The Most Popular Wedding Flowers for Autumn and Winter
Having steered the ship of Queensmith's creative content since 2017, India finds immense satisfaction in arming clients with the information they're seeking, identifying and analysing trends, and exploring buying habits.
Even in the autumn and winter, flowers are a classic wedding décor and play a huge part in your weddings look and feel. Whether it be the bridal bouquet or floral arrangements throughout the venue, couples getting married throughout the autumn and winter months may worry that there will not be many floral varieties or colours available. However, there are many popular wedding flowers to choose from in these seasons
When planning your wedding day, you might be shocked to discover that wedding rings often aren't the biggest expense, but flowers instead. One way that you can reduce this cost is by picking seasonal blooms; they will be at their most beautiful and less expensive when in season.
To inspire couples-to-be, Queensmith has pulled together a list of 30 different flowers in season throughout Autumn and Winter. To find out the most popular, we used Google’s Keyword Planner to collect search volumes for the last 12 months.
Top 20 Most Popular Wedding Flowers
Our study reveals that both roses and sunflowers came out on top as the most popular wedding flowers with a gigantic average monthly search volume of 165K. In second place were hydrangeas with an average monthly search volume of 74.5K. Joint third most popular wedding flowers were lilies, daisies and orchids who all pull in an average monthly search of 60.5K.
Some of the least popular wedding flowers include the lesser-known freesias, hypericum and lisianthus.
| Ranking | Flowers | Search Volume |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Roses | 165,000 |
| 2 | Sunflower | 165,000 |
| 3 | Hydrangea | 74,500 |
| 4 | Lilies | 60,500 |
| 5 | Daisies | 60,500 |
| 6 | Orchid | 60,500 |
| 7 | Lilacs | 49,500 |
| 8 | Chrysanthemums | 49,500 |
| 9 | Eucalyptus | 49,500 |
| 10 | Dahlias | 40,500 |
| 11 | Sweet Peas | 33,100 |
| 12 | Delphinium | 27,100 |
| 13 | Thistles | 27,100 |
| 14 | Gladiolus | 27,100 |
| 15 | Amaryllis | 27,100 |
| 16 | Anemones | 27,100 |
| 17 | Gerbera | 18,100 |
| 18 | Freesia | 14,800 |
| 19 | Lisianthus | 9,900 |
| 20 | Hypericum | 8,100 |
Autumn & Winter Wedding Flower Ideas
Roses (165K searches)
As the universal symbol of love, joy and beauty, it is no surprise that roses are one of the most popular wedding flowers. Roses make great wedding flowers due to the many varieties, meaning they are perfect for both bouquets and centrepieces. Whilst some roses peak in spring and autumn, many types of roses are cultivated in greenhouses, making them available all year round. Roses also make great wedding flowers because they come in so many different colours. White and red roses are always popular in the winter months, or you could try warm orange, brown and deep yellow tones for autumn.
Sunflowers (165K searches)
Symbolising adoration, loyalty and longevity, sunflowers make great all-year-round wedding flowers. However, their peak season is actually from September to October, meaning they make great autumn wedding flowers. Sunflowers can slot seamlessly into any wedding theme from vintage to boho to rustic. Due to the size and strength of the flower stems, these bold and cheerful blooms can be incorporated into your autumn wedding in several different ways, from your centrepieces, wedding arch, bouquets or invitations.
Hydrangeas (74.5K searches)
Although hydrangeas are most commonly used in spring and summer, these blooms remain beautiful throughout winter, whatever the weather. Accenting a big bundle of hydrangea with greenery, such as eucalyptus or dried fern leaves, is a great option for weddings in the colder months.
Lilies (60.5K searches)
Following hydrangeas are lilies, the next most popular wedding flower. The lily is such a popular wedding flower of choice due to its symbolism of femininity, love and purity: three important elements in a wedding. Lilies make beautiful wedding flowers; their unusual shapes and structures make them striking floral arrangements throughout your venue or bridal bouquets.
