Autumn Wedding Bouquets

“Listen! The wind is rising wild with leaves. We have had our Summer evenings, now for October eves!” This wonderful phrase by poet Herbert Wolfe perfectly sums up everything I love about autumn. For flowers, autumn is a time of year when we are spoilt for choice with the sheer abundance of what the season has to offer. From the richest reds and golds to the palest pink and blush, it really does has something for everyone. So, here are a few of my favourite ideas for autumn wedding bouquets.

Big and Blousy Chrysanthemums

The trend for big and blousy blooms is as popular in autumn as in the summer. But what are the seasonal flower successors to the ever popular favourites like peonies which have long since finished?

For me it has to be chrysanthemums. This staple bloom of autumn has long been overlooked as old fashioned and fuddy-duddy, but now nothing could be further from the truth. With their multi-petalled mop heads, chrysanthemums are available in a gorgeous variety of colours, from rich gold and bronze, to purple, plum, pink, peach, and even the most delicate cream and blush.

Autumn Wedding Bouquets with Foliage

Foliage is the star of this season and can add so much depth and colour to an autumn wedding bouquet. Deciduous greenery such as maple and acer has a stunning depth if intensity, and dark chocolatey foliage such as wygelia and pittosporum make the perfect foil to both dark and pale colour schemes.

Dahlias Add a Delightful Informality

Dahlias, which have made a huge resurgence over the past few years, are perfect for autumn wedding bouquets. From miniature pom pom varieties to blousy showstoppers, dahlias add a delightful informality to designs and are available in a bewildering array of colours.

Unruly Hydrangeas

Of course, I couldn’t talk about autumn without mentioning hydrangeas. As the expensive imported varieties come to the end of their season, their more unruly garden grown cousins take over. Available in soft pastel colours early in the season, as the months progress their mottled colours intensify depending on the weather and which part of the country they’re grown in. Expect rich reds where the soil is acid and vivid blues and purples where it’s alkaline.

Berries, Grasses and Seed Heads Add Variety and Interest

Finally there the berries, grasses and seed heads which add so much variety and interest to the season. Roeships and the skeletal remains of summer blooms like crocosmia and agapanthus, add wonderful texture to autumn wedding bouquets, while grasses add softness and movement.