#BouquetBreakdown - The "Lydia"

​Let’s talk flowers! 
One of the most common things we hear brides say is, “I am not good with flower names but those are pretty! What are those?” Well, we’re here to break it down for you. In this series, we will: break down what type of flowers are in the bouquet, give a little more description of the flowers themselves, explain when they are in season and where they fall on the expensive scale. Our goal is to help brides feel more confident when talking flowers.

Our first bouquet in this series is titled “The Lydia”. It’s a bright twist on a classic peony bouquet.

So why do we love this bouquet so much?

This bouquet was one of our favorites for many reasons. Besides the bright bold colors and amazing scent, this bouquet had an incredible love story behind it. When the bride and groom moved into their new home the groom was very gung ho about moving in and making it their home. He was so gung ho he accidentally mowed over some beautiful peonies in their front yard. Needless to say, the bride wasn't too pleased. As time went on and the seasons changed the new couple got engaged and started planning their wedding. When they came to the Tipsy Tulip for a wedding flower consultation the bride had mentioned this story. We thought nothing of it for a while till the bride landed on a specific style of bouquet. She had jokingly commented about adding these peonies to her bouquet. What a beautiful unexpected twist to add to this couple's wedding story. It truly was such an incredible metaphor for how strong their love is.

So what is in this bouquet?

White Peonies: These white peonies had such a sweet lovely scent. Their fluffy soft petals gave such a luxurious dreamy vibe to this bouquet. Peonies are typically in season from May to June with limited availability through July and August from flower farms in Alaska. We give peonies a $$$ to $$$$ out of $$$$$ on the expensive scale just depending on when they are in need.

Bowl of Beauty Peonies: This variety is called “bowl of beauty” and we couldn’t think of a more fitting name. It is not your standard double ruffle fluffy peony. Instead, it boasts a double ring of bright fuchsia pedals with a creamy pale lemon yellow center. While most peonies are typically in season from May to June with limited availability through July and August from flower farms in Alaska, this specific variety usually comes from specialty local growers or out of personal gardens. We give this specific variety of peonies a $$$$$ out of $$$$$ on the expensive scale because they are hard to source.

Lavender Lisianthus: These small almost rosette types of blooms are highly sought after by brides nowadays. They bring a nice pop of color and the unopened buds give a nice texture to the bouquet. Lisianthus is typically available year-round as it can be imported from other countries. However, we find the best season is mid-summer to early fall when the local growers have unique varieties blooming. We give lisianthus a $$$ out of $$$$$ on the expensive scale.

Lavender Stock: Stock is a fairly fragrant flower that reminds us of a spice smell, almost clove-like. They have more of a vertical growth pattern when compared to other flowers such as peonies and roses. They are made up of little clusters of ruffled petals that grow upwards towards a small spiked top. While they can be purchased year-round we find they are most in-season between March and August. We give stock a $$ out of $$$$$ on the expensive scale.
Scented Geranium Foliage: Just like the name says scented geranium has a wonderful smell. It reminds us of a minty lemon mixed with a little pepper. We found this foliage to pair nicely with the traditional mint in this bouquet. The bright green foliage gives a crisp feel to the bouquet and makes the lavender and pink tones pop. This unexpected greenery is in-season between May to September. We give scented geranium a $$$ out of $$$$$ on the expensive scale.

Mint Foliage: Similar to scented geranium, mint is an unexpected and unusual greenery to see in a wedding bouquet. With our bride loving blueberry mojitos we knew we had to sneak some mint in there. Besides its incredible scent, mint foliage offers a more non-traditional leaf shape when compared to other greenery used in wedding work. Mint can be purchased year-round but like other flowers, we find it looks and smells the best during the spring and summer months. We give mint foliage a $$$ out of $$$$$ on the expensive scale. 
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