Seasonal alternatives to roses for your wedding flowers.
Roses have long been a staple of the wedding industry, for their ready availability, luxe look and huge variety of colours, but roses aren’t for everyone.
“I don’t like roses.”
“No roses please.”
“Roses aren’t really my thing.”
You’d be surprised how often we get these kinds of notes from brides on their enquiry forms.
And to be honest we love it!
Why?
Because all too often as a wedding florist you use roses as your fallback flower.
I need a punch of pink; I’ll add some roses.
I need a focal flower; I’ll add some roses.
I need something extra I can’t quite put my finger on, I know; I’ll add some roses.
When bride asks for no roses, it pushes us outside our ‘roses at the ready’ comfort zone we have to think!
So, what’s on offer for your wedding flowers, without roses?
Here’s our favourite Aussie grown alternatives to using roses in your wedding.
Summer
Left-right: dahlia, hydrangea, cosmos
Dahlia
Big, blousy and bright, dahlia is a summer favourite for many brides. And with so many local growers in the greater Geelong region, it’s one of our favourites too.
Locally available: Dec-April
Colours: white, yellow, orange, pink, red, purple/burgundy
Hydrangea
Big and beautiful, hydrangea can be used en masse or mixed with other flowers for a beautiful, bountiful addition to your wedding.
Locally available: Sept-May
Colours: white, pink, purple, blue, greens, and mottled antique colours in autumn
Cosmos
Light and whimsical, cosmos is a favourite here at Prim Petal Co. These babies dance above other flowers or play well on their own. They love heat to flower, so summer brides, cosmos is made for you!
Locally available: Dec-April
Colours: white, yellow, pink, burgundy/brown
Autumn
Left-right: poppy, chrysanthemum
Poppy
Soft papery petals with vibrant yellow insides, poppies bring a pop (no pun intended) of colour to your wedding!
Locally available: May-September/October
Colours: white, yellow, orange, pink (insider note; commercially, poppies are available in a mixed lottery bunch of these 4 colours – so adding poppies to your wedding is adding these colours to your palette)
Disbud Chrysanthemum
Long associated with Mother’s Day, a disbud chrysanthemum can stand in for a dahlia as a focal flower in autumn weddings.
Locally available: May-September/October
Colours: white, yellow, orange, pink, purple.
Winter
Left-right: hellebore, anemone
Hellebore
Known as the winter rose, hellebore are in bloom when most other flowers are hibernating. Beautiful open faces and graceful stems make this flower a beautiful addition to a winter wedding.
Locally available: July- September
Colours: white, lemon yellow, pink, purple, burgundy, some bicolour varieties also available.
Anemone
Visually a little like a poppy but with a black centre, anemones hold their own as a striking addition to any wedding. If you’re going white in winter, add anemone for a touch of black in your colour palette.
Locally available: July-September
Colours: white, red, purple
Spring
Left-right: ranunculus, pincushion, peony
Ranunculus
My Oma grew these every spring, so they hold a special place in our hearts here at Prim Petal Co. We love them for their dense petals and beautiful rounded shape.
Locally available: July- September
Colours: yellow, white, orange, pink, purple, burgundy, some bicolour varieties also available.
Pincushion
A little left of field for some, but so very good. Pincushions bring bold colour and texture to your wedding flowers; we love them in arbours or compotes at your ceremony to bring a punch of colour in spring!
Locally available: October to December
Colours: yellow, orange, coral red.
Peony
Big and beautiful blooms that make a statement every spring! Their season is short and sweet so late spring brides, this one is for you!
Locally available: October and November
Colours: white, coral, pink, red, burgundy
All year
Left-right: tulip, lisianthus, carnation, anthurium
Tulips
Use au natural or reflex them, tulips are a graceful addition to any wedding palette. They come in single, double or ruffled shapes and in so many colours!
Locally available: All year
Colours: white, red, yellow, cream, pink, purple, orange, variegated varieties also available.
Lisianthus
Often mistaken for a rose, lisianthus is a beautiful soft addition to your wedding florals, especially if you are working in a pastel palette. Used with their buds for cottage garden feels or without their buds for a more modern, open look.
Locally available: All year
Colours: white, cream, nude, pink, purple, mauve
Carnation
Long held to be your Nanna’s flower, we think carnations have been underestimated as a wedding option for too long! Available in a variety of bloom sizes, they are an excellent alternative to roses and bring a vintage vibe to your wedding.
Locally available: All year
Colours: white, yellow, orange, pink, salmon, cream, lime green, red, purple, mauve, burgundy
Anthurium
Tropical and little bit luxe anthurium is a great focal bloom to float above other flowers in your wedding arrangements. They strike a great pose in larger arrangements and can be used on their own for a minimalist bridesmaid bouquet.
Locally available: All year
Colours: white, pink, salmon, lime green, red, purple, burgundy
Want to chat further?
Enquire now for wedding flowers across Geelong, the Bellarine, Surf Coast, Melbourne and Ballarat!