A comprehensive guide to the flowers, design terms, and floral elements that define modern wedding floristry. Whether you are a bride planning your celebration or a florist building your knowledge, this glossary covers everything you need to know.
The most requested blooms for wedding celebrations, with seasonality, available colors, and common uses.
A striking bloom with a dark center and delicate petals, available in white, red, purple, and blue. Anemones add a graphic, high-contrast element to wedding arrangements.
An elegant, trumpet-shaped flower with a smooth, waxy texture. Calla lilies are a symbol of sophistication and are available in miniature and full-size varieties.
A ruffled, long-lasting bloom available in nearly every color. Modern floral design has elevated the carnation from budget filler to design-forward statement flower, especially in ombre installations.
A show-stopping bloom available in sizes from small pompons to dinner-plate varieties exceeding 10 inches. Dahlias offer incredible variety in form and color.
A tall, spiky flower with densely packed blooms along a single stem. Delphiniums add dramatic height and a cottage-garden quality to arrangements.
An aromatic foliage available in several varieties: silver dollar (round leaves), seeded (small berries), willow (long narrow leaves), and baby blue (small oval). Essential greenery in modern wedding design.
A lush, full-petaled rose with a ruffled, old-world appearance and intense fragrance. Garden roses are the most requested premium wedding flower, with varieties like Juliet, Patience, and Keira leading the market.
A voluminous bloom composed of hundreds of tiny florets forming a large round head. Hydrangeas provide excellent coverage and create a lush, full look with fewer stems.
Tiny, bell-shaped white flowers on delicate arching stems with an intoxicating sweet fragrance. One of the most expensive wedding flowers due to limited availability and labor-intensive handling.
A rose-like flower with ruffled, paper-thin petals available in single and double varieties. Lisianthus is more affordable than garden roses and offers a similar romantic aesthetic with excellent longevity.
An exotic bloom available in thousands of varieties. The most popular wedding orchids are Phalaenopsis (moth orchid), Cymbidium, Dendrobium, and Vanda, each offering a distinct look.
A beloved, lush bloom with layers of soft, ruffled petals and a gentle sweet fragrance. Peonies are the most-requested wedding flower and symbolize romance, prosperity, and good fortune.
A large, sculptural flower native to South Africa with a dramatic, architectural appearance. King protea can reach 12 inches in diameter.
A multi-layered bloom with tissue-paper-thin petals arranged in a tight spiral. Ranunculus offers the layered look of a rose but with a more delicate, romantic character.
A delicate, butterfly-shaped flower with an intensely sweet fragrance. Sweet peas grow on climbing vines and have a whimsical, cottage-garden quality.
A classic spring flower with a clean, simple silhouette. Available in standard, parrot (ruffled), French (double-petaled), and fringed varieties.
Essential terminology used in professional floral design and wedding floristry.
A small floral arrangement worn on the lapel, traditionally by the groom, groomsmen, fathers, and other honored guests. Boutonnieres are wired and taped by hand and secured with a pin or magnet.
A bouquet style where flowers and greenery trail downward in a waterfall effect. Cascade bouquets create a dramatic, elongated silhouette and are best suited for formal and ballroom weddings.
A pedestal bowl vessel used for elevated centerpieces. Compotes raise the arrangement above the table surface, adding height while maintaining visibility for conversation across the table.
A small floral arrangement worn on the wrist or pinned to clothing, traditionally by mothers, grandmothers, and other special female guests. Modern wrist corsages are built on elastic or ribbon bands.
Floral design that avoids synthetic floral foam (Oasis), using alternative mechanics like chicken wire, pin frogs, or Agra-Wool. Increasingly popular due to environmental concerns about non-biodegradable foam.
A continuous strand of greenery and flowers used to decorate tables, staircases, mantels, or ceremony structures. Garlands create a lush, organic look and can range from simple eucalyptus runners to elaborate floral ropes.
A bouquet style where flowers are gathered and secured with ribbon or twine, with stems visible below the binding. Hand-tied bouquets have an organic, freshly-gathered-from-the-garden appearance.
A large-scale floral design that transforms a space, such as a suspended ceiling piece, entrance arch, or sculptural arrangement. Installations often require structural engineering, rigging, and a team of multiple designers.
A small, compact, rounded bouquet that fits in one hand. Nosegays are tightly arranged and often feature a single focal flower surrounded by complementary blooms and a collar of greenery.
A color gradient effect where blooms transition gradually from one shade to another (light to dark or between colors). Popular in flower walls, cascading bouquets, and centerpiece groupings.
A heavy metal disk with sharp pins used to hold flower stems in place inside a vessel. Also called a kenzan. Pin frogs are a sustainable alternative to floral foam and are essential in ikebana-style arrangements.
A sphere of flowers suspended from a ribbon, traditionally carried by flower girls. Pomanders create a charming, playful element and can also be hung from ceremony structures or chairs.
A small nosegay bouquet held in a metal cone-shaped holder. Historically used in the Victorian era to carry fragrant flowers. Occasionally requested as a vintage-inspired alternative to a standard corsage.
The key floral components and installations that make up a complete wedding floral design.
Floral arrangements placed along the ceremony aisle to define the walkway and add beauty to the processional. Options include shepherd hook arrangements, ground-level urns, pew clips, and petals scattered along the path.
The primary floral arrangement on each reception table. Centerpieces set the visual tone for the dining experience and come in low lush, tall dramatic, floating candle, and greenery runner styles.
A freestanding structure positioned behind the officiant that frames the couple during their vows. Ceremony arches come in rectangular, circular (moon gate), hexagonal, and asymmetric designs and can be dressed with flowers from minimal accents to full coverage.
The canopy under which Jewish couples exchange their vows, symbolizing the home they will build together. A chuppah consists of four poles supporting a cloth or floral canopy and can be dressed with extensive floral treatments.
A decorative installation where guests find their table assignments. Modern escort card displays integrate floral design as a backdrop or frame, creating both a functional element and a photo opportunity.
A large panel covered in fresh, silk, or preserved flowers that serves as a ceremony backdrop, photo station, or reception focal point. Flower walls can be built from fresh blooms, boxwood hedge panels with floral accents, or premium silk flowers.
A decorated structure or canopy under which Hindu wedding ceremonies are performed. Mandaps feature four or more pillars with a canopy or dome and are often elaborately dressed with flowers in rich, vibrant color palettes.
A floral arrangement hung from the ceiling above the reception space, creating an immersive canopy of flowers and greenery. Suspended installations require structural engineering, rigging points, and professional installation.
A small two-person table for the couple at the reception, separate from the guest tables. Sweetheart tables receive the most elaborate floral treatment, often featuring garlands, elevated arrangements, and a backdrop or canopy of blooms.
The complete visual design of a reception table including centerpieces, runner or garland, candles, place settings, linens, and decorative elements. A cohesive tablescape creates a unified dining experience.
Whether you are planning your wedding flowers or building your career as a wedding florist, we are here to help.
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