Spring in California's Gold Country is nothing short of magical. The rolling hills shake off winter's quiet, wildflowers begin their slow march across the meadows, and suddenly, everything feels alive with possibility. There's a freshness in the air, a sense of new beginnings that makes this season feel tailor-made for love stories. It's no wonder so many couples choose this time of year to say "I do." But here's the thing about spring, it's not one single moment. It's a journey. And the flowers available to you in early March look and feel entirely different from those bursting onto the scene in late May.

At Sweet Lilacs, we get to witness this transformation every single year, and it never gets old. Watching the seasons shift and knowing exactly which blooms are about to hit their peak is one of the greatest joys of being a floral designer. Today, we're pulling back the curtain and walking you through what spring really looks like, month by month, so you can plan your wedding florals with intention, and style them perfectly for your unique venue.

March: The Gentle Awakening

March is spring's soft opening. The world is waking up, but it's doing so slowly, stretching its arms after a long winter's rest. This is the month of delicate, romantic blooms that whisper rather than shout.

Ranunculus takes center stage in March, with these beloved blooms just hitting their stride. These ruffled, rose-like flowers come in the most exquisite shades - buttery yellows, soft peaches, creamy whites, and the most gorgeous dusty pinks. They have an almost vintage quality to them, like something you'd find pressed between the pages of your grandmother's journal.

Each bloom opens slowly over several days, revealing layer after layer of delicate petals that seem to unfold a little more with each passing hour. Anemones join the party too, with their striking dark centers and papery petals that photograph like a dream. You'll also find early tulips in their elegant simplicity, hyacinths with their intoxicating fragrance that can perfume an entire room, and the very first sweet peas if we're lucky with the weather.

What makes March so special is its restraint. These aren't the over-the-top, bursting-at-the-seams arrangements of later spring - they're thoughtful, edited, intentional. There's a poetry to March florals that couples who appreciate subtlety absolutely fall in love with.

Styling March Blooms for Your Venue

March flowers have an inherent softness that makes them ideal for intimate settings. If you're getting married at a rustic barn or farmhouse venue, lean into that gentle romanticism with loose, garden-gathered arrangements in neutral vessels, think ceramic crocks, weathered wooden boxes, or simple glass bottles clustered together. The delicate nature of ranunculus and anemones creates beautiful contrast against rough-hewn wood and exposed beams.

For vineyard weddings, March florals feel right at home among the still-dormant vines. Consider long, low arrangements for farm tables that allow guests to see each other across the conversation, mixing ranunculus with trailing greenery and early spring branches. The muted tones of March blooms complement wine country's earthy palette beautifully.

If you're celebrating in a more refined space, a historic estate or elegant ballroom, March flowers bring an old-world romance that feels timeless. Tall, airy arrangements with plenty of negative space let these blooms breathe and command attention without overwhelming the architecture.

April: The Grand Arrival

April is when spring truly announces itself. The tentative blooms of March give way to showstoppers, and suddenly, we florists feel like kids in the most incredible candy store. This is the month when couples who love lush, abundant florals get everything they've been dreaming of.

Late April brings the first peonies of the season (and trust us, we're just as excited as you are). These fluffy, romantic blooms are the stuff wedding dreams are made of, and they're worth every bit of their reputation. There's a reason brides have been requesting peonies for generations, when they open fully, they create this breathtaking, almost cloud-like quality that no other flower can quite replicate.

Garden roses begin their beautiful show, offering old-world charm with modern staying power. Lilacs, yes, our namesake and forever love, perfume the air with that unmistakable scent that stops people in their tracks. If you've ever walked past a blooming lilac bush in spring, you know exactly what we mean. Sweet peas are in full abundance now, bringing their delicate tendrils and watercolor hues to every arrangement they touch.

April also gifts us with Dutch iris, snapdragons reaching for the sky, and stock with its cottage-garden appeal. Its abundance in the truest sense.

Styling April Blooms for Your Venue

April's generosity means you can go bold. At a sprawling vineyard estate, this is the month to create those statement installations you've been pinning, ceremony arches dripping with early peonies and garden roses, cascading arrangements that frame your vows against rows of vines stretching toward the mountains.

For barn and ranch venues, April florals can bridge the gap between rustic and refined. Imagine oversized arrangements in galvanized containers, mixing the romance of peonies with the wildness of trailing jasmine and textured greenery. The abundance of April blooms means your centerpieces can be full and lush without feeling formal, perfectly at home next to string lights and reclaimed wood.

Garden venues come alive in April, and the key here is to let your florals feel like an extension of the landscape rather than something placed upon it. Work with your florist to echo what's naturally blooming in the garden beds around you. When your arrangements feel like they belong to the space, there's a seamlessness that photographs beautifully and feels organic to experience.

For more modern or industrial venues, converted warehouses, art galleries, urban lofts, April's statement blooms provide the warmth and romance that these spaces crave. Large-scale installations of peonies and garden roses in unexpected colors can transform a minimalist space into something utterly breathtaking.

