When it comes to the best months to get married, May has to be up there with one of the prettiest for so many reasons. May wedding flowers are one of the main reasons that a wedding in this month is so sought after. It marks the beginning of peak wedding season and has grown in popularity over the years.
In fact, the most popular wedding date for 2023 is in May this year, with a whopping 2,907 weddings set to take place on Saturday 27th May 2023. This Saturday alone accounts for 18% of this year's May weddings and 2% of weddings in 2023 as a whole.
As we all know, wedding flowers are a huge part of so many couples' special day, so, for all the couples tying the knot in the height of spring, let's take a look at what flowers are in season in May, and explore the variety of may wedding flowers on offer.
May Wedding Flowers: In Season May Flowers & How to Style Them
As we've already mentioned, flowers in May are one of the reasons why this month is so popular. May is the perfect wedding month to have a naturally bouncy and gorgeous wedding bouquet.
Flower-lovers will be delighted with the amount of flowers in season in May - you have much more choice than at other times of the year and the in season blooms are some of the prettiest of all. Here, we look at which flowers are in season in May, and get advice from expert florists on how to style your May wedding flowers.
Florist Gemma Hales from Femme Petale explains: "May is such a beautiful time of year for flowers, especially as the British varieties are just getting going. It's time to say goodbye to the gorgeous yellows of mimosa, the frilly ranunculus and delicate anemones and poppies that dominate our winter floral designs, until next year.
"There are lots of delicate stems available at this time of year which act as beautiful bouncy flowers that dance above the others, occasionally with a wiggly stem or two to make a stunning, natural statement.
"These include ammi with tiny flowers in a loose, star like formation, nigella, a delicate petalled flower with really interesting foliage and scabious, a lovely tall spring and summertime flower which comes in whites, blues and purple tones."
Couples planning a May wedding in the UK will want to know which flowers are in season at this time of year, and, if you're hoping to save on costs or have a more sustainable wedding, you'll want that list to be UK-based. Luckily for you, we have a list that includes 23 of the most gorgeous May wedding flowers that are in season at this time of year.
1. Allium
Unsplash / Katarzyna Korobczuk
With gorgeous flowerheads in deep, bright shades, alliums are a great May wedding flower for couples that want vibrant globes of florals in their arrangements. Gemma adds, "Alliums are a flower I love at this time of year, but they are very often overlooked.
"I love them because hey come in so many different shapes and styles and often have a few curvy stems in each bunch which add a playful, natural look."
They can be found in shades of blue, purple, pink and white and pink, but aren't ideal for bouquets. Gemma explains, "Some varieties do have a distinctive smell (they're from the onion family!) so I tend to use those for outdoor designs and not en masse."
2. Ammi
Unsplash / Jeffrey Hamilton
Ammi (also known as bishop's flower, Queen Anne's lace or laceflower) is a sweet and dainty May wedding flower that adds body and texture to a display or bouquet. It consists of several small white flowers in a star-like formation with dozens of buds on one single stem.
Because of the structure of these gorgeous May flowers, they add lots of volume with fewer stems, making them a good choice for those who want lots of body in their May wedding bouquet.
3. Anthurium
Unsplash / Nonik Bela
Anthurium is a tropical flower that we love for weddings in May. The bright, bold colour is vibrant and eye-catching, and the exotic look of the bloom makes it a really unique addition to any bouquet or arrangement. As Anthurium is an exotic flower, it's actually in bloom for most of the year, so you can have it for a wedding in May, or one at a different time of year.
It's often referred to as the flamingo flower or flaming lily, due to its colour, and also has the nickname 'laceleaf' because of the lacey texture on its petals. Why not match your lace wedding dress to your flowers?
4. Carnations
Unsplash / Natasha
It's widely known that the carnation flower symbolises love, captivation and distinction, making them perfect for a romantic wedding bouquet. The bloom has a beautiful shape to it - the buds are small and the petals are aplenty - and they come in a wide range of colours and shades from red to yellow to pink to white.
As well as colours, carnations come in a number of patterns with some having a different colour on the petal edge to the colour inside. This creates a really unique look for May wedding flowers and gives an almost-ombre feel to the blooms.
