When preparing for a special event, such as your wedding, you likely have in mind the flowers you want to include. However, due to seasonality, flower shortages, or limited availability, you may not be able to have your most-desired blooms as part of your wedding decor. Don’t despair, though, as there are plenty of gorgeous flowers out there that are often used as substitutes for more popular blooms. Here at Walter Knoll Florist – Weddings & Events, we’ve put together a list of excellent flower substitutions that will make you think these are the ones you’ve wanted all along.
Most Popular Blooms & Their Look-Alike Substitutions
Pink Peony
Peonies: One of the most popular wedding flowers, peonies are typically available only in the months of May and June.
Pink Yves Piaget Garden Rose
Peony Substitutes: Double Tulips or Garden Roses. Double tulips have a soft, full, lush look with numerous petals like the peony. Garden roses, with their numerous large petals, also have the bountiful, delicate, fluffy look of peonies and are excellent replacement flowers. Garden roses have the added bonus of a wonderful fragrance. If you particularly like the hot pink variety of peonies, then check out the Yves Piaget garden rose – it’s a spot-on duplicate!
Yellow Dahlia
Dahlias: A stunning bloom with numerous petals, dahlias are another popular wedding flower. If you love dahlias but are getting married in the spring or winter, you’ll want to look into Dahlia look-alikes.
Yellow Zinnia
Dahlia Substitutes: Flowers that resemble the large, multi-petal, magnificent bloom that is the dahlia include zinnias, bahlia mums, or football (pom-pom) mums. These flowers all have a full, spherical, bulbous appearance with numerous tubular petals bunched together, just like the dahlia.
White Anemones
Anemones: A lovely flower that adds a simple and striking pop of color to any arrangement, anemone flowers are only available from October to May.
White Poppy
Anemone Substitutes: Poppies are an excellent substitute for anemones flowers, as are daisies in a matching color with a dark center.
Larkspur
Larkspur: Known as a “line flower,” Larkspur blooms add a wonderful diagonal and vertical aspect to arrangements. If you’re looking for something similar to Larkspur, there are plenty of pretty alternatives.
Snapdragons
Larkspur Substitutes: For height, drama, and texture, spear-like blooms are a must and can be found in varieties such as snapdragons, gladioli, and matthiolas.
Pink Spray Roses
Spray Roses: The small, delicate blooms of spray roses look terrific when bunched together, which is why they are commonly used as filler flowers. There are alternatives that are just as pretty, though.
Pink Lisianthus
Spray Roses Substitutes: For a look similar to a group of spray roses, choose mini carnations, button mums, or lisianthus flowers. Any of these charming blossoms add delight and beauty to your bouquet.
If there is a type of flower, greenery, or textural accent you have your heart set on but cannot find, consult with your local florist for the best alternative options. Florists are experts at creating the look you want and know exactly which flowers (and their substitutes) to use to get it. Other tricks florists have up their sleeves are enhancing blooms with a particular hue, fluffing petals to create a full, lush look, and using silk flowers here and there to perfect a look. For all of your wedding or event floral needs, contact Walter Knoll Florist – Weddings & Events and we’ll be happy to help.