There’s a reason that roses are the most popular wedding flower, especially for the bride’s bouquet. They’re soft, lovely, and classic, and come in myriad colors from pure white to soft pinks to blazing orange. The mix beautifully with other flowers, but look perfect all on their own. There are about 120 varieties of roses available commercially. Roses are also widely available and are reasonably priced (though some rare varieties can cost up to $10 per stem). And roses are suitable to every occasion, whether its a barnyard bash or the Ritz Carlton.
While you may choose the hue of your roses based on personal color preference, it is interesting to note that there are traditional meanings associated with various colored roses. For example, red roses symbolize love, passion, and beauty. White roses symbolize purity, innocence, and youthfulness. Pink symbolizes sweetness, grace, and faithfulness, while yellow symbolizes joy and friendship. Orange roses symbolize desire. Lavender says “I’m enchanted by you” and blue stands for mystery. Click here for more on the Meaning of Roses.
The Knot provides an overview on the three main types of roses used for wedding flowers:
- Hybrid Tea Roses: With its classic shape, the hybrid tea rose is, in fact, valued for its uniformity, durability (it will last the whole day without wilting!), and availability. The most popular kinds include the deep red roses known as Black Magic, the creamy white ones known as Vendela, and the gold-tone roses known as Leonidas.
- Spray Roses: These smaller roses include five to 10 small heads per stem and therefore fill out bouquets more than a single stem — making them a great value. They are available in single hues or bicolor, like the hybrid. Because of the variance in size, they are ideal for giving texture and visual interest to an arrangement.
- Garden Roses: These roses are far larger and more lush than the other varieties. They are often very open, and they’re more natural and free-form — like something you’d find in your own garden (hence the name). Because of the fragility, they are rarer, precious, and costly.
Understated Elegance: Here are some photos of bridal bouquets from the knot, made of roses all in the same color.
Mixed Magic: Mixing roses of various shades, sizes, and/or varieties makes a stunning bouquet. Pictures from The Knot:
Unexpected Hues: You can make a statement with roses in nontraditional colors, such as lilac and blue.
