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For those desiring an island-inspired wedding, the beautiful and fragrant plumeria blossoms often come to mind as a natural addition to the floral decor. The simple, clean lines of this five-petaled bloom conjure images of sandy beaches and tropical weather, perfect for a wedding in Hawaii, right?
The truth about plumeria (introduced to Hawaii in 1860 and also referred to as "frangipani") is that it is an extremely delicate flower, is seasonal, and its sap is poisonous if consumed. The fact that it wilts, bruises, and browns quickly once picked from the tree makes it less desirable as a wedding flower, particularly for bouquets if the wedding is an all-day affair. As for its seasonality, some varieties of plumeria only bloom during the summer in Hawaii, while evergreen varieties bloom less in the winter, making it more difficult to source in the non-summer months. Due to its toxic sap, floral designers advise against using fresh plumeria on cakes and cupcakes, and it would probably be wise to avoid using them on napkins as accent flowers.
So does this mean that you should not have plumeria present at your wedding at all? No, if your heart is set on incorporating this flower into your wedding, consult your floral designer and wedding planner for creative ways to "have your plumeria, and (not) eat it, too!" Some suggestions would be to use the plumeria as one of the flowers in arrangements, not making it the primary flower; to have your pastry chef create hand-crafted, edible plumeria for cakes or cupcakes; or to use it ways where less of it is needed, particularly since obtaining large quantities, especially in off-months, may be tricky.
Happy Planning!
The truth about plumeria (introduced to Hawaii in 1860 and also referred to as "frangipani") is that it is an extremely delicate flower, is seasonal, and its sap is poisonous if consumed. The fact that it wilts, bruises, and browns quickly once picked from the tree makes it less desirable as a wedding flower, particularly for bouquets if the wedding is an all-day affair. As for its seasonality, some varieties of plumeria only bloom during the summer in Hawaii, while evergreen varieties bloom less in the winter, making it more difficult to source in the non-summer months. Due to its toxic sap, floral designers advise against using fresh plumeria on cakes and cupcakes, and it would probably be wise to avoid using them on napkins as accent flowers.
So does this mean that you should not have plumeria present at your wedding at all? No, if your heart is set on incorporating this flower into your wedding, consult your floral designer and wedding planner for creative ways to "have your plumeria, and (not) eat it, too!" Some suggestions would be to use the plumeria as one of the flowers in arrangements, not making it the primary flower; to have your pastry chef create hand-crafted, edible plumeria for cakes or cupcakes; or to use it ways where less of it is needed, particularly since obtaining large quantities, especially in off-months, may be tricky.
Happy Planning!
