Let Me Count the Ways

In our first ever issue of Engaged we had a feature on flowers: what colour to choose, what bouquet shape to choose for your body shape and dress style, how to choose flowers on a budget, questions for the florist... one thing we didn’t consider in that article was the all-important meaning of flowers. How do you know that the flowers you have chosen don’t have a secret, unwanted meaning? It’s as easy as checking out this list!



So here goes...

Alstromeria: Strength
Amaryllis: Pride
Anemone: Forsaken
Aster: Elegance and daintiness, virtue, love
Bells of Ireland: Good luck
Bluebell: Humility

Carnation

• Solid colour: Yes
• Striped: No, refusal, sorry I can’t be with you, wish I could be with you
• Pink: I’ll never forget you, woman’s love
• Red: Admiration, My heart aches for you, I love you
• Purple: Capriciousness
• White: Sweet and lovely, innocence, pure love, woman’s good luck
• Yellow: You have disappointed me, rejection

Chrysanthemum

• Red: I love you, remember me
• White: Fidelity, truth
• Yellow: Slighted love, I’m sorry, I’m sad

Daffodil: Regard, respect

• Yellow: Chivalry

Daisy: Innocence, loyal love, I’ll never tell, purity
Delphinium: Ardent attachment
Fern: Magic, fascination, confidence and shelter
Flowering almond: Hope
Forget-me-not: True love, remembrance
Freesia: Trust
Gardenia: You’re lovely, secret love
Gladioli: Remembrance, I’m sincere
Heliotrope: Devotion
Honeysuckle: Generosity
Hyacinth

• Blue: Constancy
• Purple: I am sorry, sorrow
• Red or pink Play
• White: Loveliness
• Yellow: Jealousy

Hydrangea: Thank you for understanding
Ivy: Fidelity, wedded love, affection
Iris: Flame, promise, faith, hope
Japonica: Loveliness
Jasmine: Amiability
Larkspur: Appreciation
Liatris: Gladness
Lemon blossom: Fidelity in love
Lilac: Youthful innocence
Lily

• White: Purity and virginity, sweetness
• Yellow: Gratitude, gaiety

Lily-of-the-valley: Sweetness, return to happiness, humility
Magnolia: Perseverance, nobility
Maidenhair: Discretion, secret bond of love
Orange blossom: Purity, innocence, eternal love, marriage and fruitfulness
Orchid: Thoughtfulness and wisdom, love, beauty, refinement
Peony: Gay life, happy marriage
Poppy

• White: Consolation
• Red: Pleasure
• Yellow: Wealth, success

Rose

• White and red: Unity
• White: Spiritual and true love, I’m worthy of you
• Red: True love and desire
• Pink: Sweetness, please believe me
• Yellow: Friendship
• Black: Farewell, death

Snapdragon: Intrigue
Stephanotis: Happiness in marriage, desire to travel
Stock: Bonds of affection
Sweetpea: Pleasure
Tulip

• Red: Declaration of love
• Yellow: Hopelessly in love, purity

Veronica: Fidelity
Violet: Faithfulness, virtue
Zinnia

• Magenta: Lasting affection
• Mixed: Thinking (or in memory of) an absent friend
• Scarlet: Constancy
• White: Goodness
• Yellow: Daily remembrance

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Confetti Mania

The throwing of confetti is an old tradition that originates in Rome. There, couples were showered with sugared almonds or confectionary, which is where the word confetti comes from.

We all consider confetti to be small, coloured pieces of paper. But with most wedding venues (and environmentalists!) now frowning upon the use of paper confetti, what are the alternatives?

Rice is nice… or not?

Firstly, there is rice. Rice is cheap and easy to obtain in bulk lots. You just need to place it in pretty containers for the guests and you have instant confetti!

Rice being used as confetti is not new: in ancient days a local seed or grain was thrown as a symbol of fertility. In some places it was wheat; however the most popular grain has now become rice.

There is some argument that rice should not be thrown as birds eat it and it swells up in their stomachs, causing health problems. Of course, there is also the counter-argument that there is no evidence to support this!

Many supporters of the former opinion now choose to throw bird seed instead. One thing you need to be aware of when choosing seed is that the seed should come from native plants. The introduction of non-native species can upset the environmental balance.

Bubbly bubbles

Secondly, bubbles are option. They are becoming very popular as there is no mess to clean up afterwards and they provide an endless source of delight for your younger guests.

