A
Accent flower — A secondary bloom adding color or texture alongside focal flowers. Examples: spray roses, wax flower, astilbe.
Aisle markers — Elements defining the ceremony aisle: chair-tied arrangements, shepherd’s hooks, ground clouds, or petals. See our ceremony arch and aisle guide.
Anemone — A winter-spring flower with a distinctive dark center. Available in white, burgundy, red, purple, and bi-color.
Arbor — A wooden garden structure used as a ceremony backdrop, usually arched or flat-topped.
Arch — A curved ceremony structure framing the couple. Styles include round, pointed, asymmetrical, circular (moon gate), or triangular. Coverage ranges from corner clusters to full blooms. See our complete arch guide.
Arrangement — Any designed grouping of cut flowers and greenery.
Astilbe — A feathery, plume-shaped flower in pink, white, red, and lavender.
B
Bloom — A single open flower. In proposals, “bloom count” refers to individual flower heads.
Boutonniere — Small floral piece worn on the left lapel, typically one to three blooms with greenery. Cost at Poppy: approximately $25. See our complete boutonniere guide.
Bouquet — Handheld arrangement carried during ceremony. Styles include round, cascading, garden-style, nosegay, and presentation. See our bouquet shapes guide.
Breakdown — Post-event removal of all floral installations. Poppy includes this in the delivery/setup fee. See our breakdown service guide.
Bud vase — Small, narrow vase holding one to three stems. Used individually or in clusters as budget-friendly centerpieces. See our centerpiece styles guide.
C
Calla lily — Elegant trumpet-shaped flower with smooth, waxy appearance. Available in white, cream, deep purple, orange, pink, and green.
Carnation — Ruffled, long-lasting flower in nearly every color. Experiencing a resurgence in modern mono-bloom arrangements.
Cascading bouquet — Bouquet style where flowers trail downward in a waterfall effect. Requires more flowers and labor than round bouquets.
Centerpiece — Floral arrangement at the table center: bud vase trios, low compotes, tall arrangements, or garlands. See our complete centerpiece guide.
Ceremony flowers — All floral elements at the ceremony: arch, aisle markers, altar arrangements, pew decorations.
Chicken wire — Wire grid inside vases creating structure for stems.
Compote — Footed vessel (bowl on short pedestal) for centerpieces. See our centerpiece styles guide.
Conditioning — Preparing fresh flowers after arrival: cutting stems, removing lower foliage, hydrating in treated water. Also called “processing.”
Corsage — Small arrangement worn on wrist or pinned to clothing. Traditionally given to mothers and grandmothers. See our complete corsage guide.
Cymbidium orchid — Large exotic orchid with wide, waxy petals in green, white, pink, yellow, burgundy, and spotted varieties.
D
Dahlia — Layered flower with geometric petal patterns in nearly every color except blue. Peak season: August through October. See our complete dahlia guide.
Delivery fee — Charge for transporting arrangements to venue. Poppy’s standard delivery and setup fee is $470, including delivery, setup, and breakdown. See our delivery and setup guide.
Dusty miller — Silver-gray foliage. Complements white, blush, lavender, and dusty blue palettes.
E
Elevated arrangement — Tall centerpiece on a raised stand, at or above eye level. Creates drama while letting guests see beneath. See our centerpiece styles guide.
Eucalyptus — Widely used, fragrant greenery. Types include silver dollar (round leaves), seeded (small buds), and willow (long, slender). See our greenery guide.
F
Farm-direct — Flowers sourced directly from the growing farm. Means fresher flowers and reduced cost.
Filler flower — Flower adding volume without serving as focal point. Examples: baby’s breath, wax flower, limonium, Queen Anne’s lace. See our baby’s breath alternatives guide.
Finalization — Deadline when your order locks in. At Poppy, finalization is 60 days before the wedding. See our 60-day timeline guide.
Flip — Moving arrangements from ceremony to reception during cocktail hour. Additional labor charge applies. See our ceremony repurposing guide.
Floral foam — A water-absorbing material used to hold stems in structured arrangements.
Flower cloud — Dome-shaped arrangement in a dish or stable base. Weighs 11-12 pounds. Commonly placed at ceremony altar, sweetheart tables, or welcome tables.
Flower crown — Circular arrangement worn on head. Popular for bohemian and garden weddings. Cost at Poppy: typically $75-$150.
Focal flower — The primary, most prominent flower in an arrangement. Examples: garden roses, peonies, dahlias, king protea.
Foliage — Leaves and stems used in design. Also called “greenery.” Common types: eucalyptus, ruscus, fern, salal, smilax.
Front-facing — Arrangement designed for one-side viewing. Featured flowers face forward; the back is finished with greenery.
G
Garden rose — Rose variety with lush, many-petaled bloom and old-world fragrance. More expensive than standard roses ($5-$10 vs. $2-$4 per stem). Varieties: Juliet, Keira, Patience, Constance.
Garden-style — Design aesthetic with a loose, organic, hand-gathered look. The most popular modern wedding style.
Garland — Continuous strand of greenery (sometimes with flowers) for tables, arches, or railings. Priced per foot: $15-$25 greenery-only, $30-$50+ with flowers.
Greenery — Non-flower plant material providing structure and volume: eucalyptus, ruscus, fern, olive branches, smilax. See our complete greenery guide.
H
Hand-tied bouquet — Bouquet where stems are gathered and secured with binding at the grip point. Stems visible below. Most common modern construction method.
Hellebore — Winter-blooming flower with nodding, cup-shaped blooms in white, green, plum, and mauve.
