The people who say flowers are cliché don’t receive them enough. It’s just a timeless and charming way to “I love you”, “I’m sorry”, and everything in between. But OK, we will admit, the traditional roses can get pretty old — so we have some tips on how to choose a unique bouquet that your partner will shamelessly gush over.
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What Kind of Person is Your Partner?
Let’s get the most basic step out of the way. Remember hard — have they ever told you what their favorite flower is? Go with it. That makes it easy — and even easier, you can order their favorite calla lilies or lavender roses from a florist.
Or if you’d like to put in more effort, you can go and pick out stems yourself and bundle them with some greenery, ribbon or twine, and boom! Mission accomplished. Also pretty easy, and the florists are more than happy to help you pick out some flowers that go well together.
If you don’t know your partner’s preferences, a (sentimental) option is to look up what flowers represent and choose the flowers based on their symbolism.
A Quick Flower Symbolism Guide
Here’s a quick symbolism guide for the more popular flowers. This isn’t an extensive list, of course, but it’ll help you get started.
- Yellow roses — joy. They’re available year-round since they’re grown in hothouses or flown in from warmer climates.
- Lilies — devotion and purity. The best thing about lilies is that they’re not as cliché as roses, but they’re also available year-round.
- Carnations and Gerbera Daisies — cheerfulness and are perfect for bridal showers. Plus, they are also grown during every season and readily available. Since they come in a variety of colors, a bouquet is sure to match any color scheme.
- Daisy — innocence and purity
- Chrysanthemum — loyalty, and love. They also come in a variety of colors, so you can get creative with your bouquet.
If you’re choosing for a more formal occasion, (like prom) you can ask a florist for advice. That way you’re less likely to order funeral flowers, like white chrysanthemums.
Another rule of thumb is to avoid any flowers that trigger your partner’s allergies. Stay away from flowers that can attract bees, especially if your partner is allergic to bee stings.
Colors Have Meaning, Too
Color matters most for wedding fashion and decor. If your partner puts you in charge of the flowers for the big day, you’ll want to take a hard look at the exact shade of “Begonia” or “Canary” in your wedding colors — yes, not all pinks and yellows are the same.
But, don’t forget to consult with your partner before purchasing bulks of fiery orange tiger lilies when your partner actually hates orange with a fiery passion.
Some colors have meaning, too. In Victorian times, there was a whole elaborate code around flowers and their colors. Luckily it’s not as complicated nowadays, but sending black roses to your partner might earn you a chilly response unless she’s already told you that’s her favorite flower (see “your partner” section).
Consider Your Budget
If you’ve bought flowers on Valentine’s Day, or you’re planning a wedding, you already know how expensive flowers can be. Flowers don’t always have to be expensive, though. If your partner really loves Phalaenopsis orchids or peonies, mix it up with some more inexpensive flowers, like carnations and daisies.
Consider adding fillers to your bouquet, too, which will make your bouquet burst with personality for minimal, if not free, costs.
Don’t Be Afraid to Mix it Up
As dramatic as a bouquet made of one single kind of flower can be, mixing it up can add visual appeal. While the baby’s breath from your mom’s bouquets is still popular, there’s so much you can add to your bouquet now that is sure to immediately put a smile on your partner’s face.
For example, the green fillers we talked about just moments ago? They definitely add some personality and a fresh, clean vibe. Some ones that are easy to get your hands on are the bells of Ireland — a tall spike of gladiolus, except all green. Myrtle and serene-looking ferns also make great fillers.
Bloom Bloom Bloom, Baby
It might seem like an overwhelming task at first, but really the only factors that matter is what your partner likes, what you think looks nice together, and how much you can afford.
A thoughtfully curated bouquet is sure to turn any occasion up to an 11.
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