All About Chinese Wedding Flowers

History & Culture

Updated February 23, 2017

Chinese wedding flowers are used mostly as a decoration on tables at Chinese weddings and large bouquets of colorful flowers (typically pink and red) are often given to the bride and groom as gifts. These elaborate bouquets usually line the hall leading to the wedding reception. Some brides opt to carry a small bouquet though this is usually just for wedding photos.

Lilies are popular Chinese wedding flowers because the word lily (百合, bǎi hé) sounds like the 百合 ( bǎi hé) part of the proverb 百年好合 (Bǎinián hǎo hé, happy union for one hundred years).

The flower also represents bringer of sons.

Orchids are another popular Chinese wedding flower. Orchids symbolize love and a married couple. Orchids also represent wealth and fortune.

The lotus is also a popular Chinese wedding flower. A lotus bloom with a leaf and bud symbolizes a complete union. Two lotus blooms or a lotus and a blossom on one stem represent a wish for shared heart and harmony because 荷 (hé) means union.