On the hunt for the perfect blossom

There's always a bride that wants a bloom that is impossible to procure during their marital month-- an oft cited one being the peony, a bloom that is its most impressive during the month of May before saying adieu in early June. While other countries produce the peony, it's the Dutch peony in highest demand, and of course those of the local variety that you may be able to find.

My favorite flower is, hands down, the yellow tree peony: an impressively large and fragrant bloom that is a sunshiny lemon yellow with a delightful center that is a bit orange & a touch maroon-- it's a flower I'd cross a desert barefooted for, but hey, I'm a real sucker for flowers.

The glorious yellow tree peony

May is one of those months where the world is in full bloom-- gorgeous rannunculus, Bearded & Dutch iris, snapdragon, delphinium, tulips, and garden roses are all available and blooming. Seasonal herbs, like flowering basil, brisk and delicious mint, and luscious rosemary also make an appearance. At the close of the month, the early Dahlia and Sunflower are breathtakingly beautiful.

The Saponaria is another awesome spring bloom

There are certain flowers with such popularity that at any given time they are available somewhere in the world, like hydrangea (though May and June mark months with the most stunningly unique and beautiful colors, from brilliant blues to Emerald Greens), roses, assorted mums, and the ever- lovely Gerbera daisy. In the hotter months, these become more fragile as a result of shipping: most of the things a bride looks for are those beyond her backyard, and they come from various parts around the globe, from Holland to Miami.

When a bride is planning, you stumble upon gorgeous gems of flowers in magazines, blogsites, and web archives devoted to tickling your fancy and expanding your floral horizon. The past few months have been really rannunculus and peony heavy, mostly because these blooms are at their height and so very gorgeous-- the sad thing is that come late June, they'll be long gone, and won't reappear until next year.

A stunning photo from the Knot shows off a bouquet comprised soley of white and green centered rannunculas:

When planning your flowers, talk with your floral designer about what is in season and what's available for your date. You can save yourself time and possible heartache by already having a good idea of what is available at your time of year and location, and what you can realistically expect. Out of season flowers can be ither impossible to locate or extremely expensive, which may make them outside the realm of possibilty.

When you love a flower but can't foot the bill or can't find it, be flexible about substitutions that can achieve a similar look to the bouquet of your dreams, or consider a high quality artificial bloom that can pull off the look.

If you absolutely love what you love, no exceptions, plan your wedding in the months that everything you want is available-- like if you love Peonys, tulips, and rannunculus, then you are a spring bride all the way.