5. Campanula
Unsplash / Evelien Van Den Brink
Dainty like carnations, but taller in height are the striking May wedding flower, campanula. Campanulas are a bell-shaped bloom which consist of several ballerina skirt petals and are most recognisable in their famous shade of purple.
However, couples looking for a white, blue, pink or pastel colour scheme will find campanulas in a variety of other shades.
6. Celosia
Unsplash / Parker Sturdivant
Celosia flowers are so unique in their shape and texture, making for a really striking May wedding bouquet or floral arrangement. They are known for being ornamental plants that sit within the amaranth family, and have a unique structure to them that can really add drama to any arrangement. They are also edible - hello floral wedding cake!
The bud is formed in a reverse-teardrop sort of shape and, because of their structure, would work perfectly for centrepieces or stand-alone arrangements. Gemma loves the look of celosia and campanula flowers, explaining, "I love the larger stems that give height, depth and interest, including the coral-like celosia and the ballerina skirt of the campanula."
7. Delphiniums
Unsplash / Rebecca Niver
Delphiniums have a similar petal shape to the Campanula, and can be found in very similar colours. The difference, however, is that delphiniums are a May wedding flower that grow upwards in slim, tall cone-like arrangements. The name derives from the Greek word 'delphis' which means dolphin - said to refer to the unique shape of these flowers.
Perfect for eye-catching bouquets with a unique, tall shape, we love these flowers for a May wedding.
8. Gypsophila
Unsplash / Nik
Handily, gypsophila is available all year round and works beautifully on its own as well as a filler flower in bigger arrangements or as a bridesmaid bouquet. It’s also known as ‘baby’s breath’ and can often be used in flower crowns too. The delicate, pretty nature make it the perfect choice for a rustic wedding as it adds to the décor in a way that is understated and not overly glamorous.
9. Hydrangeas
Unsplash / Gabriella Clare Marino
Offering lots of volume and colour are hydrangeas. They are a seriously popular May wedding flower because of their luscious colour and versatility. They can cater to rustic, whimsical, romantic or formal wedding themes and they cover a lot of ground.
In comparison, a wedding bouquet may need as little as three or four hydrangeas, compared to roses or ranunculus which would require between eight and 12 to fill a bouquet, making them affordable too.
10. Lavender
Unsplash / Janine Joles
Famed for its incredible smell and spring feel, lavender is an excellent choice for a May wedding bouquet. We love the pastel colour - it's a great way to add warmer hues of purple and lilac into your wedding bouquet without having to opt for anything too bright.
Gemma explains, "With lavender coming into season in May, couples have the option to include this exceptional and well-loved fragrance into their wedding arrangements. Lavender can also be easily dried after your wedding so you can continue enjoying it for a long time afterwards."
11. Lisianthus
Unsplash / Aleksandra Sapozhnikova
The soft-petalled lisianthus comes in lots of different colours, meaning if you want a bouquet that matches your colour scheme and is in season, choosing lisianthus will give you a lot of options.
The long, slender stems lend themselves well to bouquets and floral décor and you can choose between a single flowered version or a double flowered type – go for the latter if you really want to make an impact with your wedding bouquet.
12. Nigella
Unsplash / Ilona Veres
Perfect for rustic wedding bouquets, the nigella flower is said to symbolise unrequited love - hopefully this won't be the case at your wedding! The bloom is a well-known May wedding flower, but, much like lavender, it really lends itself to being dried and can therefore cater to weddings outside of May as well.
The black seeds and delicate petals make this a striking flower that uniquely suits pastel colour schemes as well as darker combinations, too.
13. Peonies
Unsplash / Fallon Michael
Peony bouquets are super popular for a reason, and Gemma encourages you to make the most of them in May, "If you're a peony lover, this is your season as they're at their most abundant - they're a very popular flower but with quite a short season."
The beautiful flowers are so blousy and romantic and look striking in any floral arrangement. They are in season in May but don't stay in season for long, so if you want them at their most affordable be sure to time your wedding right!