Highboy table — Tall standing table used during cocktail hours. See our cocktail hour flowers guide.
Hybrid tea rose — Standard long-stemmed rose with classic pointed bud. Less expensive than garden roses 1 Potomac Floral Wholesale Garden - Potomac Floral Wholesale .
Hydrangea — Large, round flower head with clustered blooms in white, blue, pink, green, and purple. Adds volume at moderate cost. Requires food-safe barrier on cakes.
I
Installation — Large-scale structural floral design: arches, hanging pieces, flower walls, ceiling treatments. Most expensive category due to labor and engineering.
Italian ruscus — Dark green foliage with glossy leaves on arching stems. Drapes beautifully and lasts well out of water.
J
Juliet rose — David Austin garden rose with peach-apricot color and deeply cupped bloom. One of the most requested wedding flowers.
K
King protea — Large, dramatic South African flower with thick petals and fuzzy center. Bold statement piece.
L
Lisianthus — Flower resembling a rose or peony at lower cost. Available in white, purple, pink, green, and bi-color.
Low arrangement — Centerpiece below eye level (6-12 inches tall), allowing guests to see across the table. Most common centerpiece height.
Lush — Design descriptor meaning full and abundant with minimal negative space. Opposite of “airy.”
M
Mechanics — Internal structure holding an arrangement together: chicken wire, pin frogs, grid tape.
Monofloral — Arrangement using a single flower type. Also called “mono-bloom.” Creates a clean, modern look.
Moon gate — Circular ceremony structure. Requires more flowers than a standard arch due to the full circular frame.
N
Nosegay — Small, compact round bouquet. Also called a “posy.” Traditionally carried by bridesmaids.
O
Orchid — Diverse flower family from large phalaenopsis to delicate dendrobium to bold cymbidiums. Long-lasting and available year-round.
P
Petal toss — Throwing flower petals at the couple during ceremony exit. Fresh rose petals: $50-$150. Some venues restrict due to cleanup.
Peony — Often the most coveted wedding flower. Large, lush, intensely fragrant. Limited season: mid-April through early June. See our complete peony guide 2 Utah State University Extension Utah State University Extension – High Tunnel Cut Flower Peonies in Utah .
Personal flowers — Items carried or worn by the wedding party: bouquets, boutonnieres, corsages, flower crowns, hair flowers.
Pin frog — Heavy metal disc with sharp pins (also called “kenzan”). Holds stems in the vessel bottom as a foam alternative.
Q
Queen Anne’s lace — Delicate, white, umbrella-shaped wildflower used as filler.
R
Ranunculus — Layered, tightly petaled flower resembling a small peony. Peak season: winter through spring. See our complete ranunculus guide.
Repurposing — Moving arrangements from one location to another during the wedding for double use. Most common: ceremony to reception. See our repurposing guide.
Ruscus — Versatile, long-lasting greenery. Italian ruscus has a polished look; Israeli ruscus is larger and wilder.
S
Scabiosa — Round flower with pincushion-like center in white, purple, lavender, and burgundy.
Seasonal availability — Natural growing season determining when flowers are available and their cost. In-season means better quality and lower prices. See our seasonal guide.
Setup — On-site placing and installing of all arrangements. At Poppy, setup is included in the $470 delivery/setup fee.
Smilax — Delicate vine with small, heart-shaped leaves. Adds trailing movement to garlands and arch decorations.
Spray rose — Rose stem producing multiple smaller blooms rather than one large flower. Used as accent.
Stem count — Number of individual stems in an arrangement. Determines cost and fullness. Bridal bouquet: 25-40 stems; low centerpiece: 15-30 3 EveryStem How Many Flower Stems Are in a Bouquet | Tips and Tools .
Stock — Fragrant flower with dense blooms along a tall stem in white, cream, pink, purple, and peach. Adds height and volume.
Sweetheart table — Small table for the couple only. Flowers are typically more concentrated. See our sweetheart table vs head table guide.
T
Taper candle — Tall, thin candle in candlestick holders, often mixed with floral arrangements.
Thistle — Spiky, textural element in purple, blue, and silver-gray. Popular in boho and rustic weddings.
Toss bouquet — Smaller bouquet thrown during the bouquet toss, preserving the bridal bouquet. Typically $50-$75.
U
Unity flowers — Stems placed into a shared vase during a unity ceremony. Alternative to unity candle or sand.
V
Vessel — Container holding an arrangement: vases, compotes, urns, bowls, baskets. Some florists include vessel rental; others charge separately.
Votive — Small candle in a glass holder, grouped around arrangements. Cost-effective table enhancement.
W
Wax flower — Dainty, long-lasting bloom with tiny, waxy flowers in white, pink, and purple. Affordable filler that dries well.
Wiring — Technique where thin wire supports stems. Used for boutonnieres, corsages, and flower crowns.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to know all of these terms to work with a florist?
No. A good florist translates your vision into design regardless of vocabulary. This wedding flower glossary is a reference for unfamiliar terms, not a prerequisite. See our guide to communicating with your florist.
What flowers are in season for my wedding month?
Peonies: mid-April through early June. Dahlias: July through October. Ranunculus peaks winter/spring. Roses, hydrangeas, and many popular flowers are available year-round. See our seasonal availability guide and guides for spring, summer, fall, and winter.
How Poppy Helps
Poppy’s designers speak in plain language and define any floral terms they use. Visual proposals include reference images alongside descriptions — just describe what you love, and your designer identifies the right material. This glossary and our Floral Terminology 101 guide are here whenever you need them.