Planning a summer wedding? Summers are synonymous with warm weather, clear skies, sunny days, sandy beaches and summer weddings! The warmer months are also the time when beautiful tropical flowers bloom to their heart’s content. These rare beauties add fresh aromas and bright colors not to mention unusual structures and shapes to almost any wedding detail – ranging from wedding cake, bouquets, centerpieces, and everything else. Tropical flowers are an effortless way to elevate interior decor, dramatize your bridal bouquet or break the monotony of an outdoor venue.
Summer weddings are popular
A lot of weddings – more than two million to be precise – take place in the U.S. each year out of which 340,000 are destination weddings! Every weekend, 44,230 weddings on an average are performed. Although some of the popular wedding months are March, April, May, June, July and August, June tops the list. For most brides and across most locations in the U.S, June is the favorite month for planning a wedding. The most obvious reason behind this preference is that June is pleasantly warm, neither too hot or humid and makes for a perfect setting for outdoor weddings. Modern summer weddings are all about intimate venues, clean lines, non-traditional and cool vibes, pops of color and unique floral details.
More and more weddings are embracing bold, bright and quirky colour schemes and breathtaking floral displays. What better way to add bursts of color and cheer at your summer wedding than flowers! Using mixed hues of violets, greens, pinks, oranges, whites and reds is the time-tested way to add oodles of color to your summer wedding venue. From table centers, bouquets, groomsmen’s suits to the venue, you can use a riot of colors to make textured flower arrangements.
When the spotlight is on summer weddings and floral decorations, tropical flowers cannot be far away.When you are browsing for summer wedding tropical flower ideas, it is important to remember that you need these tropicals for not only the bridal bouquet but for bridesmaids, groom’s boutonnière, wedding decorations and table decor.
What are tropical flowers?
Many people use the words “tropical” and “exotic” interchangeably, but these two are not the same.
Exotic flowers are those that are not native to a specific region. For example, tulips are native to certain parts of Europe and are considered to be “exotic” in other parts of the world. The word ‘exotic’ indicates a flower that does not naturally grow in a certain place.
Tropical flowers are those that bloom in warmer (tropical) climates. These typically grow in regions located near the equator. While they generally require hot and humid conditions to thrive, they can be grown as houseplants with proper care. An example of a tropical flower is the African Moon flower that grows in Namibia.
Now that you know the difference between tropical and exotic flowers, let’s take a closer look at some of the most popular tropical flowers that are ideal for a summer wedding.
Orchids
The stunning orchids are the perfect way to spruce up summer weddings. These perennial, nonwoody plants can be epiphytic (grow on other plants) or terrestrial (rooted in soil). These tropical flowers come in a plethora of colors as there are more than 30,000 species of orchids apart from hybrids. Most orchid species grow on mountainsides in tropical regions where there is a lot of cloud-mountain interactions. The beautiful blooms of the hick-leaved orchid plants stay fresh for months when cared for. Many varieties such as Singapore orchids and Vanda do well when kept in water, making them the ideal choice for table decorations. Exquisite bridal bouquets can be created by pairing pink Cymbidium orchid with white Phalaenopsis orchids while cascading orchids can be used across the wedding venue.
African Violets
These beauties hail from eastern tropical Africa’s foggy cloud forests and there are multiple species and subspecies, offering a dazzling array of colors and flower types. They thrive in temperatures between 65 to 75°F while they can survive temperatures of 90°F. The sweet purple hues of this delicate flower packs some punch! Whether it is an intimate garden wedding or a grand ballroom celebration, African Violets add to the happy and positive vibes. If you need another excuse to use these tropical flowers in your summer wedding, here it is – the color violet symbolizes devotion, loyalty and faithfulness.
Gardenia
Gardenias are native to Japan and Southern Asia and are perfect for summer weddings. Full of grace and elegance, these flowers can add a touch of glamor to the dinner table and look stunning when placed in a bowl of water as a centerpiece.
