Finest Locally Grown Flowers & Foliage - A Guide to Choosing the Best for Your Wedding

Throughout the centuries, flowers have been known to convey emotions and messages. And, that’s exactly why a wedding is incomplete without its timeless touch and grace. But with travel restrictions due to COVID-19, local weddings are left with no option but to turn towards the abundant range of flowers our little paradise island has to offer. And, how great is that? We get to appreciate what our tiny land has blessed us with while we pay respect to our roots. Sourcing locally available flowers for your wedding is going to be the next big thing in 2021 and we are already excited about it! 

On that note, we have curated an interesting read for you to understand your wedding flowers. And, do you want to know the best part of it? They are all available here in Sri Lanka! Find out the meanings behind your favourite blooms, how colours can reflect your true self and everything you need to know about choosing your wedding flowers and foliage!

Featuring some exclusive tips from the experts, Lashan Ranasinhe (Lassana Weddings) and Samitha Wijayasekara (The Wedding Flowers), the following read is going to keep you gripped as you learn about all the blooms that are locally available in Sri Lanka for your wedding!

First Things First

Florists may give you hundreds of suggestions based on their experience. The floral ideas you have gathered over the months may seem like your ultimate choice. The flowers that suit your taste may be out of season or expensive. In midst of all this, do not forget to be true to yourself and incorporate a bit of your personality into your wedding. Themes are nice, but we believe in integrating personal touches and uniqueness to a wedding. So, if you are ready – let’s hop over to the details.

Choosing the Flowers

It is always best to use seasonal flowers and foliage for your wedding day. It does not only work in favour of your budget but also immediately gives away the time of year and season you got married in when looking through your wedding photos. In addition, using flowers that are locally available cuts down the travel time which results in fresher flowers.

The best advice we would give you is to go all out on the things that really matter to you and cut back on the insignificant aspects which are of less importance to you. For example, if you are firm on curating a delicate, cascading beauty for your bouquet, we know your heart is set on something that will cost you a lot and you do not want to settle for anything less. We say – go for it! And, opt for minimal blooms, like wrist corsages or massed gypsophila, for the bridesmaids which are relatively less expensive than full bloom bouquets. Similarly, if you want your decorations to play the backdrop for your photography, divert your attention towards decorating the focal areas of the venue where they would immediately stand out and cut down on the pew end blooms. You may even completely eliminate the flowers and decorate the pew ends or aisle with other props. With all this in mind, do not compromise on the vibe of your wedding. Talk to your florist and select flowers that best reflects the look and feel you want for your wedding. 

Let those Flowers Flaunt Your Personality

Wedding sentiments are close to heart for you brides, we know! And, we are all in for the little things that help reflect your personality. We just love weddings with personal touches. After all, your event has to reflect your inner self and this is what makes your wedding celebration unique. If you are wondering how to transform your wedding into a mirror of your personality, you may start with choosing the colours of your flowers. Now, now – we understand your theme may influence your choice of flowers and colours. But, this is your chance to know a thing or two about wedding blooms.

We know the love for flowers is widespread when it comes to weddings but how do you choose the colour that will not just add a regal charm to your event and photos, but also complement your true character?

We have laid out the meanings of the most sought-after colours. Let’s dive right into it!

White blooms signify purity and unity. They also pay homage to new beginnings, respect and hope for the future. While red poses as an ardent fan of passion, pink means joy, admiration and innocence. Similarly, peach flowers are known for expressing gratitude. On the other hand, there are orange flowers that are the wildest of all and they represent fascination and will easily convey your emotions of enthusiasm, passion and gratitude. Remember – you can always mix colours to signify multiple meanings. For example, a combination of red and ivory could mean that your love is intense.

You may think of colours and style alone when we say flowers can convey messages. But, here’s how historic meanings can help you decide which flowers to pick!

Flowers like roses and carnation highlight the connection of love while daffodils mean new beginnings and hydrangeas mean perseverance. But, wait! While some flowers may hint good vibes and positive sentiments, flowers like begonia can mean beware and tansy can portray hostile thoughts. 

What’s in Season?

