Archbishop's web site Denver Catholic Register Parishes Catholic Pastoral Center
January 9, 2002
Flowers serve as visual symbol of couple's love
Love, fidelity and happiness assigned to flowers through history
By Julie Asher
Flowers,'' wrote 19th-century poet Park Benjamin, ``are love's truest language.'' As such, flowers traditionally have had a prominent place in wedding celebrations. For the bride and groom, finding the right flowers to express the love they are feeling connected with the exchange of marriage vows is a challenge. Flowers can be chosen based on the colors preferred or coordinating with the color scheme of the bridal party's gowns, the ones thought to be the most beautiful or those that best fit the wedding planning budget.
While all of those factors are important, taking into account the symbolism of flowers can illustrate in a powerful way for your wedding guests your love for one another.
From time immemorial, flowers and plants have been assigned certain meanings, and there are many that signify true love, devotion, eternal fidelity, hope, faith and happiness.
Historians say that ancient Greek brides used ivy as a symbol of fidelity, and that ancient Roman brides carried bouquets of fragrant herbs to not only represent fidelity and fertility but also to ward off evil spirits.
According to The Knot, a wedding planning Web site (www.theknot.com), the Victorians ``were fascinated by the meanings of different blossoms'' and they ``popularized the wedding rose, which represents true love.''
The meanings of flowers are easy to research, and many wedding-planning guides seem to devote space to the subject.
The following are some flowers and their meaning you might want to consider:
•Aster, love.
•Bluebell, constancy.
•Blue violet, faithfulness.
•Chrysanthemum (white), love.
•Daisy, innocence.
•Flowering almond, hope.
•Iris, faith and wisdom.
•Ivy, eternal fidelity.
•Lily of the valley, life's completeness.
•Myrtle, love.
•Orange blossom, purity and virginity.
•Passion flower, faith.
•Peony, happy marriage.
•Rose (red), love.
•Rose (pink), perfect happiness.
•Tulip, love and passion.
In most cultures, flowers play a significant role in a wedding, though uses of flowers in a ceremony can vary, according to a section on flowers and worldly trivia found on The Knot.
``In Thailand, the mothers of the bride and groom walk to the altar to drape puang malai — flower garlands — around the couple's shoulders to wish them good fortune in their life together,'' the site says. ``Swedish and Danish grooms sew small pockets of strong-smelling herbs like garlic, chives and rosemary into their clothes for good luck.''
``In a Greek Orthodox wedding, crowns of orange blossoms were traditionally made for the bride and groom,'' The Knot notes. ``The blossoms symbolize virginity and purity because they are white and fragile, and they emit a sweet, delicate scent.''
Some flowers have come to be associated with the Blessed Mother, such as the lily, marigold, chrysanthemum, periwinkle and roses.
In addition to choosing flowers for the symbolism, also keep in mind any blossoms that have a special meaning for you.
Your Bridal Source, another online wedding planning site (www.yourbridalsource.com), advises: ``If your groom gives you yellow roses on special occasions, then use them in your ceremony. If you grew up with a hydrangea plant in your front yard and picked the large blossoms, pretending it was your wedding bouquet, then by all means use them.''
Other factors that will influence your flower choice will be what time of year your wedding is as well as your color scheme. Also, give some thought to aroma and take care not to have overwhelming scents or flowers whose scents conflict.
If you are unsure just where to start with the flowers, here's a basic checklist of arrangements used at most weddings, though not all are musts:
•Bouquets for the bride, including possibly a separate bouquet to throw at the reception, and for the maid or matron of honor, bridesmaids, flower girls.
•Floral hair ornaments for those in the bride's party.
•Boutonnieres for bridegroom, best man, usher, father of the bride and father of the groom.
•Corsage, wrist corsage or arm bouquet for the mothers of bride and groom.
•Flowers for the altar, pews and the church's main entrance.
•Centerpieces for the head table and arrangements for the tables for guests and cake tables.
•Thank-you arrangements for parents, honored guests and the bridal consultant.
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