Calla lily
Calla lilies are tropical beauties that do well in sunny spots, making them the right choice for colorful summer weddings. Sleek and contemporary looking, the long stem and trumpet blossoms of Calla lilies make a bold style statement on a hot summer day. Place them in a tall vase to create a dramatic centerpiece or bunch them up to make an eye-catching bridal bouquet. The creamy ivory flowers are perfect additions for summer garden weddings while dark purple orange, yellow and pink can brighten up any indoor venue.
Daisies
Gerbera Daisies belong to the tropical regions of Asia, South America and Africa and come in bright shades of orange, white, yellow, red and pink. One of the most popular and well-recognized flowers typically used for decorations, the daisy brings in a cheerful vibe to indoor or outdoor summer wedding venues. While you can use the whites and yellows in bouquets, centerpieces or lawn decorations, you can pair all shades of daisies with other tropicals to create a stunning effect.
Oriental lilies
Oriental lilies are known also as “the Queen of Flowers,” and it is easy to see why. These star-shaped flowers have large petals with ruffled margins and have a heady fragrance. In terms of colors, you will be spoilt for choice, given the queen flower’s wide-ranging hues and shades, including yellow, hot pink and whites.
Oriental and Asiatic lilies are some of the most popular ‘true lilies.’ While Asian lilies appear from June to July, the Oriental bulbs bloom in August. The Orientals have larger flowers as compared to the Asiatic lilies.
These lilies are beautiful wedding flowers given their unusual structures and shapes. You can use the Oriental lilies to create striking floral arrangements, wedding bouquets or boutonnieres. You can also base the entire summer wedding theme around these fragrant wonders. Use it as motifs for stationery or incorporate them in the color themes.
Bird of paradise
These gorgeous and unusual tropical flowers are one of the most colorful ones in the world. The name ‘Bird of Paradise’ which is as exotic as the flower itself, comes from the spectacular shape of the flower that resembles the plumage and beak of a bird. The botanical name of this plant is Strelitzia reginae which is a tropical herbaceous plant from South Africa.
They are also sometimes called Crane flowers. The bright exotic colors and long stems of these flowers are sure to create a dramatic impact at your summer wedding.
Birds of Paradise symbolize joyfulness that makes them perfect for weddings! You can use them in different ways to add a colorful, joyous and tropical touch to your outdoor wedding or indoor decor. As they bloom through May from September, they are also a great choice for fall and winter weddings.
The unusual, statuesque shape and brilliant colors have ensured these flowers continue to be a popular choice for florists and wedding designers. You can include these flowers in each and every wedding detail from tropical bouquets, wedding centerpieces to wedding cake decorations.
Protea
Looking for flowers that are dramatic showstoppers at your summer wedding? The tropical bloom of Protea can add the right exotic, stunning and colorful touch to your summer wedding. Protea flowers are sought after for boho, tropical and modern themed summer weddings as these flowers are easily available in spring and summer. They work fabulously both as stand alone flowers and when mixed with other softer tropicals and blooms including ranunculus, rose and anemones that can provide an interesting contrast to Protea’s bold textures.
Also known as ‘sugarbushes,’ the white fuzzy texture and oval-shaped petals of the Protea are sure to make an awesome, bold and elegant statement. Protea are extremely hearty flowers and look fabulous for hours in water, making them a terrific choice as centerpieces and wedding bouquets! While you add Protea in the bouquet along with other tropicals, it’s also a terrific idea to create a bouquet with only these sugarbushes. Just add some soft green elements to these beauties to complete the gorgeous look. Tropical flowers with bold red, hot pink, white, orange and other exotic color and fragrances can be used to create a tropical themed wedding. Flowers such as Bird of paradise and Protea can be used to make a unique, dramatic style statement. Other tropical flowers such as orchids and lilies add lovely and elegant accents to wedding flower arrangements and other details.
PansyMaiden is an online platform where you can find everything to do with flowers. If you love flowers, love to plant them, take care of them, create beautiful flower arrangements and bouquets, or create mesmerizing art using flowers, this is the right place for you.