Okayyyy, here we go! The third blog in my series on seasonal wedding flowers: Autumn.
When am I not raving about the benefits of using seasonal blooms in your wedding flowers?! Incorporating theses beauties into your wedding flowers is a fantastic way of making your wedding look seasonally appropriate and allowing you to make the most of the best nature has to offer!
So you're getting married in Autumn?! Here are a few of our FAVOURITE Autumn blooms that I love incorporating into our wedding flower designs.
1. Dahlia
Is it even autumn without a Dahlia?! Firm favourites with the gardening community, they have become super popular in bridal bouquets over the last few years (thank you Instagram!). They're even starting to rival the peony in terms of bridal bouquet popularity!
Commercially, Dahlias are available from the end of summer (mid July / early august depending on the year!) until around October and come in all shapes, sizes and colours; single, ball, cactus, pompom and waterlily to name just a few! I usually find that the ball and pompom varieties hold up best in flower arrangements.
Due to the vast array of Dahlia varieties, there really is something for everyone... or even, for every floral design. Bigger heads work well in large urn arrangements on installation pieces and smaller varieties look beautiful in bridal bouquets, wedding centrepieces or bud vases.
2. Amaranthus
If there is one flower people are always amazed by it has to be Amaranthus or "Love Lies Bleeding"... you can see how it got that name!
Amaranthus is available from late summer until November and is available in a number of colours from green to brown to (my favourite) cerise.
Amaranthus works wonderfully in large floral design pieces; trailing from hanging floral hoops, cascading from urn arrangements or tumbling from an floral arch, they are sure to bring some DRAMA to your wedding flowers.
3. Zinnia
Ohhh the Zinnia! Those little ruffly flowers look so joyful!
No matter how much I love Zinnias, they are a bit of a tricky number! They ARE available commercially, although in my experience locally sources British grown blooms hold up infinitely better.
Available in an abundance of colours; pink, purple, white, orange, red... etc etc! I love using them in bouquets, bud vases and centrepieces where their exquisite blooms can be seen up close and personal.
4. Grasses
Okay, a controversial one, but can we count this as a flower please?! There are soooo many varieties of grass out there! Pampas and bunny tail grasses have been huge hits in wedding designs over the last few years but they really are just the tip of the iceberg.
Dried and fresh grasses are available year round, but tend to be associated more with the autumn season. They are fantastic for adding texture to floral designs and come in loads of different textures!
Bunny tail grasses (my favourite) are great for smaller pieces like buttonholes and boutonnieres but also look fantastic in aisle meadows or centrepieces. Panicum or "fountain grass" adds an almost sparkly feel to floral designs and, the ever popular, Pampas grass is great in larger pieces. Whatever you choose, they are perfect for adding "boho" vibe to your wedding flowers!
Top tip: One word of warning when it comes to dried floral material - it is very flammable! Be careful when positioning candles next to dried flower arrangements!
5. Aster
Aster or "September Flower" are another gorgeous autumnal flower, although despite being synonymous with the autumn months, they are actually available commercially throughout the summer too! They come in a number of colours, from white to pink to the classic lilac you're probably most used to.
September flowers are a great filler flower, by that I mean; they add a little touch of magic in between the main stars of the floral arrangement. They work wonderfully in larger pieces, or cut down into individual flowers for more intricate work. Their daisy-like flowers make Aster the perfect choice for aisle meadows or "wildflower" style weddings.
Want to see some of my Autumn favourites in action?! Keep scrolling!
Photo by Eva Murko Photography.
Photo by Sophie Renshaw Photography.
Photo by Upon The Heath Photography.
If you'd like to enquire about flowers for your Autumn wedding, fill out the contact form on my website. I can't wait to hear from you!
Photo by Sophie Renshaw Photography.