Choosing Wedding Flowers: Why The Scent And Look Are equally Important
When it comes to choosing wedding flowers many brides seem to focus on colour and flower variety rather than scent. Though I would say the scent is the one thing that is timeless, it never seems to come in and out of fashion unlike alot of floral trends.
By Emma Whicher, Martha And The Meadow
Scent is incredibly evocative and can transport individuals back to a time or memory. In a time when many imported blooms have had their scent breed out of them we sometime forget the quality flowers have to fill with a heady scent.
Just like perfume everyone has a different palette for scent and it is most definitely the same with florals…
££* Indicates variety expense
Winter/Spring
Narcissi ££
The small delicate relation to the daffodil, narcissus offer a powerful burst of scent in winter. Available from November to March and peaking during January to March. Available in white and buttery yellows. For weddings the Paperwhite variety is a classic offering delicate white headed blooms throughout the winter months.
Hyacinths £
Hyacinths offer you a riot of fragrance and colour. Available from November through to mid April. Despite their short stems these still can be used in bouquets and table centres with great effect.
Lily of the Valley £££*
Is synonymous for is delicate and heady fragrance. Famed for it delicate beauty it also come with a more hefty price even in its season during the spring months of March to May. Upward of £3.90 a stem
Lilac ££
One of my favourites, is Syringia the beautiful flowers from the lilac tree, offering full heads of small delicate fragrant flowers from late winter through to mid spring. Available in a range of pale colours of pinks, whites and lilacs.
Summer
Roses £££*
Many of the imported roses no longer offer up much fragrance so if you are wanting to have a bouquet of roses that are going to offer a beautiful heady scent then you need to look for Garden Scented Roses, offering fuller petaled heads and incredible fragrance – if you can look to use British Grown roses or varieties such as David Austin Roses such as ‘Juliet’ or ‘Miranda’. Upwards of £7.50 a stem.
Sweet Peas £££
An English classic these delicate flowers offer up a real punch of fragrance for their size. Offered in a range of varieties and colours these are one of my favourite blooms to work with. Available from April to July.
Stocks ££
A classic country garden staple, stocks offer up delicate scent from the months of February to late July. Available in a variety of colours from classic white to deep burgundy these are a great way to add scent to a wedding without breaking the budget.
Others to consider
Freesia ££
Often seen as a more traditional bloom this delicate little flower can offer up beautiful fragrance to any arrangement of bouquet. Offered in a range of colours from white, through to yellows, orange and even purple. Freesia are pretty much readily available on the market all year round.
Herbs £
Always consider using a range of herbs to fill your wedding flowers with a fragrance and aroma, from Mint, Rosemary, Oregano, Sage, Dill, Lavender and Basil Armanto to name a few. These offer not only interesting textures and intrigue to any design, but affordable fragrance too.
Tuberose ££
If I am honest is a more unusual flower with small flowers clustered on a tall spike, but wow the sweet scent it offers is incredible and its beautiful fragrance is one of the main ingredients used in perfumes. Available from mid winter through the summer months.
Chocolate Cosmos ££
Just like its name, this beautiful little velvet bloom offers up a subltle aroma of cocoa., fun for any chocolate lovers out there. Available from June to October it adds a touch of whimsical to any autumnal bouquet.
Scented Vines ££
When available Jasmine and Honeysuckle both offer up fragrance and can be used in arrangements and bouquet to create wild tendrils as well as offering pockets of scent.
TOP TIP
When working with your wedding florist I would discuss how important scent is to you in your floral designs. In my experience English Roses and British home grown stems offer up some of the most beautiful scent available compared to some of the imported blooms I use. I love to offer up a mix of scented varieties into my bridal bouquets, offering up English Roses, a variety of herbs as well as other stems of Sweet Peas and Stocks all rolled into a beautiful design.