Remember we said it’s best to choose flowers that are in season? Well, here’s everything you need to know about picking your blossoms based on the season you are hosting your wedding! To begin with, roses are available in abundance during the bright, sunny season and harvest is low during the rainy period. Some of the colours that are widely available are white, pure white, red, peach, pink, orange and yellow. Similarly, the super daisy, lisianthus, spray roses, arum lily, lotus are more flowers that are affected by the rainy seasons and have better harvesting days when the sun shines bright. 

But, if you are looking for something that is available throughout the year – the snapdragon, alstroemeria, statice, limonium, tulip, hibericum, heliconia, cactus, tiger lilies (white, yellow, red, dark pink, light pink and orange), gerbera (white, yellow, red and pink) and chrysanthemums (white, yellow, red, dark pink, light pink, orange, purple, green, burgundy) could be some of your choices. 

Baby’s breath and white orchids have no particular season to be in full bloom but the harvesting periods have a gap of three to six months. However, orchids have over 185 species and some of them are available throughout the year, like the dendrobium orchids and the rest are seasonal.

The agapanthus are wildflowers that usually bloom only twice a year, from May to June and December to January. Similarly, gladiolas are rarely available in the island as it blooms only once a year, in the month of April. Anthuriums are also one of the most common flowers that are available during March to September. It adds beauty to any bouquet or arrangement, evoking a tropical vibe. Petunias are only available in April but are rarely included in floral décor. Additionally, the country’s national flower, water lilies, are wildflowers that are commonly sighted around the country, blooming yearly.

If you are a December bride, we have got some picks for you as well! The vanda, phalaenopsis and Kandyan dance orchids are known to have better harvests when the days are cold and are exclusively available during the last month of the year.

Locally Available Flowers and Foliage for Your Bouquet

Flowers

• Tiger lilies

• Chrysanthemums

• Roses

• Baby’s breath

• Wax flowers

• Snapdragon

• Lisianthus

• Orchid

• Spray roses

• Statice 

• Limonium

• Arum lily

• Agapanthus

• Tulip

• Hibericum

• Stephanotis

• Heliconia

• Vanda

• Phalaenopsis

• Cactus

• Amaranthus

• Lotus

Foliage

• Rose leaves

• Camellia

• Sanderiana 

• Eucalyptus

• Blue wattle

• Gladiolus leaves

• Karachi leaves

• Silver leaves

Best Flowers for Table Décor and Settee Back

• Tiger Lilies

• Chrysanthemums

• Roses

• Baby’s breath

• Snapdragon

• Lisianthus

• Orchid

• Heliconia

• Phalaenopsis

• Amaranthus

• Lotus

The most popular table décor and settee back flowers are lilies, roses and carnations but it depends on whether it is a cascading or round table arrangement. The use of flowers change according to this requirement. A floral designer has the skill and expertise to identify the flowers that would fit the design plan and that is why a professional is a must-have at every wedding. There have been instances where individuals have used unsuitable flowers resulting in an unattractive arrangement. So, beware!

Flowers that Suit Your Budget and Type of Event

Some of the expensive wedding flowers include tiger lilies, chrysanthemums, roses, baby’s breath, lisianthus, snapdragon, spray roses, orchids, phalaenopsis, cactus, heliconia and arum lily. On the other hand, the least expensive ones are the super daisy, alstroemeria, statice, limonium, agapanthus, tulip, hibericum, stephanotis, vanda, amaranthus and lotus.

However, if you are hosting a garden wedding, tiger lilies, orchids, phalaenopsis, chrysanthemums, baby’s breath and roses are some of the best picks to add elegance to your nature-inspired event. These would also complement a rustic-themed wedding. Moreover, the best selections for a tropical or beach wedding would include heliconia, bird of paradise, anthurium, frangipani and crab claw plant.

Mistakes to Avoid

Book your florist ASAP! One of the common mistakes includes not booking your florist early enough. The earlier you start planning with your florist, the more time they have to suggest design ideas to transform the venue into the setting of your dreams. Ensure to do your research and check out your florist’s previous work. And, after you are happy with their style and you book them, let them use their experience and do their thing. Interfering in between every interval may disrupt their creativity to provide you with the best.

While Pinterest and Instagram are great tools for wedding planning, remember that there are also images of big fat weddings. Flowers are in season at different times of the year in different countries, so go easy on trying to recreate the details.

We also advise you to be watchful of your budget. Try not to spread it too thinly and have an incomplete job done. Rather, focus on injecting them into the areas that would give a wow-factor.