The sentimental tradition of flowers and herbs dates back at least 150 years. Victorians gave romantic significance to specific blossoms so lovers could send each other "secret" messages. Today, by combining different flowers at your wedding you can express feelings of your own and for the "bridal couple" as well. You can even add potpourri flower oil to silk flowers, pew bows, and centerpieces. Remember by giving someone in your wedding, like your mother, a flower (like the tradition of the single rose) can send her a special "secret" message.
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 A |
Acacia - Secret love; chaste love; beauty in retirement; elegance; friendship; hope
Acorn - Nordic symbol of life and immortality
Agapanthus - Love letters
Allspice - Compassion
Almond Blossom - Hope; lover's charm
Aloe - Grief
Alstroemeria - Devotion; friendship
Alyssum - Worth beyond beauty
Ambrosia - Love returned
Amaranth - Fidelity
Amaranth, Globe - Unchangeable
Amaryllis - Pride; Timidity; splendid beauty
Anemone - Unfading love; truth; sincerity; anticipation; forsaken; fading hope
Angelica - Inspiration
Aniseed - Restoration of youth
Apple blossom - Preference; good fortune
Arbor Vitae - True friendship
Arbutus - Thee only do I love
Artemisia - Dignity
Aster - Love; daintiness
Azalea - Take care of yourself for me, fragile passion, temperance, Chinese symbol of womanhood
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| B |
Bachelor's Buttons - Celibacy; single blessedness; hope in love
Baby's Breath - Everlasting love; happiness; pure in heart
Basil - Best Wishes; Love
Bay Leaf - Strength
Begonia - Beware
Bells Of Ireland - Good luck
Bird Of Paradise - Magnificence
Bittersweet - Truth
Bluebell - Humility; constancy
Borage - Courage
Bouquet of withered flowers - Rejected love
Burnet - A merry heart
Buttercup - Cheerfulness; childishness; riches
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| C |
Cactus - Endurance; warmth; grandeur
Calendula - Joy
Camellia - Admiration; perfection; good luck gift to a man; loveliness
Camellia (Pink) - Longing for you
Camellia (Red) - You're a flame in my heart
Camellia (White) - You're adorable
Candytuft - Indifference
Carnation (in general) Bonds of affection; health and energy; fascination; alas for my poor heart
Carnation (pink) - I'll never forget you
Carnation (purple) - Capriciousness; whimsical; changeable
Carnation (red) - My heart aches for you; admiration
Carnation (solid colour) -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; disdain
Cattail - Peace; prosperity
Cedar - I live for thee; think of me
Chamomile - Patience ; attracts wealth
Chysanthemum (in general) - Cheerfulness; You're a wonderful friend
Chysanthemum (red) - I love
Chysanthemum (white) - Truth
Chysanthemum (yellow) -Slighted love
Cinnamon - My fortune is yours
Clover (four-leaf) - Good luck; be mine
Columbine - Folly
Coreopsis - Always cheerful
Cornflower - Delicacy; refinement
Coriander - Lust
Cowslip - Pensiveness; winning grace
Coxcomb - Foppery
Crocus - Cheerfulness; abuse not; joy
Cyclamen - Resignation and goodbye
Clover - Good luck
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| D |
Daffodil - Respect; regard; unrequited love; deceit
Dahlia - Good taste
Daisy - Innocence; loyal love; purity; faith; cheer; simplicity
Dandelion - Wishes come true; faithfulness; happiness
Delphinium - Airy
Dogwood - Durability
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| E |
Eidelweiss - Daring; noble courage
Eucalyptus - Protection
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| F |
Fennel - Worthy of all praise; strength
Fern - Sincerity
Fern (Magic) - Facination; confidence and shelter
Fern (Maidenhair) - Secret bond of love
Feverfew - Protection
Fir - Time
Flax - Domestic symbol; fate
Forget-me-not - True love; memories; forget me not
Forsythia - Anticipation
Foxglove - Insincerity
Fuchsia - Good taste
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| G |
Gardenia - You're lovely; secret love; refinement; joy
Garland of roses - Reward of virtue
Garlic - Courage; strength
Geranium (Oak leafed) - Friendship
Geranium (Rose) - Preference
Geranium (Scented) - Preference, melancholy; stupidity; folly
Gillyflower - Bonds of affection
Gladiolus - Love at first sight; ready-armed; strength of character; generosity
Gloxinia - Love at first sight
Grass - Submission; utility
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| H |
Heather (lavender) - Admiration; solitude
Heather (pink) - Good luck
Heather (white) - Protection; wishes will come true; good luck
Heliotrope - Devotion; eternal love
Hibiscus - Delicate beauty
Holly - Good will; defence; domestic happiness; foresight
Hollyhock - Female ambition
Honeysuckle - Generous and devoted affection; sweetness of disposition
Hyacinth (general) - Rashness, sorrow, flower dedicated to Apollo
Hyacinth (blue) - Constancy
Hyacinth ( purple) - I'm 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; vanity
Hyssop - Wards away evil spirits
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| I |
Iris - Faith; hope; wisdom and valour; my compliments; eloquence
Ivy - Fidelity; friendship; affection
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| J |
Jasmine - Amiability; wealth; grace and elegance
Jonquil - Love me; affection returned; desire; sympathy
Juniper - Protection
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| L |
