A Guide to the Best Wedding Flowers in Each Season

Locally grown, in-season flowers guarantee the freshest blooms for your wedding. To help us pick out the best seasonal stems, we asked farmer florist Erin Benzakein for her expert opinion. There are plenty of varieties to choose from all year long—maybe more than you thought were available to you. Of course, every florist has their favorite blooming season. "Late summer is my favorite season to design in. Our fields are bursting with flowers in July and August. There are so many blooms to choose from, giving me total creative freedom," Benzakein says. Want some more floral tips? Flip through Benzakein's new book, Floret Farm's Cut Flower Garden: Grow, Harvest and Arrange Stunning Seasonal Blooms.

Here are your best bets for spring, summer, fall and winter "I dos." To help you decide which stems are best for your celebration, we added color and pricing information, too.

Before diving in, here's the breakdown of price:

$ 1–2 dollars a stem
$$ 3–4 dollars a stem
$$$ over 5 dollars a stem

Best Blooms for Spring

Heather Payne Photography

Spring is a time of rejuvenation and rebirth. The melting frost brings about a bevy of fragrant and colorful blooms.

1. Garden Rose

Long considered a symbol of beauty and love, roses are widely available and come in almost every color.

Colors: Red, cream, yellow, orange, pink and purple
Price: $$$

2. Dahlia

Dahlias are great for centerpieces—they have no scent so they won't compete with your menu.

Colors: shades of pink, purple, red and orange
Price: $$

3. Lisianthus

Each stem has multipleblossoms and buds,plus serious lasting power.

Colors: Pink,purple, white and green
Price: $$

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4. Zinnia

The daisylike bloom is perfect for casual garden arrangements. It can also stand up to hotter temps.

Colors: White, chartreuse, yellow, orange, red, purple and lilac
Price: $

5. Foxglove

Bell-shaped flowersadd a delicate note tobouquets and centerpieces.

Colors: White, pink andvarious shades of purple
Price: $

6. Stock

Dense clusters of soft petals pack a serious punch. Stock also has a spicy, clovelike fragrance.

Colors: Pastel shades from cream to lavender
Price: $

7. Chocolate Cosmos

A fragrant addition to a bouquet, this sweet-scented bloom smells like candy.

Color: Red-brown
Price: $

8. Heuchera

Wiry stems with tiny blooms are a great choice for just-picked arrangements, and give texture and visual intrigue.

Colors: Pink, purple and deep red
Price: $

Best Blooms for Summer

Heather Payne Photography

The hottest of all seasons, the summer months mean longer days and lots of sunshine—perfect growing weather.

1. Astilbee

Densely packed astilbe has a feathery, wildflower look. It's a hearty stem, great for boutonnieres or for a touch of texture in a rustic or romantic bouquet.

Colors: White, pink, mauve and crimson
Price: $

2. Mock Orange

Despite having "orange" in its name, thisfragrant flower bloomswhite. But its scent isthought to resemblethat of orange blossoms.

Color: White
Price: $

3. Clematis

This flower grows like a vine, with carefree twists to its stems. The blossom has delicate petals and an eye-catching center.

Colors: Purple, pink, blue violet and cranberry
Price: $$

4. Garden Rose

The big-headed blooms on these stems are perfect for making a bold statement or adding romance to an arrangement.

Colors: Red, cream, yellow, orange, pink and purple
Price: $$$

Best Blooms for Fall

Heather Payne Photography

Autumn bridges summer and winter, bringing about cooler temperatures alongside colorful leaves.

1. Crabapple

Hearty branches can add texture and height to centerpieces. The mini "apples" range in color from green to red as the season progresses.

Colors: Green and red
Price: $

2. Raspberry

For a pop of color in an arrangement or the perfect finishing touch on a naked cake, try a late summer branch of berries.

Color: Red
Price: $

3. Dahlia

There are over 42 species of this native Mexican stem, all striking in color and shape.

Colors: Shades of pink, purple, red and orange
Price: $$

Best Blooms for Winter

Heather Payne Photography

The coldestmonths ofthe year bringabout frost andsnow, but alsostems bold in color and richwith texture.

1. Love in a Mist

One of the few blue florals,this buttercup bloom hasthreadlike leaves, givingit personality and intrigue.

Colors: Blue,white, pink and lilac
Price: $

2. Sweet Pea

A delicate flowerwith a rich fragrance,each stem has acluster of flowy petals.

Colors: White, pink,yellow, red and purple
Price: $

3. Poppy Pods

These structured seed-filled pods add an elementof whimsy to rusticbouquets and wild, undonefloral arrangements.

Color: Green
Price: $

4. Forget-Me-Nots

Incorporate a "somethingblue" in your bouquetwith forget-me-nots. Thesoft petals give volume too.

Colors: Blue, purple, pink, white and yellow
Price: $

5. Honeywort

Named after its honeylikescent, these inch-long tubepetals cascade beautifully inbouquets and centerpieces.

Color: Purple-blue
Price: $

6. Hydrangea

This romantic flower has clusters of tiny blooms that come together to create a stunning, big-headed blossom.

Colors: White, green, pink, blue, purple and cranberry
Price: $$

7. Bachelor Button

Its name makes ita well-suited stem for aboutonniere. This casualflower has a button headand is actually edible.

Colors: White, pink, blue, magenta
Price: $