Why roses and calla lilies have year-round staying power
By Chelsea Sherman
While there are many ways to get creative with wedding florals, some flowers remain classics for a reason. Two flowers that consistently stay at the top of the list for wedding arrangements are roses and calla lilies, thanks to their availability, hardiness and versatility.
What makes roses and calla lilies truly shine as hardy, long-lasting wedding florals is actually what’s below the petals—their vascular systems.
“All flower vascular systems are not created equal,” said Tina Dolan, owner of Virginia Floral Design & Events. “Both calla lilies and standard roses have great vascular systems that keep them hydrated, an important part of extending any flower’s longevity.”
Regardless of a flower’s natural longevity, it is still important to condition your wedding florals to extend their lifespan. Cutting stems at a 45-degree angle opens their vascular systems, and utilizing a hydrating treatment like Quick Dip will help them get and stay hydrated longer.
Dolan also recommends keeping leaves out of the water in your arrangements to boost longevity.
“Leaves decompose quickly when submerged, and they release bacteria into the water as they rot. More bacteria equals faster stem blockage, which will result in the flowers dying sooner,” Dolan said.
While longevity is an important consideration in planning wedding arrangements, availability is also paramount. This is another area where roses and calla lilies shine. Their year-round availability make them excellent focal flowers for weddings during any season.
If roses and calla lilies are so readily available and commonly used in weddings, does that mean choosing one of them as your focal flower will make your arrangements look like everyone else’s? Thankfully, you don’t need to worry about that. These blooms are customizable and can be built into bouquets that reflect your personal style, or accompanying flowers that are in season during your wedding.
For instance, if you are going with roses for a spring wedding, you may consider pairing them with peonies, ranunculus, or hydrangeas. In the fall, you could go with amaranthus and eucalyptus for a more rustic aesthetic, or dahlias for a full, romantic look. The possibilities for personalizing a rose-focused bouquet with filler flowers and greenery are endless.
“Some of my favorite greenery to use with roses include rainbow Leucothoe, Pierus Japonica, Stuartainia eucalyptus and kaleidoscope Abelia,” Dolan said. “Each of these are shrubs that have a long vase and add texture and movement to an arrangement.”
Calla lilies are also very versatile when it comes to wedding arrangements. They can be paired with drooping amaranthus for an enchanting, elegant aesthetic, or arranged with greenery like eucalyptus and ferns for a fuller look. They are show-stopping enough to stand on their own in a single-flower bouquet.
As weddings shift toward the quiet luxury trend, brides are beginning to opt for smaller arrangements, rather than the full bouquets that have become the norm in recent years. Calla lilies and roses will continue to be stellar options for quiet luxury weddings, as both make a statement on their own without a lot of extra fanfare.
“Quiety luxury can be achieved by creating a smaller single-flower bouquet with either of these florals,” Dolan said. “I believe in 2026 we will see a shift to smaller bouquets that are created artfully, while still being impactful.”
Chris Murphy
Chris is a creative force with a passion for web design, development and writing. As Web Creative Director at VistaMedia (formerly VistaGraphics, Inc. and VistaDigital Agency), she leads a team of digital experts in crafting stunning, user-friendly websites. When not immersed in her web development responsibilities, she enjoys writing web exclusive articles for various in-house lifestyle and hospitality publications and exploring the Virginia outdoors with family and friends.