Daisies (60.5K searches)
As well as lilies, daisies also came in joint third for the most popular wedding flower with 60.5K average monthly searches. Although the classic yellow-centred daisy is associated with summer, daisies are available all year round; in fact, one variety – michaelmas daisies – are also known as the September flower.
Depending on the type of daisy, they can come in a variety of colours. Daisies or marguerites come in white, yellow or pink. Asters come in white, pink, purple, pale and deep lilac. Tanacetum or Feverfew comes in yellow, lemon and, most commonly, white. Larger daisies can make up an entire bloom or are often used as a filler in arrangements and bouquets.
Orchids (60.5K searches)
Lastly, orchids came in joint third with 60.5K average searches a month. A certified scene stealer at any wedding, these flowers make beautiful centrepieces throughout any wedding venue. The orchid is a symbol of universal love, charm, thoughtfulness and elegance, making them a perfect fit for a wedding.
Wedding Flowers For Every Month in Autumn & Winter
Here are some of the most popular wedding flowers for each month in autumn and winter:
September Wedding Flowers
- The beginning of the autumn season, September provides plenty of flower options for you to consider. The aster flower symbolises faith, love and new beginnings, and is often known as the September flower. Its rich colours and delicate petals add a touch of elegance to any autumnal arrangement, making it perfect for autumn weddings.
- The delphinium is another option, one that adds grandeur and sophistication to floral designs with its tall spikes and vibrant hues.
October weddings offer a plethora of floral options that capture the essence of the season. Among the favoured choices for this time of year are lisiathus, sunflowers and craspedia.
Lisiathus are prized for their delicate, rose-like blooms that come in a wide array of colours, including white, pink, purple and even bi-coloured varieties. Their elegant appearance adds a touch of sophistication to any arrangement.
Sunflowers, with their bold, golden faces, are synonymous with autumn. They symbolise warmth, happiness and abundance, making them a cheerful addition to wedding bouquets and centrepieces.
Craspedia, commonly referred to as "Billy Buttons," are small, spherical flowers that resemble tiny balls. They typically come in vibrant shades of yellow and add a whimsical, rustic touch to floral designs. Their unique texture and shape create visual interest and contrast against other blooms.
Chrysanthemums and dahlias are popular choices for November weddings, ranking 8th and 10th respectively in the top 20 most sought-after wedding flowers.
Hydrangeas add a touch of elegance and romance to autumnal bouquets with their diverse colour palette and full, rounded shape.
Blue thistle provides a unique accent with its spiky texture, cool hue, and symbolism of resilience.
- Two popular choices that perfectly capture the essence of the winter season are white roses and poinsettias.
- White roses are symbols of purity and love, adding a touch of elegance and sophistication to any wedding decor.
- Poinsettias, with their vibrant red colour and star-shaped bracts, are synonymous with Christmas and bring a festive cheer to the wedding ambiance.
- The camellia, a flower known for its resilience and ability to bloom in the harshest winter months, makes a stunning and symbolic choice for a wedding bouquet. Its elegant form and rich colours add a touch of sophistication to any bridal ensemble.
- Similarly, the tulip, with its diverse range of colours and graceful cup shapes, offers a versatile and eye-catching option for wedding floral arrangements. From classic white and cream to vibrant pinks, purples and reds, tulips can be tailored to match any wedding colour palette and theme.
- Orchids, with their graceful curves and exotic blooms, instantly elevate any decorative scheme. Their diverse range of colours, from pristine whites to deep purples and vibrant pinks, allows for seamless integration into various design palettes.
- On the other hand, ranunculus flowers, often referred to as the "Perusian Buttercup," offer a charming and distinctive alternative. Their multi-layered petals, reminiscent of delicate crepe paper, create a soft, romantic aesthetic. Available in a delightful array of hues, including blush pink, sunny yellow and rich red, ranunculus adds a touch of whimsy and vintage charm to floral arrangements.