Commercial bubbles are available in small, plain containers or you can use designer containers that match your theme. For those on a budget or environmentally conscious, you can make the bubbles yourself using dish detergent and water.

The only problem with bubbles is that they may stain clothing. Check the detergent level is not too high and try to do a ‘test run’ with a material sample from your dress to ensure it doesn’t mark your beautiful gown.

Roses only

Thirdly, rose petals make visually stunning confetti.

Petals can be very easily coordinated with the balance of your colour scheme and there are several difference mixes and colours available – the hardest part will be choosing which to go with!

Outside petals blow away and biodegrade easily, which makes for a simple clean-up.

For all of the above, we have assumed the confetti will be thrown outside. Check with your venue if you intend to use any of these inside. In fact, check with your venue regardless as they may have their own special requirements.

Of course, there are non-confetti options such as dove or butterfly releases – see our March issue for details of these!

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Tradition has it

While last month was a trip around the world, this month’s issue focuses on our very own wedding traditions. Why does the bride wear white? Why does she wear a veil? And why on earth would the groom carry the bride over the door step?

Pure White

It wasn’t until Queen Victoria wore white at her wedding in 1840 that white wedding dresses became popular. Prior to that brides wore brightly coloured dresses, signifying their joy at getting married.

It was the Christian Church that declared that white was pure, and therefore a good choice for blushing brides.

During the Middle Ages the length of a bride’s train indicated her rank in court. The longer her train, the closer she was to the King and Queen and the greater her influence with them.

Veils were added to the white dress as a symbol of the groom “capturing” their brides and also to ward off evil spirits: the bride’s head was covered to keep her from being recognised!

Be Gone, Evil Spirits! (Or Evil Rival Suitors!)

That wasn’t the only was evil spirits were foiled…

These days the bridesmaids all wear identical dresses. In the past, the bride’s dress would have matched the bridesmaids. This was done to confuse the evil spirits who wanted to destroy her happiness. It also helped to prevent the bride from being kidnapped by a rival suitor!

Women as Property?

A long, long time ago a female was considered her father’s property until she was “transferred” to her husband. This is the literal meaning of being given away!

Ringing in the Changes

Thank goodness for this tradition! Prior to gold and diamonds (and platinum and titanium and rubies and emeralds…) becoming traditional, wedding bands were made of hemp or braided grass.

The longer-lasting metals signify a valuable and strong commitment.

Sealed with a Kiss

Sigh, how romantic... In ancient Rome, the kiss between the bride and groom was considered a legal bond necessary to seal the marriage contract.

And Received with a Lucky Touch!

It’s not just the bride and groom that have physical contact on their wedding day. It was also traditional for the couple to greet each guest as part of a receiving line: it was believed that the bride and groom would bring good luck to anyone that they touched.

Over the Threshold

When a bride could be forced to marry her captor, the groom would have to carry her against her will into her new home.

The Roman reason for this tradition may be a little less caveman-like: they thought it was bad luck for a bride to trip over the threshold. To prevent that, the groom carried her.

After-Wedding Bliss

And we thought the honeymoon was all about…a-hem…relaxing and recovering after the wedding. Not so in ancient Ireland - when a couple married, as a fertility aid the parents would make sure the newlyweds had a supply of a drink made from fermented honey called mead, that would last for a full cycle of the moon. Yes, that is where the term honeymoon came from!

Something Borrowed, Something Blue

The actual rhyme that this comes from is “Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue and a sixpence in your shoe”. For some reason the sixpence has been dropped (maybe because we don’t have sixpences anymore!).

The ‘old’ is usually provided by your close family and signifies continuity from generation to generation.

The “new” represents the future.

The “borrowed” should be something that brought happiness to its owner so you are effectually “borrowing happiness”.

The “blue” symbolizes fidelity, love and good fortune.

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Fashion Forward

For those of you who might have missed the fashion show at ‘The Wedding Show’ held at Aotea Centre, Auckland on April the 19th, we thought we would bring you some highlights!

The following designers showcased their latest fashion for the bride, bridesmaids and flower girls:

Tutta Bella Bridal
Nadia Couture
Brides Of Botany
Brides Of Albany
Dandylion Flowergirls
Bridal Brilliance
Anna Schimmel European Bridal Designer

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