How a florist picks and plans your wedding flowers
Picking your wedding flowers can be overwhelming - knowing what colours to choose, which flowers work best, are they available and in season? We spoke with La Lista member Giorgia Carolini, a florist based in Tuscany, as she breaks down what she looks for when choosing flowers and how to get truly beautiful floral arrangements.
When creating a floral project, colours are the first thing Giorgia considers and with emphasis on inspiration from the seasonal colours.
“If I think about early summer in my mind, what I see are the days getting longer and longer; the sun that melts with the sky; the crystal clear sea water; that feeling of warmness and light. I then choose a palette that best represents these feelings.” GC
Coral | Peach | Apricot | Sky | Lilac
The contrast between warm and cold shades gives body to the arrangements - the feeling looking at these colours is both energising and calming. Orange and blue shades are contrasts in the colour wheel, but with a touch of lilac the arrangement is softened.
“Once the palette has been found, the next step is the search for which flowers - what I have chosen for the palette and what is in season.” GC
Peony ‘Coral charm’
The Peony is a much loved and desired flower for its unique shape and for its scent. It is also a flower that is only found for a limited period of the year (mid-May -end of June). Striking as a focal flower in your design for sure.
Curiosity: This variety changes its shade as the day goes by
Meaning: Prosperity
Dahlia ‘Linda’s Baby’
The Dahlia is a resistant and delicate flower - a summer flower that will surely do justice in your compositions.
Curiosity: The flower opens and transforms itself in the days following the harvest
Meaning: Elegance
Sweet Pea ‘Champagne king’
The seriously romantic Sweet Pea allows movement in arrangements with its spontaneous stems thanks to it being a climbing plant.
Curiosity: As the name implies, the most incredible smell
Meaning: Blissful Pleasure
Phlox ‘Cherry Caramel’
The Phlox is a flower scene composed of many small flowers. Clever in how it works differently for each arrangement - sometimes as an excellent bulk element, other times as a whimsical character. In this soft colour it plays the role of the light point.
Curiosity: The storytellers of the time spoke of the custom of the knights to leave the flower to the woman with whom they had danced with and celebrated throughout the evening
Meaning: Our souls are united
Nigella Damascena ‘Love in a mist’
The Nigella is a very delicate flower in rather uncommon but stunning shades of light blue. It has a light and graceful movement which allows designers to give air and delicacy to the design.
Curiosity: The name of the plant derives from the Latin "nigella", due to the black colour of the seeds. Whilst "damascena" derives from the city of Damascus which indicates its origin
Meaning: Harmony and Love
Delphinium ‘Centurion Sky Blue’
The Delphinium is an important wedding flower, very tall and suitable for compositions for the ceremony such as urns and aisles.
Curiosity: The name Delphinium derives from ancient Greece due to the similarity of its gem to the dolphin's head
Meaning: Levity and lightness
Scabiosa ‘Lisa’
The Scabiosa is a very delicate flower; its heavy head compared to the stem allows it to create playful shapes. An essential element for botanical style compositions
Curiosity: It has been cultivated for years as a medicinal plant, until its colours and structure allowed it to be appreciated as an ornamental
Meaning: Love, purity and peace
Looking for more advice on choosing the right flowers for your wedding? Check out our free Seasonal Flower Guide, as well as the cost of wedding flowers in Italy.
