Flowers are almost synonymous to wedding and reception decorations. Most likely, if you have picked a color theme, you’ll also choose flowers that go along with your color theme. But is color always enough when it comes to flowers?

Picture out a wedding with a yellow-gold theme. Every thing is so cheerful and beautiful…until the bride comes in with a bouquet of marigold on her hands. A group of the wedding guests gasped, especially the more superstitious ones. What can be wrong with that? The color of the flowers agrees to the rest of the wedding elements. But the meaning of the flower doesn’t. Marigold stands for cruelty, grief, and jealousy .

To avoid such unfortunate incident, it would be wise for the bride-to-be to familiarize herself with the meaning of flowers, before she makes an innocent mistake, which others may find unlucky. This is especially applicable to brides-to-be who prefer to DIY stuff, including floral arrangements, since those who consult planners and florists may receive some guidance from these professionals.

A

ACACIA
concealed love, chaste love, beauty in retirement

AGAPANTHIS
secret love, love letters

ALIUM
strength

ALMOND, FLOWERING
hope

ALLSPICE
compassion

ALSTROMERIA
wealth, prosperity, fortune

ALYSSUM
worth beyond beauty

AMARYLLIS
pride, pastoral poetry

AMBROSIA
reciprocated love

AMERICAN ELM
patriotism

ANEMONE
forsaken, sincerity, expectation

ANTHURIUM
lover

APPLE BLOSSOMS
good fortune

ARBUTUS
thee only do I love

ASH TREE
grandeur

ASPARAGUS FERN
fascination

ASTER
symbol of love, elegance, daintiness

ASTILBE
I’ll still be waiting

AZALEA
take care of yourself for me, temperance, first love, fragile passion, Chinese symbol of womanhood

B

BACHELOR BUTTON
single blessedness

BALSAM
ardent love

BAMBOO
strength, loyalty, steadfastness

BASIL
best wishes

BAY WREATH
merit reward

BEECH TREE
prosperity

BEGONIA
beware

BELLS OF IRELAND
good luck

BIRCH
meekness

BIRD OF PARADISE
magnificence

BITTERSWEET
truth

BLACK POPLAR
courage

BLUEBELL
humility

BLUEBERRY
Prayer

BOUVARDIA
enthusiasm

BROOM
humility, neatness

BUGLE
lovable, cheers the heart

BUTTERCUP
childishness, riches, ingratitude

BUTTERFLY WEED
let me go

C

CACTUS
endurance

CALADIUM
great joy and delight

CALENDULA
grace, grief, jealousy

CALLA LILY
magnificent beauty. Associated with the sixth wedding anniversary.

CAMELLIA
good luck gift for a man

CAMELLIA (PINK)
longing for you

CAMELLIA (RED)
you’re a flame in my heart

CARNATION (GENERAL)
fascination, woman love

CARNATION (PINK)
I’ll never forget you

CARNATION (RED)
my heart aches for you, admiration

CARNATION (PURPLE)
capriciousness, whimsical

CARNATION (SOLID COLOR)
yes

CARNATION (STRIPED)
no, refusal, sorry I can’t be with you, wish I could be with you

