when life can’t give you peonies…

can’t have these pretty peonies at your wedding because of the seasons?

source - gee i wonder why i chose this pic :)

…have no fear!  there are so many other gorgeous, fluffy, detailed flowers out there that if peonies aren’t in your season, you can still create the look you’re going for.

now it’s no surprise that i’m not much of a rose type of girl, but i have to admit i do like some roses, just not most. thanks to erin over at sparkle & hay*, i was recently introduced to juliet roses (or english rose: rosa sweet juliet) , which i have to admit, have changed my entire outlook on roses!  and - they bloom in summer and fall, which helps fill the peony void :)  check out these beauties!

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if you’re still not sold on roses, below are a few of my favorites that fit with the “big, fluffy, detailed” theme.

ranunculus - we all know i am obsessed with these.  their flowering period is June - August but there is still a way to get them up through end of September and in to October, if you look hard enough (or book Jennifer Hodgins at Branford Flower Shop :))  these flowers are so beautiful and very intricate - just make sure you order enough though, because some of the blooms can tend to be small.  i LOVE the look of these in the boutonniere!

source - i LOVE this picture, and used in my inspiration board for my wedding

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mums (spider, football) - blooms late summer to late fall and are very budget friendly.  a little goes a long way with these, because they are so large in size and fill up space nicely.  i love these and can’t get enough :)

asters - blooms late july through late october and are another budget friendly, pretty option.  look for the “ostrich”, “china”, or “giant ray” varieties.

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dahlias - there are so many dahlia varieties out there but my personal favorites are the waterlily and dwarf, because they both give that whimsical look (in my opinion).  a lot of people asked what kind of dahlias i had in sunday’s mason jar post, and those were the large waterlily versions.  dahlias start blooming in july and go all the way through the first frost of the year (and if you’re doing your own flowers, you can get these at farmers’ markets for a great price).

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Cabbage Roses

i could go on and on, but you get the picture.  just because a certain flower may not be available, doesn’t mean you can’t find something else just as beautiful to fill the gap :)

for an even more comprehensive list of seasonal flowers, click here for a guide i found to be helpful when planning my own wedding.