Flower superstitions: Red and white flowers

Yes i've heard a lot that white and red flowers are funeral flowers. if it doesn't bother you don't worry about it.

Old Wives tell, if that was the case then about 30 of my Brides would not be here now!!

It was supposed to represent Blood & Bandages during the First World War.

My friend is currently finding this very funny watching me panic - and has now reminded me OH is going to Afghan a few weeks after the wedding! It's a good job i've got a sense of humor today!

Can't believe your colleague is finding it funny how cruel. Don't worry it is an Old Wives Tale & was related to Hospital patients & not weddings. Many of the old Matrons wouldn't allow Red & White flowers in the wards.

This Bride of mine had Red Roses & White Lillies & unless she has a ghost writer on FB she is very much alive& well!

Have heard it many a time but its such a popular colour these days.

My nan wouldn't have come to the church if she knew I had those colours for my wedding haha

It's definitely an old wives tale.

Nat

? why are you panicking, it's the older peeps who say all this, the funeral flower thing comes from all my aunts and peeps they know. It's an older generation thing. Personally I don't like the combination of red and white but nothing to do with the oldies reasoning lol. You love your flowers, don't worry about it, honestly. x

sorry couldn't resist ?

Thanks for the reassurance everyone - I know its really silly, but I'm not going to risk it, going to ask the florist to mix in a few sprigs of lavender into our pedestall for church and top table arrangements as they are white and red - even if they can't be seen it will make me feel a lot better!

Saying that our whole colour scheme is red, white and a bit of Navy.

My colleague is a man.. bless him.. wait until it's his turn to get married in 2012! haha.

It is mainly the older generation that take this view as has already been said. I do loads of red and white weddings so don't worry!

Some people still do regard lilies as funeral flowers (even the younger generation) mainly because of the perception that lilies are always done for funerals. Actually, this isn't true! It's red roses that are the most requested funeral flowers which is why I hate red roses! Because red roses symbolise love to most people, this is why they are popular for funerals.

It is mainly the longiflorum lily (the trumpet lily or Easter lily) that the older generation associate with funerals rather than the calla lily. Even so, the longiflorum lily was the most popular wedding flower of the 1980's and 90's! Similarly, the calla lily has been the most popular wedding flower for nearly 10 years - I would say 75% of all my business involves calla lilies for weddings!

Start calling it Burgundy and Ivory it sounds so much better and there is no superstitions in that?

If you went for every superstition we florists would be out of business.

I had a bride who could not have white roses as her Nan associated them with funerals, someone else no Ivy, someone else no heather......................as long as you don't have a thing about it don't worry.

Yes, my mam mentioned blood and bandages to me the other day (I'm not having red, we were just chatting). But she also laughed it off as she had red and white flowers for her wedding and her and my Dad were happily married until last year when he died at 68, so I dont think that superstition holds much water.

My MIL2B also mentioned pearls being unlucky for me, apparently they represent tears. I'm still wearing them!

My mu was talked out of red for her wedding in1969 by her family - her dad (my granddad) was one of the most superstitious peope I've ever met.

But I'm having red - I'm having a red dress, red shoes, red feathers, red knickers (TMI? pfffttt!) and red lipstick. And rhubarb to superstition!