The Best May Wedding Flowers in the Pacific Northwest

If there’s one thing we’ve learned from our clients over the years, it’s that the details of wedding planning can quickly get overwhelming - especially when it comes to choosing flowers! Of course, there are tons of beautiful flowers and inspiration images. But how are you supposed to know what is blooming when?! After so many years of experience, we feel like we have a pretty good handle on it. Obviously, we love talking about seasonal and local flowers. So, this week, we wanted to share some of our favorite locally grown May wedding flowers! Spring weddings use the most gorgeous and delicate blooms, and May is no exception. We are lucky to live in the Pacific Northwest, where we can get beautiful, locally grown flowers for May weddings while other parts of the country are still thawing out! Here are some of the best May wedding flowers, in our experience.

Peonies

Peonies are such classic, feminine wedding flowers, with their frilly ruffles and delicate scent! Naturally, they are a very popular choice for May weddings, since they make such a statement. The early varieties typically start to bloom in May, and continue to be harvested and sold in June. These are some of the most expensive wedding flowers on the market, but we think they are worth it. As the season goes on, peonies become more and more expensive. The last American-grown peonies are typically available in August, from growers in Alaska.

Garden Roses

Garden roses add stunning style, grace, and beauty to any wedding arrangement. We love the way the interior petals swirl and move, and the way they add softness and fullness to bouquets and centerpieces. They are the perfect flower for May weddings, since garden roses in the Pacific Northwest usually start blooming in May, and can continue to bloom throughout the summer. These are also some of the most expensive wedding flowers on the market, but they are totally worth the splurge!

Ranunculus

Ranunculus offer even more ruffly, delicate spring beauty to May weddings in the Pacific Northwest. Many ranunculus varieties start blooming in April, but we actually prefer the blooms that are harvested and sold in May, since they have bigger heads, taller stems, and more feminine frilliness! They are such a reliable favorite in our studio for spring weddings, and we can’t live without them!

Poppies

Poppies come in many shapes and sizes, but we specifically have a crush on these Icelandic poppies from our local growers. We love their watercolor-like petals, curvy and eccentric stems, and the character they add to spring wedding arrangements. For May weddings, poppies are in their prime and available in a wide variety of pastel peaches, pinks, and whites, as well as bolder colors like oranges and reds. 

Pansies

Pansies begin blooming just in time for May weddings, and they are such a fun addition to the cut flower scene! Typically, pansies have short stems and grow close to the ground. More recently, breeders have developed varieties in muted, antique tones that are perfect for May wedding designs. And our local growers have mastered getting the maximum stem length out of these special pansy varieties. We can't get enough!

Foxglove

Foxglove can be such a lovely, artistic addition to May wedding flowers. We love the way the spires twist and bend in organic lines, and the fact that the bees love visiting them in the garden. Foxglove add height, interest, and structure to May wedding flowers and are a consistent favorite to work with for wedding design!

Lilac

Lilac is one of our favorite May flowers because it has such a strong scent – and as a result, such a strong connection to our memories. Many couples love using lilac because of its nostalgia; it reminds them of a fond memory, like their grandmother’s garden, or a house they grew up in. We love lilac because it’s not only beautiful, but rare. It is only available for a couple weeks in May, and then it’s done until the next year! It is the perfect local, seasonal flower for a May wedding bouquet or floral installation.

Planning Your Spring Wedding Designs

Your florist should know what flowers are locally available and in season for your wedding month. We are more dedicated to local flowers than ever, especially as we continue to witness impacts on the global supply chain and flower imports. Prioritizing local flowers means that we can always make sure our couples have the best of what is available that season, that month, or even that week! And we work closely with dozens of our farm friends to make sure we can execute your vision beautifully and ethically.

Getting Married in May?

We know wedding planning can be overwhelming, with so many flower choices and inspo images. That’s why we love helping our couples articulate their vision so they can have the wedding of their dreams, and give their guests an experience they won’t forget. And our books are now open for May weddings! If you are ready to chat about your wedding, just click the button below to check your date.