Larkspur (pink) - Fickleness; levity
Laurel (mountain) - Ambition
Lavender - Devotion, distrust
Lemon - Zest
Lemon Balm - Brings love
Lemon verbena - Attracts opposite sex
Lilac - First love
Lily (general) - Purity
Lily (calla) - Beauty
Lily (day) - Coquetry
Lily (eucharis) - Maidenly charms
Lily (orange) - Hatred
Lily (tiger) - Wealth; pride
Lily (white) - Virginity; purity; majesty; it's heavenly to be with you
Lily (yellow) - I'm walking on air; false and gay
Lily of the valley - sweetness; return to happiness; humility; perferct purity
Love-in-a-mist - Perplexity
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| M |
Magnolia - Sweetness; beauty; love of nature; nobility; dignity; splendid beauty
Marigold - Comforts the heart; grief; cruelty; jealousy; sacred affection
Mimosa - Sensitivity
Mint - Protection from illness; warmth of feeling
Marjoram (sweet) - Joy and happiness
Mistletoe - Kiss me; affection; to surmount difficulties; sacred plant of India, magic plant of the Druids
Monkshood - Beware, a deadly foe is near; chivalry
Moss - Maternal love; charity
Myrtle - Love; love in absence; remembrance; Hebrew emblem of marriage
Myrtle (wax) - Discipline; instruction
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| N |
Narcissus - Egotism; formality; stay as sweet as you are; you love yourself too well; self-esteem
Nasturtium - Conquest; victory in battle; maternal love; charity; patriotism
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| O |
Oleander - Caution; beware
Orange - Generosity
Orange Blossom - Wisdom; purity; eternal love; your purity equals your loveliness
Orange (mock) - Deceit
Orchid - Love; beauty; refinement; you flatter me
Orchid (Cattleya) - Mature charm
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| P |
Palm leaves - Victory and success
Pansy - Thoughts; love
Peach blossom - Longevity
Peony - Shame; bashfulness; anger; indignation
Peppermint - Warmth of feelings
Periwinkle (blue) - Early friendship
Periwinkle (white) - Pleasures of memory
Petunia - Resentment; anger; your presence soothes me; never despairing
Phlox - Agreement; sweet dreams
Pine - Hope; pity
Pink - Boldness
Poinsettia - Be of good cheer
Poppy (general) - Eternal sleep; oblivion; imagination; extravagance
Poppy (red) -Pleasure
Poppy (white) - Consolation; sleep
Poppy( yellow) - Wealth; success
Prickly Pear - Satire
Primrose - I can't live without you; early youth; young love
Primrose (evening) - Inconstancy
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| Q |
Queen Anne's Lace - Fantasy
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| R |
Rose (red) - Love ; I love you
Rose (white) - Eternal Love; innocence; heavenly; secrecy and silence
Rose (pink) - Perfect happiness; please believe me
Rose (yellow) - Friendship; jealousy; try to care
Rose (black) - Death
Rose (red and white) - Together; unity
Rose (thornless) - Love at first sight
Rose (single, full bloom) - I love you; I still love you
Rose bud - Beauty and youth; a heart innocent of love
Rose bud (red) - Pure and lovely
Rose bud (white) - Girlhood
Rosebud (moss) - Confessions of love
Roses (bouquet of full bloom) - Gratitude
Roses (garland or crown of) - Beware of virtue; reward of merit; crown ; symbol of superior merit
Roses (musk cluster) - Charming
Rose (tea) - I'll always remember
Rose (cabbage) - Ambassador of love
Rose (Christmas) - Tranquilize my anxiety; anxiety
Rose (damask) - Brilliant complexion
Rose (dark crimson) - Mourning
Rose (hibiscus) - Delicate beauty
Rose leaf - You may hope
Rosemary - Remembrance; commitment; fidelity
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| S |
Sage - Wisdom; long life; domestic virtue
Salvia (blue) - I think of you
Smilax - Loveliness
Snapdragon - No; deception; gracious lady; presumption
Spearmint - Warmth of sentiment
Spiderflower - Elope with me
Statice - Lasting beauty
Star of Bethlehem - Atonement
Stephanotis - Happiness in marriage; desire to travel; come to me
Stock - Lasting beauty; promptness
Strawberry - Perfect goodness
Sunflower - Loyalty; haughtiness; you are splendid
Sweet Basil - Good luck
Sweet pea - Goodbye; departure; blissful pleasure; Thank you for a lovely time
Sweet William - Grant me one smile; perfection; gallantry
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| T |
Thrift - Sympathy
Thyme - Strength and courage
Tuberose - Dangerous pleasure
Tulip(general) - Fame; charity; declaration of love;
Tulip(red) - Believe me; declaration of love
Tulip(variegated) - Beautiful eyes
Tulip(yellow) - Hopeless love
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| V |
Violet - Modesty; faithfulness
Violet (blue) - Watchfulness; faithfulness; I'll always be true
Violet (white) - Let's take a chance on happiness
Viscaria - Will you dance with me
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| W |
Water Lily - Purity of heart
Wistaria - I cling to you
Woodruff - Sweet humility
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| X |
Xeranthemum - Cheerfulness under adversity
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| Y |
Yarrow - Health; healing
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| Z |
Zinnia - Thoughts of friends
Zinnia (magenta) - Lasting affection
Zinnia (mixed) - Thinking of an absent friend
Zinnia (scarlet) - Constancy
Zinnia (white) - Goodness
Zinnia (yellow) - Daily remembrance
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