Which Wedding Flowers Are The Most Instagrammable?
| Ranking | Flowers | Instagram Hashtags |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Roses | 30,900,000 |
| 2 | Sunflower | 10,300,000 |
| 3 | Orchid | 5,000,000 |
| 4 | Eucalyptus | 1,900,00 |
| 5 | Daisies | 1,400,000 |
| 6 | Lilies | 1,100,000 |
| 7 | Hydrangea | 1,000,000 |
| 8 | Dahlias | 1,000,000 |
| 9 | Sweet Peas | 921,000 |
| 10 | Chrysanthemums | 815,000 |
It comes as no surprise that the classic roses takes top spot as the most instagrammed wedding flower with over 30 million hashtags. There are many reasons why this beautiful bloom dominates Instagram. With a little TlC, roses are available all year round.
Sunflowers are the second most photogenic wedding flowers with over 10.3 million hashtags. Although these large, sunshine-coloured blooms are associated with the summer season, sunflowers come in 70 different varieties and some of which can withstand winter months. Sunflowers can make the perfect autumnal addition to any wedding with more unusual rusty colours becoming available.
In third place is the exquisite and elegant orchid, with 5 million hashtags. In addition to being popular wedding flowers for both bridal bouquets and centrepieces, orchids are also one of the most popular houseplants in Britain, making beautiful housewarming gifts.
Fourth place goes to the fragrant eucalyptus, with 1.9 million Instagram hashtags, while daisies round out the top five with 1.4 million hashtags.
5 Tips To Preserve Your Wedding Flowers
Wedding flowers can be extremely costly, and it would be a huge shame to waste them, so we’ve compiled a list of things you can do with your beautiful arrangements after the big day.
1. Repurpose them throughout your home
The simplest idea but one you might not think of! Instead of throwing away your gorgeous flowers, you could break them down after your wedding to create different bouquets of different sizes which you can place around your home. With the right treatment flowers can last for up to a couple of weeks and you can have sweet reminders of your special day around your home.
If you can’t keep your flowers because you are going on your honeymoon, you could set up a bouquet station at your wedding so that guests can help themselves to the flowers and there's no waste. It's a win-win.
2. Dry your flowers
Another simple way to preserve your flowers is to let them air-dry. This works especially well for your bridal bouquet. Unwrap and cut away, tape or tie, and then simply hang them upside down in a dry area. After a week, you will have beautifully dried blooms, which you can then arrange in a vase or create a wreath. You may even find that your florist offers this as a service.
3. Press your flowers
This is a great way to preserve your flowers whilst also creating some new wall art. Select as many flowers as you want (you can even use your entire bouquet) and arrange them how you'd like. Ensure you are happy with the arrangement before pressing as you won’t be able to manipulate them afterwards. Once you are satisfied with your arrangement, lay the flowers inside the pages of a heavy book and shut the book. Make sure you use wax paper on either side of the flowers to ensure they do not stick and keep the flowers ink-free. Weigh the book down with something heavy and leave them to dry for up to a week. Once dried, you can frame your flowers, create scrapbooks and bookmarks or even turn them into a luxurious bath salt mix.
4. Dip your wedding flowers in wax
Although this method won’t preserve them forever like the other methods mentioned above, it will extend their life by up to six months! You’ll need to melt down paraffin wax and leave it to cool slightly before dipping the flower heads in one-by-one until they’re completely covered. Once covered, leave them to dry hanging down. This method can be tricky so you might want to practice it a few times before using your precious wedding flowers.
5. Create resin artwork
You’ll need to do this soon after your wedding to make resin artwork, as the flowers need to be as fresh as possible. There are several different companies that specialise in resin artwork but you can easily DIY it at home. To make a resin paperweight, you’ll need to get a mould in the shape you want, fill halfway with the resin and place the flowers carefully into the fluid. Fill the rest of the mould and let it dry. Take the mould off once dry and you’ll have a beautiful resin decoration that will preserve your wedding blooms forever.
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