The Truth About "Local Flowers"

anthurium, torch ginger, and cymbidium orchid bouquet - photo by Chrissy Lambert Photography

Upon meeting with couples who are just embarking on the planning of their wedding, I often hear that they wish to use "local flowers" for their wedding, drawing on the beauty of the flowers supposedly in abundance here in Hawaii. Such flowers not only represent the location of their wedding, but they also support local growers and give their wedding an island feel.

mixed arrangement with green cymbidium orchids and yellow mokara orchids - photo by Absolutely Loved

Then, upon viewing their inspiration photos, I realize that they often times really mean that they would like tropical flowers, but little do they and many others realize, that the so-desired and exotic tropical flowers, especially those viewed in photos found in magazines and on-line, are often times flown in to Hawai'i. Sure, beautiful tropicals such as torch ginger, monsterra leaves, and bird of paradise adorn the landscaping of resorts and homes, but many of the prized cymbidium and mokara orchids travel thousands of miles to get here and eventually find their way into a bouquet or centerpiece.

monsterra leaf on pew - photo by Taka of La Vie

Even roses, which are grown locally, are in fact, less popular for weddings than those grown in South America, as the imported versions tend to have a higher petal count and are often times larger and hardier...

As for the more delicate flowers grown in Hawai'i, such as plumeria and hibiscus, their fragile composition makes it difficult to incorporate into weddings. They easily brown and/or wilt. A good substitute, if wanting these blooms, is to consider deco clay versions, hand-made, and amazingly life-like.

deco clay hibiscus blossom on favor box with fresh mokara orchids on the napkin

I urge couples to consider flowers that they really want for their wedding as opposed to only looking at locally grown flowers. Chances are, the flowers they are desiring will need to be imported to our islands. For those who truly do want to stick to locally grown flowers, this is certainly a possibility, but understand that there are limitations as to what is available. Having a realistic understanding of locally grown flowers and tropical flowers will help to better define and inform your choices for your wedding. Happy planning!