15 Fresh and Playful Poppy Wedding Bouquets

poppy bouquet — Photo by Briawna Meier Photography; Floral Design by Love Sparrows

When it comes to wedding flowers, poppies have long been hailed as one of our favorites. Regardless of size, their naturally playful shape makes them both versatile (you can incorporate them in a floral design for almost any style) and unexpected. From the modern bride to the traditional, the statement-making bloom pulls out all the stops, with very little effort. “Poppies are perfect for use in modern, artistic, or minimalist floral designs,” shares florist Teresa Eoff.

Meet the Expert

Teresa Eoff is an award-winning floral designer and owner of Figure Eight Events, a California-based floral design and wedding planning studio.

“Poppies tend to bloom towards the end of winter and the beginning of spring, depending on how much rain occurred during the winter season,” says Eoff. If you’re planning a celebration within this timeframe, we suggest utilizing the bloom at any stage of its life cycle. Here’s why: Unlike other flowers, poppies develop from a pod, rather than a bud. This means that as it begins to bloom, the pod bursts open revealing its petals all at once.

“They open so beautifully and fully, but have a papery texture that almost makes them a 3-dimensional watercolor painting,” says Eoff. “I believe they best complement a stark white background, giving their colors a chance to really pop.” Poppies are available in a variety of colors, from blood red to violet to light yellow or peach, with some variegated varieties that appear as if they’ve been hand-painted.

Poppies may sometimes be mistaken for anemones because of a similar shape and texture in petals. You can tell an anemone right away from its black center, whereas most poppies boast a bright yellow center.

We've rounded up some of our favorite poppy wedding bouquets sure to make you consider including them in your big day.

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Make It Bright

poppy wedding bouquet — Photo by Michelle Roller Photography; Floral Design by Eden Floral

Bright and colorful, this poppy infused bouquet exudes enchantment. Coupled with mini daisies, known as bellium, poppies create an elevated wildflower arrangement.

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Play Up Its Shape and Size

The large face of a poppy is one of its wow factors. “They are kind of a diva, so they make a statement almost anywhere they are placed in an arrangement or bouquet,” says Eoff. “It is always nice to let them have their moment.”

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Combine Red and White

Red and white is a classic pairing when it comes to romance. Sprinkle a touch of blush throughout the design that will showcase the color combination in a literal way, and also provide a subtle tie-in amongst a bouquet of otherwise sharp contrast.

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Choose a Citrus-Inspired Color Palette

Citrus-inspired wedding design is a trend we hope is here to stay. Varying hues of orange and yellow poppies bring about cheerfulness for the bouquet design as a whole and will be a gorgeous design choice for an outdoor summer wedding.

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Embrace Asymmetry

The shape and style of a bridal bouquet can be a testament to the overall design style you’ve selected for your big day. Bright colors and unexpected flower pairings will only serve to emphasize the charm; bougainvillea, anemones, eucalyptus, and dahlias accompany poppies in this lively asymmetric bouquet.

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Go Wild

Wild yet sophisticated, this bridal bouquet by Studio Tersilla is unexpected from start to finish. The combination of the larger peach poppies with the smaller yellow poppies is a testament to the fact that poppies are a good choice no matter their size.

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Stick to Peach and Pink

Planning a spring fête? We love the peach and pink color combination to bring a soft, romantic design to life. The many layers of a flower like a ranunculus, garden rose, or peony is a great complement to poppies when gathered together tightly at the base of a bouquet.

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Opt for Darker Tones

While the petals come in a variety of colors, the consistency of the bright yellow centers of a poppy creates a peek-a-boo effect within any bouquet that includes them. Regardless of the style or size of the bouquet, wherever a poppy makes an appearance, there is a touch of something unexpected.

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Turn Up the Romance

Large in size but subtle in hue, this romantic bridal bouquet is the embodiment of all of our garden wedding dreams come true. A color palette of blush and cream with subtle hints of peach and green make the shape of this design (accented by a crisp blue silk ribbon for an unexpected pop of color) perfect for a romantic wedding.

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Add Something Unexpected

A unique addition to any bouquet, regardless of size, shape, or color palette, is, without a doubt, feathers. The surprising combination alongside the playful shape of a poppy is a design that could shine for a summer or fall wedding, depending on the hue.

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Remember More is More

“The poppy is a statement flower, so even one bloom can hold its own in an arrangement,” shares Eoff. While poppies can vary in size, a bouquet with the larger variety, such as the most commonly known Oriental Poppy, can stand alone in a bouquet with little to no complimentary blooms.

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Get Inspired by the Season

Summer color palettes generally fall within the lines of hues of oranges, yellows, and bright pinks and greens. Use a combination of all of these colors in one gorgeously striking bouquet that’s fresh and youthful.

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Create Unique Combinations

Use poppies as the focal point for a tightly packed bridal bouquet. Appropriate for nosegays and posies, unique color combinations and a contrast of playful blooms like poppies and anemones with more structured roses and hydrangeas will make for a charming combination.

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Choose a Traditional Shape

A round bridal bouquet is the most traditional shape. When packed tight, the structure afforded to the bouquet style can mean that a bouquet of poppies can still be playful and fun, while also being balanced.

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Create a Cascade

Cascading bridal bouquets are one of our favorite designs that keep the focus where it’s supposed to be: on the bride. Poppies, cherry blossoms, and jasmine vine make for an elegant statement bouquet that’s both fresh and fragrant.

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