Orchids For Your Weddings

By Gail L Duckett

Fall is a very popular time for weddings. Brides love the idea of having an outdoor wedding where guests can be part of the colorful environment. There are many popular fall wedding flowers to choose from when planning for bouquets and flower arrangements. I could write about any of these lovely flowers, but today I would like to focus on orchids. Yes, orchids are exotic, lovely, graceful, and come in a large assortment of spectacular colors and shapes. They are fantastic to use in floral bouquets and arrangements. They can also be perfect standing alone.

Epiphytes and Terrestrials are the two main types of orchids. Orchid Epiphytes have a root system which grows above ground. They are more sensitive to climate change and tend to flower less often then the Terrestrial orchids. Dendrobium orchids are Epiphytes and are one of the more difficult orchids to try and grow outside of their natural environment. The dendrobium is delicate and graceful. It comes in a variety of colors and many of them are perfect for a fall wedding. The problem with using these beautiful flowers is that they are difficult to get unless you are lucky enough to live in a location where they naturally grow.

The Terrestrial Orchids grow in the earth or plant their root bases into trees and rocks. When you see these orchids growing in their natural environment, they are visually stunning. Some of the terrestrial orchid varieties can be cultivated fairly easily, but they still require a good amount of attention. They require a moist, warm environment, sunny days and cool nights. It is a difficult environment to keep in most households all year round. The Cattleya and Phalaenopsis orchids are good examples of terrestrial orchids.

The Cattleya orchid is used widely for corsages. It is one of the most widely cultivated orchids. The Phalaenopsis orchids have flower petals which are shaped like a moth and therefore often referred to as the moth orchid. These are very popular as house plants, but still require certain environmental friendly conditions to be a long lasting house plant.

Orchids are perfect for weddings, but they are also rather costly. Orchids provide a lovely elegance in bouquets and arrangement. My recommendation is to purchase artificial orchids for your bouquets and arrangements. You can get silk orchids and the incredible real touch or natural touch artificial orchids. When you choose artificial orchids, you can choose the varieties, colors and sizes. When you chose to use artificial orchids, you get all the exotic, delicate and colorful choices available to achieve you floral designs. Artificial orchids are available in all varieties. Some of the varieties to choose from are the following:

Oncidium orchids are tiny orchid flowers on long stems with tall graceful leaves and they appear to be dancing in mid air. They would be perfect for chapel and table arrangements.

Dendrobium orchids have long stems that gracefully bend with colorful blossoms. There are several flowers on each stem. The flowers are medium-small, available in many colors and can be used in bouquets and arrangements.

Cattleya orchids are beautiful large orchids. These orchid only have one large beautiful bloom per stem. They are commonly used in wedding corsages. They symbolize mature charm and make lovely corsages for the mothers of the bride and groom or your aunts who are attending your wedding. These gorgeous orchids are known as the queen of orchids and are also great to mix into bridal bouquets.

Cymbidium orchids are tall and have long stems surrounded by flowers. Each stem has many lovely medium size flowers. They make graceful bouquets and are available in many colors.

Phalaenopsis orchids are long stem graceful orchids. They can be used in arrangements, bouquets or stand alone in a bud vase. The blossoms can also be cut off the stems to be used in corsages, hair combs or mixed into a bridal bouquet.

Paphiopedium orchids have beautiful blossom pouches. They are also known as Lady Slippers. Each stem has one flower. These orchids are unique in shape and coloring.

Silk and artificial orchids exemplify love, luxury, beauty and strength. They are exotic, graceful and delicate. These artificial orchids will last a lifetime. They can be saved and/or reused by each member of the bridal party. I would highly recommend to any floral designer, new or experienced, to combine the many orchid varieties. I have mentioned a few of the typical orchid varieties available for purchase. There are also hybrid orchids available in silk and artificial real touch. Combining orchid varieties gives depth, richness and bold color to your floral designs. Your artificial orchid flower arrangements and bouquets will be remembered by all those who have the pleasure of seeing your creations.


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