CARNATION (WHITE)
sweet and lovely, innocence, pure love, woman’s good luck gift

CARNATION (YELLOW)
you have disappointed me, rejection

CATTAIL
peace, prosperity

CEDAR
strength

CHESTNUT TREE
justice, luxury

CHRISTMAS/LENTEN ROSE (HELLEBORE)
beautiful year ahead

CHRYSANTHEMUM (GENERAL)
you’re a wonderful friend, cheerfulness and rest

CHRYSANTHEMUM (WHITE)
truth

CHRYSANTHEMUM (YELLOW)
slighted love

CLEMATIS
clever, intellectual

CLOVER, FOUR-LEAF
good luck, be mine, you belong to each other

CLOVES
dignity

COLUMBINE
salvation, strength, wisdom

COREOPSIS
cheerful

CORN
riches

CORNFLOWER
delicacy

COSMOS
modesty

COWSLIP
grace, beauty

CRANBERRY
heartache cure

CROCUS
cheerfulness, gladness

CYCLAMEN
resignation and good-bye

D

DAFFODIL
respect, regard, unrequited love, you’re the only one

DAISY
innocence, loyal love, I’ll never tell, purity

DANDELION
faithfulness, happiness

F

FERN
magic, fascination, confidence and shelter

FIR
time

FLAX
domestic symbol

FORGET-ME-NOT
true love, good memories

FORSYTHIA
anticipation

FREESIA
trust

G

GARDENIA
you’re lovely, secret love

GERANIUM
stupidity, folly

GLADIOLI
give me a break, I’m really sincere, flower of the gladiators

GLOXINIA
love at first sight

H

HEATHER (LAVENDER)
admiration, solitude

HEATHER (WHITE)
protection, wishes will come true

HOLLY
defense, domestic happiness

HONEYSUCKLE
happiness

HYACINTH (GENERAL)
games and sports, rashness, flower dedicated to Apollo

HYACINTH (BLUE)
constancy

HYACINTH (PURPLE)
I am sorry, please forgive me, sorrow

HYACINTH (RED OR PINK)
play

HYACINTH (WHITE)
loveliness, I’ll pray for you

HYACINTH (YELLOW)
jealousy

HYDRANGEA
thank you for understanding, frigidity, heartlessness

I

IRIS
emblem of France, your friendship means so much to me, faith, hope, wisdom and valour

IVY
wedded love, fidelity, friendship, affection

J

JONQUIL
love me, affection returned, desire, sympathy, desire for affection returned

L

LARKSPUR (PINK)
fickleness

LILY (WHITE)
virginity, purity, majesty, it’s heavenly to be with you

LILY (YELLOW)
I’m walking on air, false and gay

LILY (DAY)
coquetry, Chinese emblem for mother

LILY (EUCHARIS)
maiden charms

LILY (TIGER)
wealth, pride

LILY OF THE VALLEY
sweetness, return to happiness, humility, beauty, gaiety

M

MAGNOLIA
nobility

MARIGOLD
cruelty, grief, jealousy

MISTLETOE
kiss me, affection, to surmount difficulties, sacred plant of India

MONKSHOOD
beware, a deadly foe is near

MOSS
maternal love, charity

MYRTLE
love, Hebrew emblem of marriage

N

NARCISSUS
egotism, formality, stay as sweet as you are

NASTURTIUM
conquest, victory in battle

O

OLEANDER
caution

ORANGE BLOSSOM
innocence, eternal love, marriage and fruitfulness

ORANGE MOCK
deceit

ORCHID
love, beauty, refinement, beautiful lady, thoughtful, maturity, charm

ORCHID (CATTLEYA)
mature charm

P

PALM LEAVES
victory and success

PEONY
shame, happy life, happy marriage

PETUNIA
resentment, anger, your presence soothes me

PINE
hope, pity

POPPY (GENERAL)
eternal sleep, oblivion, imagination

POPPY (RED)
pleasure

POPPY (WHITE)
consolation

POPPY (YELLOW)
wealth, success

PRIMROSE
I can’t live without you

PRIMROSE (EVENING)
inconstancy

R

ROSE (BRIDAL)
happy love

ROSE (DARK CRIMSON)
mourning

ROSE (HIBISCUS)
delicate beauty

ROSE (LEAF)
you may hope

ROSE (PINK)
perfect happiness, please believe me

ROSE (RED)
love, I love you

ROSE (TEA)
I’ll remember always

ROSE (THORNLESS)
love at first sight

ROSE (WHITE)
innocence and purity, I am worthy of you, you’re heavenly, secrecy and silence

ROSE (WHITE AND RED MIXED)
unity, flower emblem of England

ROSE (WHITE-DRIED)
death is preferable to loss of virtue

ROSE (YELLOW)
decrease of love, jealousy, try to care

ROSEBUD
beauty and youth, a heart innocent of love

ROSEBUD (RED)
pure and lovely

ROSEBUD (WHITE)
girlhood

ROSEBUD (MOSS)
confessions of love

ROSES (Bouquet of Mature Blooms)
gratitude

ROSES (Single Full Bloom)
I love you, I still love you

S

SMILAX
loveliness

SNAPDRAGON
deception, gracious lady

SPIDER FLOWER
elope with me

STEPHANOTIS
happiness in marriage, desire to travel

STOCK
bonds of affection, promptness, you’ll always be beautiful to me

SUNFLOWER
pride, sunshine

SWEETPEA
good-bye, departure, blissful pleasure, thank you for a lovely time

T

TULIP (GENERAL)
perfect lover, frame, flower emblem of Holland

TULIP (RED)
believe me, declaration of love

TULIP (VARIEGATED)
beautiful eyes

TULIP (YELLOW)
there’s sunshine in your smile

V

VIOLET
modesty

VIOLET (BLUE)
watchfulness, faithfulness, I’ll always be true

VIOLET (WHITE)
let’s take a chance

VISCARIA
dance with me

W

WISTERIA
welcome

Z

ZINNIA (MAGENTA)
lasting affection

ZINNIA (MIXED)
thinking (or in memory) of an absent friend

ZINNIA (SCARLET)
constancy

ZINNIA (WHITE)
goodness

ZINNIA (YELLOW)
daily remembrance