful blooms. Whether you opt for a winter wedding or a colourful spring soiree, you can rest assured you will be spoilt for choice.

To help you better understand which flowers are available during the month of your wedding, Western Australia Wedding & Bride explores inspiration, seasonality and all things botanical.

Summer

Marked by clear blue skies and heady floral fragrances, summer is a carefree and romantic time of year. If you’re planning a summer wedding, a bouquet in buttery yellows, dazzling purples or peachy pinks is the perfect way to pay homage to this vibrant season.

English roses, lisianthus and peonies are some of the most requested summertime wedding flowers. With their fragile petals and lush, rounded shape, peonies symbolise romance, and are regarded as an omen of good fortune and a happy marriage, which makes them an appropriate wedding choice. It’s important to remember that locally grown peonies have a short season of about five weeks starting at the beginning of November, with darker-coloured and ‘Coral Charm’ peonies coming into season first.

Versatile and highly affordable, hydrangeas also come into season during summer. While the hydrangea is often unfairly perceived as old fashioned, a skilled florist can make this bloom truly shine. Equally, if you’re after ‘something blue’ in your bridal bouquet, the humble hydrangea provides the perfect solution.

Flowers in soft pink or lemon shades are a common pick for summer, which makes the lotus flower an obvious choice. Available only in January and showcasing a unique oriental aesthetic, the lotus flower is a stunning seasonal addition to any floral arrangement.

Autumn

In an autumnal bouquet, the colours are often just as important as the actual flowers. Bouquets comprising rich reds, fiery oranges and radiant gold shades capture the warmth and beauty of the season, while special accoutrements such as twine, twigs or berries add a dramatic flair.

Stock flowers, kangaroo paw and cymbidium orchids are perennial autumn-time favourites that can be complemented by foliage such as peppercorn, wheat or gum leaves. Rustic and moody bouquets in warmer tones find favour during autumn, while textural native varieties increase in popularity as the weather cools down.

Chrysanthemums, ivy and Queen Anne’s lace are some of the more traditional choices for this season, while fragrant slipper orchids make for an unusual floral design with their striking shape and exotic colouring.

Also coming to life in autumn, dahlias are a sophisticated bloom that will bring an air of elegance to your wedding day. A classic flower that’s perfect for a large bouquet, the dahlia offers a huge variety in colour and shape.

Winter

Winter brides often worry that their floral choices will be limited, however this couldn’t be further from the truth! Bursting with an array of stunning colours and textures, the frosty months offer so many interesting flowers from which to choose.

A floral arrangement in deep red, emerald green or snowy white hues captures the crystalline beauty of the season and provides the perfect complement to an elegant indoor celebration.

Tulips, hyacinths and carnations exude seasonal charm, while the oriental lily – with its links to Venus, the goddess of love – is a pertinent choice. Roses, berries and sweet pea are also timeless winter options that never go out of style. Finally, it’s not a winter wedding without the aptly named blushing bride protea. In contrast to some other delicate winter blossoms, this hardy South African flower is exceptionally long lasting, and will add great texture and a point of interest to your floral design.

Spring

Spring is the season for new beginnings, so it makes perfect sense that this is the most popular time for weddings. With an abundance of varieties coming into bloom during this time of year, spring brides have some of the most fragrant, cheerful and delicate flowers at their fingertips.

With spring-time flowers ranging from the deepest of blues to the sheerest of pinks, your wedding bouquet possibilities are endless. Gardenias, jonquils and lily of the valley are soft options that will create a lovely pastel-coloured bouquet, while irises, gladioli and anthurium provide a veritable rainbow of shades from which to choose.

With its powerful fragrance and vivid purple colour, lavender is a charming seasonal flower that suggests lazy spring afternoons and buzzing bees. Similarly, cherry blossom is spring’s calling card and is an evocative symbol of love’s fragility, beauty and tenacity.

If you don’t want your wedding flower choices restricted by the seasons, it’s worth keeping in mind that some varieties, such as roses, lilies and phalaenopsis orchids, are available year-round. Furthermore, with efficient modern-day transport, many out-of-season flowers can be sourced with the click of a mouse.

Whether you opt for an ever-green variety or a fleeting seasonal bloom, it’s important to choose a bouquet that speaks to you. Flowers may come and go with the seasons, but your wedding photographs are forever, so your bouquet needs as much consideration as the venue or even the dress.

Image Credit: Sebastian Merle Photography