The florist talked us out of peonies in March, and we are still grateful for it.
Amara had wanted peonies since she was young enough that the want had stopped feeling like a choice. The florist, gently and with evident practice at this exact conversation, explained that peonies in March meant flown-in stems, three times the cost, and petals that would brown before the first course arrived.
What we chose instead
Ranunculus, garden roses and a great deal of foliage cut from Fernwater's own hedges, arranged to look as though it had grown that way along the long table. The colour sat somewhere between ivory and rust, which the florist called late summer in a room that would actually be lit in March.
Flowers that are in season look like they belong in the room. Flowers that are flown in look like they are visiting.
The heatwave that nearly happened
A warm spell was forecast for the week before, and for three days we had a second plan ready in case the ranunculus wilted early. It did not come to that, but the florist kept a cold store booked regardless, which cost a little and saved a great deal of worry.
If you are choosing flowers, ask what grows near the venue in the season you are marrying in. The answer is usually better, and almost always cheaper, than the flowers you first imagined.