14. Ranunculus
Unsplash / Alesia Kazantceva
Did you know ranunculi are from the same family as the buttercup? These cheerful blooms look beautiful in bouquets and come in a vast selection of colours. We love them in pink but they look gorgeous in white too, and quite often are a cheaper alternative to roses. If you have your heart set on a rose bouquet, you could always go for half the amount of roses and use ranunculus to fill the gap.
15. Roses
Unsplash / Anastasia Zhenina
David Austin roses – also known as English roses – were especially developed by rose breeder David Austin in the 60s. He wanted to combine the old fashioned shape and scent of classic roses with the larger colour range of modern blooms. The result is a beautiful flower that almost looks like a cross between a rose and a peony and works beautifully in bouquets with peonies.
However, if you're after fragrance, you'll need to add something extra to your bouquet. Gemma explains, "Unless you're using British varieties, most commercially grown roses don't have a strong scent so they can't be relied on for that signature smell. I tend to save those for outdoor arrangements."
16. Stocks
Unsplash / Insung Yoon
If you're after something elegant and tall for your May wedding bouquet, consider adding stocks to your arrangement. Gemma explains, "Stocks are a gorgeous smelling, taller flower. Alongside lupins, these will give you a real country garden feel."
Anyone getting married in a garden wedding venue should definitely consider that combination for a rustic garden bouquet.
17. Sweet Peas
Unsplash / Raimond Klavins
These delicate blooms smell gorgeous and will add a delicate, romantic look to your wedding bouquet. The pretty pastel hues make them the idea choice if you’re planning on having a vintage style wedding bouquet – the heady floral scent will have everyone you walk past in the mood for a summery celebration.
18. Tulips
Unsplash / Lisa Verena Pape
Synonymous with spring, tulips are one of the prettiest wedding flowers in season in May, and they are absolutely perfect for May wedding bouquets, too. They have a fresh, abundant look to them and come in a variety of colours and sizes.
Once bloomed, tulips have a full, oval shape to them and sit really well in a bunch. Whether it's pastel shades or bright, verdant oranges, pinks and reds, tulips fit the bill.
The style of your May wedding flowers will be influenced by your wedding theme, colour scheme and the wedding venue you have chosen. But the season will also have much to do with the styling of your May wedding bouquet or floral décor, and the flowers in bloom give you plenty of options.
Gemma advises on a few different styles, themes and arrangements that can work for this time of year. She explains, "If you're looking for a really modern look, you might want to choose contrasting shapes and fun stems such as Allium, Lilac, Tulip, Freesia and Anthuriums. They will give you structure, colour and texture to create gorgeous, artistic designs.
"If you're looking for something more traditional, this season is full of blousey beautiful flowers such as peonies, which you can pair with hydrangea, lily of the valley and sweet peas for a gorgeous big bouquet with a heavenly scent. And if your wedding is all about scent, you can rely on freesia, lily of the valley and sweet peas to deliver.
"For designs that are out of water, carnations, roses and delphiniums are fairly hardy and should last the day in a wedding arch or hanging design. Stems such as peonies, hydrangeas and sweet peas are really thirsty flowers and need to stay in water so save those for the centrepiece bowls or they'll need to have their own water tubes to keep them happy all day!
"If you're getting married outside or your venue has beautiful gardens, it works really well to bring those colours and flowers into your venue."
Proving that your favourite flower doesn't have to be in season to be at your May wedding, Sarah Ogden, dried flower specialist at Horseshoe Flowers explains the benefits of having dried wedding flowers at your May wedding.
"The beauty of choosing dried and preserved flowers is that there are very few limitations on flower availability and colour. Since dried and preserved flowers last, we are able to order the flowers when we see them become available and then keep them until the time of the wedding.
"In terms of colour, choosing dried and preserved flowers allows you to choose an almost limitless amount of colours. Gone are the days where dried flowers lose all their colour in the drying process, new dried flowers retain their beautiful natural tones or are dyed and painted to the perfect shade."
Intrigued by the idea of dried flowers for your May wedding? Check out our guide to dried wedding flowers here.
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