Tulip Basics
Tulips are an excellent option for wedding flowers. They are available year round, in multiple colors, and retain moisture for a long time, ensuring that your flowers won't droop as your special day goes on. With no thorns, you won't scratch yourself (as with roses), and tulips can be beautifully arranged into cascade bouquets, round bouquets, and hand-tied bouquets, making them a versatile wedding flower choice. Think of beautiful French tulips in multiple colors tied with an organza ribbon for a classic hand-tied bouquet.
***Super Tip: If your wedding is in the summertime and you choose a hand-tied tulip bouquet, keep the flowers in water until just before the ceremony, and, if needed, place them in a small vase on the cake or gift table afterwards to ensure they stay bright and lively.
Kinds of Tulips
Though tulips are available year round, you're likely to find the greatest variety in the springtime. Tulips are available in various shades of:
- Pink
- Yellow (symbolizing that you're hopelessly, utterly in love)
- Red (symbolizing love and affection)
- White (symbolizing peace and purity)
- Cream (symbolizing eternal love)
- Orange
- Apricot
- Lavender
- Coral
There's even a deep puple (almost black) tulip known as "Queen of the Night" that may be appropriate for brides looking for a variation on typical wedding flower colors.
The number of colors available makes it easy to match a tulip bouquet to your wedding theme. Think about yellow tulips for a spring or garden theme, orange tulips for a fall wedding theme, and pink and red tulips for a heart-themed wedding.
There are even multicolored varieties, such as parrot tulips, which are a bright, ruffled, randomly-colored flower which may be perfect for brides looking for a standout wedding blossom. You might also choose dramatic French tulips (3 to 4 times larger than normal), which can create an impressive presentation for table centerpieces. Variegated (ruffled) tulips, bi-colored tulips, fringe-petal tulips, and peony-flowered tulips (with twice the typical number of petals) round out the extensive options available to discerning brides.
Tulips with Other Flowers
Tulips pair exceptionally well with other flowers for centerpieces and wedding bouquets. Think about a bouquet of elegant ivory French tulips and lavender irises, tied with a pink silk ribbon. Red tulips and daffodils make for great spring reception table centerpieces, while white tulips and calla lilies make for a gorgeous cascade bouquet. White tulips with red roses make for a wonderful round bouquet, while cream tulips with red hyacinths tied with a white satin ribbon make for a lovely hand-tied bouquet.
The Red Tulip Legend
Persian legend holds that red tulips symbolize the ardor of a lover's heart. The flower's black center is said to be the coal left over after the lover's heart has burned in the fire of its own passion!