B&B Blooms in Spotlight: Amnesia Rose

“Love planted a rose, and the world turned sweet.” With so many quotes about the romantic beauty attributed to the rose, the words of poet Katherine Lee Bates rank as our favorite. Not all roses are the same though, and each type has its own singular allure.

To inaugurate B&B Blooms in Spotlight, a blog series devoted to our favorite wedding flowers, we are going to talk about the amnesia rose. In recent years, this bloom has caught the admiring eye of the wedding industry and become very popular with our own brides. What makes the amnesia rose so special is its unique lavender, beige and green tones, which give the flower a lovely ‘antique’ look. For this reason, they are the perfect floral feature to showcase in a vintage style wedding.

 

 

In the language of flowers, the rose symbolizes love and passion. The ancient Greeks and Romans connected the flower with Aphrodite and Venus, the goddesses of love and beauty. Through out history, people have given roses as a sign of love and affection. Shakespeare found inspiration in the rose when creating the greatest tragic love story ever written, Romeo and Juliet. In the play, Juliet says, “A rose by any other name would smell so sweet” to remind Romeo that while they come from warring families, their love is all that matters. The bloom grows in just about every color under the rainbow, and each color carries a different meaning. Purple roses represent enchantment and love at first sight. And there is no better way to describe the feelings that arise when gazing at the transfixing lavender hue of the amnesia rose!

Beauty aside, the amnesia rose makes an ideal wedding flower for many reasons. Unfussy and reliable, the amnesia rose has a long vase life and medium sized blossom that is guaranteed to fully open. Year round availability means you are not limited to season or have to pay excessive money to have the flower shipped from a faraway location. The pale lavender hue, often described as having hints of beige and even brown, is so delicate and subtle that it makes brides who cringe at the thought of anything purple in their wedding reconsider their initial stance on the matter.

 

 

The amnesia rose’s classic bell-shape gives versatility, offering many styling options for bouquets, arrangements, and decor. Because the flower has such a unique color and texture, it looks lovely displayed on its own in a hand-tied bouquet for an understated, vintage look.

 

 

To create a bouquet with a “just picked from the garden” feel, pair the blooms with lush accents such lisianthus and seeded eucalyptus.

For our Real BB Weddings, we have combined amnesia roses with flowers in complementing hues such as white, cream, light pinks, blush, and soft lilac.

 

 

Tall centerpieces at Danielle and Noah’s wedding at the Cold Spring Country Club showcased amnesia roses in a dusty rose shade alongside cream hydrangea, ivory garden roses, champagne quicksand roses, blush spray roses, and ivory sweetheart roses on a crystal pedestal with hanging crystal accents. The stunning tablescape also featured a trio of arrangements with the same flower recipe in square, mirrored vases. Candlelight danced off the mirror and crystal decor, casting an atmosphere of timeless romance.

 

 

Floral decor at Jenna and Matt’s Jewish Heritage Museum epitomized natural enchantment. Tables were bedecked with low centerpieces of pale lavender earl grey roses, cream vendela roses, purple amnesia roses, white ranunculus and greenery of eucalyptus and lemon leaf. The bride and groom had a fairytale moment dancing under a flower chandelier of purple amnesia roses and pale lavender earl grey roses with white stock and delphinium.

 

 

With its dazzling chandeliers, gilded coffered ceilings, and marble floors, the Plaza Hotel represents the history and grand style of classic New York. Marianna and Jason’s wedding shows how to decorate in a way that complements rather than competes with such a magnificent venue. Tall centerpieces featured cream mondial roses, quicksand roses, and amnesia roses in golden candelabra. Each flower type was placed in a group to form a classic, round arrangement as hanging glass bubbles filled with tea lights and ivory pearls finished the opulent, yet sophisticated presentation.

The amnesia rose is a lovely flower celebrated for its vintage and romantic charm. Offering a unique color scheme that looks best paired with similar soft and delicate tones, this bloom is a captivating floral feature to incorporate in wedding decor.