Spring
"It is like picking out the perfect piece of jewelry for an outfit — that's the way I look at the flowers my people carry," says Ric Eickhoff, owner of Palermo in South Euclid.
• Tulip — This graceful, delicate-looking flower is popular for its hue and texture.
• Iris — This beauty comes in white, slate blue, blue and purple, as well as specialty tones.
• Hyacinth — A winner for fragrance, this popular spring choice comes in white, pinks, purple, blue-purple and creamy tones.
• Freesia — This sweet-smelling spring choice comes in a wide range of colors, including yellows, red, pinks and white.
• Lilac — This flower is a delicate addition in white, mauve, violet or pink. The purple-flowered varieties, which have a stronger, sweeter scent, are only available for a short season of about six weeks.
• Lily of the valley — An exquisite flower of little white bells arranged along a delicate stem, this is often used in bridal arrangements because of its sweet perfume.
Summer
The arrangement of your flowers not only makes a statement, but can be used to complement your bridal party, says Jeff Cartney, a principal of Vase To Vase in Rocky River. "You can customize the floral design to the shapes and scales of people as well," he says.
• Oriental lilies, including the heavy-perfumed stargazer lily, which opens into a white starburst with a deep pink stripe — Popular shades include white, pink and yellow tones.
• Marguerite daisy — This white flower is abundant in the summertime. Popular for its wildflower look, it blooms in white and sometimes pink or yellow.
• Hydrangea — This is an excellent wedding flower in beautiful tones of white, variegated blue, purple and pale or bright pink.
• Peony — Bearing a wonderful scent, this flower is available in early summer, in shades ranging from pure white, baby pink and peach to raspberry.
• Sweet pea — This vinelike scented flower is originally from Italy and blooms in purple, pinks, creams and salmon tones.
• Stock — Looks much like a bottlebrush of gathered florets. This peppery-scented flower is available in white, yellow, pink, lavender, purple and raspberry.
Fall
"It's not the flower that changes much in the fall; it's more the color," says Al Wilhelmy of Al Wilhelmy Flowers in Cleveland and Westlake. "We like to use gorgeous shades in rich, hearty color tones of oranges, plums, reds and gold."
• Gerbera daisies — While available year-round, this is a popular fall choice for the deep hues available. More than 200 varieties bloom.
• Narcissus — There are more than 25,000 varieties of this sometimes-scented flower in yellow, white, orange and peachy pink.
• Alstroemeria — This all-year-round flower makes a showy stand in fall with its yellow and orange blooms.
• Hypericum — This berry comes in shades of red, orange and brown, as well as gold.
• Celosia — This brainlike cluster of blooms comes in hot pinks, purples, gold and oranges.
• Dahlia — This large, flat blossom is a popular autumn choice for its burgundy and plum-purple tones.
Winter
Roses know no season. These masters of ceremonies come in all colors, shapes and sizes and are a timeless choice for any wedding, especially in winter, when other blooming beauties are harder to find. Here are some other winter selections.
• Muscari or grape hyacinth — In shades of blue, navy, lilac and white, this flower is a great choice for a winter wedding.
• Cyclamen — Known more as a plant, its white, fuchsia and lavender flowers can be used as cut blossoms.
• Calla lilies — Blooms come in traditional white, a pinky-mauve tone, black, raspberry and orange.
• Amaryllis — This trumpet bloom can be quite impressive during its season from September to April. It comes in shades of white, red, candy pink and peach. There are also Christmas-red varieties known as Liberty, Red Lion and Hercules.
• Euphorbia fulgens — A close relative to the poinsettia, this flower has long, curved branches. Its blooms can be red, orange, yellow, salmon pink or white.
