A Guide to Flowers and Essential Oils for Your Wedding

By Margaret Gilchrist (RN)

The use of flowers in weddings has been around for centuries dating back to the early Greeks. Bridesmaids would bundle together flowers and plants to form a garland wreath worn upon the head, similar to the laurels worn by Caesar. These flowers and plants were considered a gift from nature and thereby absolutely appropriate for a wedding. Not only were the flowers and plants used for their natural beauty, but also for their beneficial properties for example the Greeks used garlic in their laurels to ward off evil spirits, the Swedes used thyme to ward off trolls, and in England a flower girl sprinkled blossoms on the path of the bride to ensure a long life and happiness for her. Essential Oils use has been around even longer (5000 years ago) and was extracted from plants and flowers for desirable properties of each specific plant. This article is a resource to help you choose the best flowers and essential oils for your "big day" to make it a day to remember for all.

Essential Oils trigger the limbic system when inhaled, which happens to be the part of the brain that stores memory and emotion along with other functions like controlling blood pressure, heart rate, breathing, hormone balance and more. So, the proper use of flowers and Essential Oils can create memories for a lifetime for you, your partner and your guests.

During the Victorian Era, flowers were used to convey messages during a time when certain feelings could not be spoken. Below are some to the most common flowers used in weddings and their secret message:

• Baby's Breath: Innocence, purity of heart
• Calla Lily (General): Youth and rebirth
• Calla Lily (White): Magnificence, beauty, faith, and purity
• Carnation (general): Fascination, distinction, love
• Carnation (Red): Deep romantic love, passion
• Carnation (White): Sweet and lovely, innocence, pure love, faithfulness
• Carnation (Pink): A woman's love
• Carnation (Purple): Capriciousness, whimsical
• Carnation (Striped): Refusal
• Carnation (Solid): Yes, affirmation
• Daisy: Innocence, loyal love, purity, faith, cheer
• Lily (General): Purity, chastity, innocence
• Lily of the Valley: Sweetness, humility, trust
• Rose (Red): True love
• Rose (Pink): Grace
• Rose (Lavender): Love at first sight
• Rose (Coral): Desire, passion
• Rose (White): Innocence, purity
• Rose (Red and White together) United
• Tulip (Red): Undying love
• Tulip (Purple): Forever love
• Tulip (White): Purity, innocence, forgiveness and respect

 

There are also many different types of Essential Oils for thousands of events and occasions, so I am sharing with you just a few to help you with the days of planning and preparing for the big day, the day of your wedding and your honeymoon. The following blends should be added to a 50mL bottle of oil (Olive, Jojoba, Sweet Almond or Argan) then apply to your temples with your fingertips in a gentle circular motion. Remember that if you want effects of aromatherapy essential oils without irritations, use pure essential oils, because any substance with fragrance has chemical additives that cause the negative effects of some lotions, perfumed sprays and aerosol sprays.

"Heart" to keep the flow of energy in your heart while you are planning:

• Rosewood 10 drops
• Lavender 5 drops
• Rose (3%) 20 drops

 

"Cool, Calm and Collected" to deep breathe and keep anxiety at bay:

• Frankincense 6 drops
• Cardamom 2 drops
• Roman Chamomille (3%) 18 drops

 

"Strength and Courage"

• Geranium 6 drops
• Neroli (3%) 14 drops
• Vetiver 2 drops

Now for the Big Day!!! This is an awesome, special prep for your special day:

"The Harem Special" is one of the most luxurious and sensual body preps. It comes to us from the east where, reputedly, it was used when women in the harem were prepared for the Sultan's pleasure. It removes dead skin cells and leaves the skin glowing, fragrant, and as soft as silk.

• Ground, dried citrus fruit peel 1 tsp
• Ground almonds 3 tsp
• Oatmeal 2 tsp
• Clove Powder 1 pinch
• Crushed dried rose petals 1 tsp
• Nutmeg powder 1 pinch
• Almond Oil 2 Tbsp
• Neroli (or a citrus oil, lemon or orange) 2 drops
• Sandalwood (or Patchouli) 2 drops

Blend all the ingredients together until you have a paste (you can add more almond oil if you feel it needs it).

• Have a bath, dry yourself off and while standing in the tub, roll the mixture all over your body.
• Massage it into the dry areas of your skin.
• The idea is to cover your entire body with a very fine layer (which is why you need to roll the paste over your body).
• By the time that you have finished rolling the paste all over your body, you'll be ready to go back to the part that you started with and brush the fine dust off gently wiping any remaining paste off with a dry washcloth.

Finally, I have a honeymoon blend that you can use during your honeymoon. It can be added to 50mL of oil or 50mL of water and 10mL Vodka (shake well to blend) and use as a body spray:

• Jasmine 6 drops
• Neroli 6 drops
• Rose 3 drops
• Sandalwood 12 drops
• Vetiver 3 drops

 

 

 

There is a language, little known,

Lovers claim it as their own.

Its symbols smile upon the land,

Wrought by nature's wondrous hand;

And in their silent beauty speak,

Of life and joy, to those who seek

For live divine and sunny hours

In the language of the flowers.

-The Language of Flowers, London, 1875