Flowers are both important and extremely meaningful in Chinese culture and are heavily incorporated as decoration in traditional Chinese weddings. As in the West, each flower carries with it a distinct meaning. When planning a Chinese wedding, it is important to choose flowers that are both beautiful and culturally appropriate.
As with the other décor in a traditional Chinese wedding, the colors of the flowers are key. Red is the best and most popular color for weddings, so you can’t go wrong with choosing any red flower or deep rich red hues for your wedding bouquets.
While red is the most obvious color choice for Chinese wedding flowers, many other colors would also be appropriate for your bouquets. However, avoid using white flowers because, unlike in the West where white is very appropriate for weddings, in China white flowers are used for funerals and are a symbol of death.
Several types of flowers carry lovely meanings for wedding bouquets. Peonies, which are a spring flower and symbolize rebirth, are easy to find and extremely beautiful. Similarly, daffodils represent change and rebirth and make for lovely spring wedding flowers.
For a more elegant flower choice, long stemmed orchids are sweet-scented and exotic, and also come in a variety of colors. Orchids can add a stylish element to your wedding décor, and also offer a lovely fragrance.
Perhaps the most virtuous flower is lotus, a special blossom within Chinese culture and one that nods toward the harmonious and righteous ideals of ancient Buddhism. A lovely way to use this refined, mystical flower is as a table centerpiece, where the lotus blossoms float inside glass bowls in the middle of each reception table. This flower will add a beautiful Asian flair to any traditional Chinese wedding décor.