May: The Crescendo

If April is spring's grand arrival, May is the standing ovation. This is peak season, the moment when seemingly everything is blooming at once, and the options before you feel almost endless. May weddings have the luxury of choice, and as your floral designer, I'll be honest, it's a pretty wonderful problem to have.

Peonies are now in their full glory, available in varieties and colors we didn't have access to just weeks before, from the palest blush pinks to rich corals, from classic whites to those coveted café au lait shades that make designers swoon. Roses hit their spectacular peak this month, spray roses, garden roses, English roses with their romantic cup shapes, all at their most beautiful. Sweet peas continue their delicate display, now joined by foxglove, larkspur, and delphinium for those coveting height and drama in their arrangements. Clematis vines offer whimsy and movement, while the season begins its gentle transition toward the bold blooms of summer.

May also offers a glimpse of what's to come, the last of spring's softness mingling with the confident colors that will define the warmer months ahead. It's a transitional moment where spring's softness meets summer's bold confidence.

Styling May Blooms for Your Venue

May's abundance gives you creative freedom no matter your setting. At a luxury vineyard venue, this is your moment for those over-the-top floral experiences, ceremony structures that feel like walking into a secret garden, reception designs that layer blooms from the table to overhead installations, escort card displays that double as art installations. The variety available means you can create depth through color, texture, and bloom size that simply isn't possible earlier in the season. Think peonies in three different shades, roses in complementary tones, and delicate accent flowers weaving throughout.

Ranch and barn venues in May can embrace the season's wild beauty. Meadow-style arrangements that look freshly gathered, mixing cultivated blooms like peonies and roses with grasses, flowering branches, and whatever's growing along the fencerows. There's something undeniably romantic about flowers that look like they belong to the land around you. This is the month to blur the line between arranged and found, creating that effortless romance that feels like the California countryside itself showed up to celebrate your love.

For intimate backyard celebrations, increasingly popular and endlessly charming, May florals let you create a truly personalized experience. Work with locally grown flowers for arrangements that feel like an extension of your own garden (even if you don't have one). Container arrangements scattered throughout the space, hanging installations in trees or from arbors, and petite bud vases at each place setting create an immersive floral experience without feeling overdone.

Couples celebrating in non-traditional spaces, restaurants, museums, rooftops, can use May's variety to customize their florals to the specific aesthetic of their venue. Architectural spaces might call for structured, modern arrangements using May's incredible roses and delphinium. Bohemian-leaning venues shine with loose, asymmetrical designs spilling with sweet peas and clematis.

Designing for Your Venue: A Few Thoughts to Take With You

As you dream about your spring wedding florals, I want to leave you with this: the most magical arrangements are the ones that feel inevitable. When your flowers, your venue, and your personal story all align, there's a cohesion that elevates everything. Guests might not be able to articulate why the day feels so special, but they'll feel it.

Consider the bones of your venue, its colors, textures, architectural features. A weathered barn with warm wood tones invites warm-hued florals in apricot, cream, and sage. A sleek vineyard pavilion with clean lines might shine with a more restrained palette and sculptural arrangements. A garden ceremony among roses practically begs for your bridal bouquet to include a few blooms from the very bushes your guests will see.

Think about scale, too. Grand venues with soaring ceilings need arrangements that can hold their own, while intimate spaces are better served by designs that feel personal rather than overwhelming. A sprawling vineyard reception might call for dramatic installations that draw the eye upward, while a cozy backyard celebration shines brightest with thoughtful details scattered throughout - petite arrangements on cocktail tables, a statement piece on the bar, blooms tucked into unexpected corners. There's no such thing as a one-size-fits-all approach to wedding florals, and that's exactly what makes this process so exciting.

And don't forget about the practical magic of timing. If you're getting married early in the day, your flowers will look different than they will by sunset, some blooms open more fully in warmth, while others hold their shape throughout. Your florist can help you choose varieties that will peak at just the right moment, ensuring your arrangements look their absolute best when it matters most.

Let's Dream Together

Spring is coming, and with it, all the incredible possibilities this season holds. Whether you're getting married in March's tender early days, April's abundant beauty, or May's glorious crescendo, there are blooms waiting to tell your story.

At Sweet Lilacs, we're here to guide you through every decision, from which flowers will be at their peak on your specific date to how to design them for your dream venue. We love sitting down with couples, hearing about their vision, and then watching the magic unfold as we match the perfect blooms to their story. Every wedding we design is a collaboration, a conversation, a chance to create something that feels unmistakably yours.

Whether you're dreaming of a romantic March celebration surrounded by delicate ranunculus, an April wedding overflowing with peonies and lilacs, or a May affair that celebrates spring at its most abundant, we're here to make it happen. Your flowers should feel as special and as carefully chosen as every other detail of your day.

Ready to start planning? We'd love to hear your vision.

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Your Guide to Spring Wedding Florals: What's Blooming Month by Month (And How to Style It for Your Venue)