16 Unexpected Carnation Wedding Bouquets

Carnations are, to put it in incredibly simple terms, an underdog. While popular, they’re not exactly everyone’s first choice for a wedding. This is largely due to the fact that most find the versatile bloom to be cheap, and therefore, not worthy of a center stage moment on a wedding day—least of all in a bridal bouquet. Well, we’re here to prove otherwise.

“There are many antiquated opinions about carnations; some people believe they are cheap flowers. They are cost-effective, but not cheap looking,” says florist Teresa Eoff.

The durability of carnations actually makes them an excellent choice for bouquets. They can last an entire wedding day without water, which means the flower traditionally labeled as a ‘filler flower’ can actually be a focal point in a bouquet design without any worries. Carnations can play a huge part in your bouquet design simply because of their reliability; you’ll be able to count on their availability when weighing the decision for a late fall wedding versus the spring.

“Full and exuberant, carnations create a lush factor when designing,” explains Eoff. “They allow us to add depth to our color palette. Their beauty, texture, and strength add value to designs as an accent flower, especially with all of the new varieties and colors being offered by growers.” They give life to designs for a fraction of the cost their counterparts, like perhaps ranunculus or peonies, do. A low price tag means you’ll still come out ahead, whether you’ve selected mono-floral design, or are positioning them as accent flowers. 

Read on for 16 creative ways to incorporate carnations in your wedding bouquet.