Often the best days for a wedding are warm, hot even, and while this might be good for the bride and groom, it can wreak havoc on delicate flowers. Choosing a wedding flower that will stand up to the heat and look great throughout the ceremony and even long afterwards can be hard. You want something that is beautiful and fit for a bride, but still sturdy enough to hang in there, even in high temperatures.
What to Look For
A good wedding flower is delicate looking, but not actually that fragile. It will withstand the summer heat and look terrific doing it. You have enough worries and stresses on your wedding day, flowers should definitely not be one of them, so select hardy flowers from the very beginning and you'll be able to focus on more important things, like actually getting married.
Here are some of the characteristics to look for in a heat-resistant wedding flower.
Thick, waxy petals are best. They tend to be stiffer and hold the moisture in longer than thinner petals which tend to shrivel and wilt in the heat. The thicker the petal, the stiffer it will be, making it more resistant to wilting.
Stiff leaves help with heat resistance, too. Leaves contain a lot of moisture that can be wicked up to the bloom and the greenery helps enhance the color of the wedding flowers. Wilted leaves make the entire bouquet look sickly, so thicker, waxier leaves are the best option.
Sturdy stems keep flowers upright. While the florist can place flower stems in plastic straws to help keep them upright when the heat threatens to send them drooping downwards, but it's best to choose the right flowers with sturdy, thick stems that are strong enough to stand up even when slightly dried out.
Full blooms stay fresh longer. Flowers that aren't just a few petals will last longer. Look for ruffled petals or multiple rounds, such as with a mum or carnation. These flowers do very well with holding in the moisture needed to survive a hot day, even when not placed in a vase of water.
If you have the budget, tropical flowers tend to be far better than our native blooms when it comes to withstanding the hot interior of a church or reception hall. They are grown in heat, so you'll find that they are quite hardy when it comes to summer weddings. Most tropical flowers are very elegant, as well, so they make for very lovely bouquets and centerpieces.
Flowers like orchids, lilies and dahlias are all great ones for a wedding flower. They hold up to the heat very well and can take long drought periods, thanks to their hardy leaves and petals that retain moisture even in stifling conditions.
Your florist will also be able to recommend a more heat resistant wedding flower or two. The ideal would be a flower that you love the look of, which combines beauty with functionality. For a summer wedding, how well the flowers will stand up to the heat is a very important consideration. There is nothing more stressful on your wedding day than discovering that all your blooms are wilting away in the intense heat.
Choose your wedding flowers carefully. You don't want bouquets that look awful by the time you are ready to walk down the aisle. Tropical flowers, those with waxy, thick petals and leaves and any flower that is bushy and full of petals tend to be alright and will look great throughout the entire day.
By Amy Nut
