Your Herts & Beds Wedding - Dec/Jan 2019 (Issue 77)

66 SAY IT WITH Each wedding anniversary flower and its symbolic meaning from Serenata Flowers Flowers W edding anniversaries are a time for celebrating love and remembering vows. Each year the celebration is marked with a different name – an item that symbolises the various stages of married life, such as paper, ruby and diamond. It’s a tradition that was started by Roman husbands, who would gift their wives a silver garland on their 25 th wedding anniversary. Since Roman times other precious metals and materials have been added to the list to embody a different year of marriage – but did you know each anniversary also has an associated flower? A couple’s first anniversary is symbolised by carnations. In their red form, carnations symbolise admiration, whilst in their white form they represent innocence. Carnations are a long-lived flower that embodies the promise of a lifetime spent together. 1st anniversary – Carnation With their white hue and delicate petals, lilies of the valley are known as a sign of purity and have symbolised devotion for centuries. According to legend, a nightingale will only return to the woods in spring once the lily of the valley is in bloom – just as a spouse in their second year of marriage will eagerly await their partner’s return when they’re away. 2nd anniversary – Lily of the Valley Sunflowers are the emblem of the third year of marriage. Their strong stems symbolise strong foundation of a relationship while their sunny hues represent the warmth shared between lovers. Sunflowers turn their heads to follow the direction of the sun, symbolising loyalty. 3rd anniversary – Sunflower 4th anniversary – Hydrangea Hydrangea symbolises the growing understanding between two people and is given on the fourth year of marriage. It also symbolises gratitude and is the perfect way to thank a spouse for another year of a happy marriage together.