calla lily wedding bouquet

One of the most elegant flower choices for a picture perfect wedding is the calla lily flower. This flower is simple in form yet garners attention whenever and wherever it is used. It is a natural choice for the most discerning bride-to-be and typically is arranged simply as a uniform bunch or as the focal flower in a mixed bouquet. Even the most simplistic use, a single stem held by the bride, can make a profound impact on such a beautiful and special day.

Here are 3 key distinguishing features that will help in selecting the perfect calla lily flower for the wedding:

1. Size

There are essentially two different sizes of calla lilies in the floral market -- standard and mini. Each will have varying stem lengths however each size is noticeably different. The standard size calla is actually fairly large - as tall as 36 inches, and contains a larger blossom (up to 6 inches in length or opening) along with a thicker stem (up to 2 inches in diameter). The mini callas much smaller in size in every dimension. Their stems are typically pencil sized thickness, their length is generally from 12 inches up to 24 inches, and their blossom is in proportion to the stem size (up to 3" when opened).

2. Color

There are numerous options for choosing the color of the calla blossom. For standard sized callas, the color options are much more limited than the mini size varieties. White or green are the 2 most popular colors for the standard size, with white being the overwhelming favorite color chosen by brides. With minis, there are a lot more options on colors. The most popular choices include white, pink, purple, mango, peach and yellow. There are also multi-colored varieties too.

3. Bloom Style

For bloom styles, there are two types of flower blossoms -- fully open or closed. Standard callas (the largest callas) are most readily available in what is considered the closed cut. The reverse is typically true for minis, their blossoms are fully open. It is important to note that closed cut blooms will not fully open. This doesn't detract from their beauty, however if opened blossoms are desired then take extra care to specifically request fully open callas when placing the order. Please be aware that fully opened blooms are generally in tight supply and not always readily available.

Although not a specific feature of the flower itself, another component to selecting the perfect calla is the associated cost. There are significant price differences between the two sizes. The standard size calla will be more expensive than the mini sizes. Standard callas are sold by the stem, while the minis are sold in bunches. Additionally, for standard callas, a fully opened bloom will cost more (usually more than double) than a closed cut bloom.

When it comes to brides selecting the larger standard size calla for their flowers, most are envisioning the fully opened cut version. There is not another flower type that comes close to the creating the same impact as a fully opened standard white calla lily does. When grouped together, fully open blooms are the perfect choice. They are absolutely beautiful, elegant, and stately. They also look great with closed blooms, intermixed. If standard sized callas are just too cost prohibitive, then switching to the mini version is also a beautiful option.