Did you know that those born in April are graced with one birthstone and two birth flowers? You might want to incorporate these into your wedding if you have a birthday in April or wish to honor a cherished family member or friend who does! Read on to find out more!
Hey, John!
I need your help. Julie loved her Grandma Babs who has passed; we’d would like to honor her. Grandma Barbara was born in April. Is there anything you can think of that would help us honor this incredibly special lady?
Thanks in advance for your answer!
–Pete, Perplexed in Portland
Hey, Pete!
That’s a great question!
A bride might carry a particular flower in their bouquet to honor a cherished individual. In fact, each royal British bride carries a sprig of myrtle from a bush originally given to Queen Victoria to convey luck and fidelity to the newlyweds. (That’s the Princess of Wales on her wedding day with myrtle in her bouquet.)
Let’s take a look at the gemstone (or birthstone) and birth flowers for April to see what might work for you!
April Birthstone: Diamond
Why did the Ancient Greeks name this gem, “adamas,” which means “invincible” or “indestructible?” Because it is! A diamond rates a 10 on the Mohs scale which ranks the hardness of gems: The higher the number means the harder the gem. The diamond is at the top of the scale and thus is the hardest of minerals on Earth.
There are those who believe that wearing a diamond (“the stone of invincibility”) gives you the courage and bravery to face any challenge.
The facts that a diamond sparkles and is durable adds to why people love them!
(The diamond is the most popular gem in engagement rings. Now you know why!)
How could you add a diamond to honor your loved one?
Even if you have a different center stone in your engagement or wedding ring, a small, 5 pt. or 10 pt. diamond can often be added without disrupting the design.
April Birth Flowers: Daisy & Sweet Pea
According to botanists, the daisy belongs to one of the largest plant families (Asteraceae) which includes sunflowers and asters.
How did the daisy get its name? It comes from Old English for “day’s eye” which indicates the flower’s proclivity to open its petals early in the day and close those petals each night.
Depending on the subspecies and your location, the daisy can be the earliest to bloom in the spring or one of the last flowers to bloom in the fall.
A daisy consists of two flowers! The disc floret—the center eye of the flower—is a bunch of tiny florets. Attached into the disc floret are the petals (or the ray floret) which radiate out and mimic the sun’s appearance with all those golden rays streaming forth! Since the daisy consists of two flowers collaborating in perfect harmony, the daisy is a symbol of true love.
Does the daisy come in more than a yellow and white combination?
Yes! They mean:
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White: innocence and purity
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Yellow: joy and friendship
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Pink: affection
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Red: love and romance.
First appearing in records about 2,200 B.C., the daisy pops up in various cultures around the world:
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In Ancient Rome where they spoke Latin (yes, it was spoken), a myth arose that the nymph (an unbelievably cute young lady), Belides, turned herself into a daisy to escape the lustful god who was chasing her. In Latin, the word for “daisy” is bellis, which is derived from her name.
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Among the Norse, the daisy was sacred to the goddess, Freyja. Since Freyja was the goddess of love and fertility, daisies were a given to new mothers.
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According to Christians, daisies are often laid at statues of the Virgin Mary to represent innocence, love, and new beginnings.
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Daisies grow in North America, Europe, and Africa making it one of the most widespread flowers in the world!
April Birth Flower #2: Sweet Pea
Discovered in the late 1600s in southern Italy by Francis Cupani (a Sicilian monk) Since then, a wide range of colors and types have been developed. Typically, they bloom from spring to early summer.
A member of the Fabaceae family, the sweet pea is related to other peas and legumes. While garden peas are edible, sweet peas are NOT.
What does the sweet pea symbolize?
That might depend on where in the world you are.
For instance,
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In France, the sweet pea is given to brides to wish her good luck on her wedding day and throughout her marriage.
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In one culture, the sweet pea was worn when someone wanted to summon inner strength and to discover the truth.
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According to the language of flowers, the sweet pea represents:
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Blissful pleasure
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Kindness
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Good wishes
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Friendship
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A way to say good-bye
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A way to say, “thank you.”
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If you remember history, people didn’t bathe much in the past.
For that reason, people often carried a small bouquet of sweet peas in their pockets to counteract their personal aromas and provide a beautiful fragrance for the person’s clothes. Ahem…
In certain cultures, magical properties were assigned to sweet peas…but we aren’t sure exactly what.
How could you incorporate either or both birth flowers to honor a special someone?
- Include either or both flowers in the bride’s bouquet, similar floral displays, and/or the wedding cake.
- Decorate a reserved chair with either or both wedding flowers in honor of that person.
- Give a single flower to each guest in remembrance of this beloved person.
If you have additional questions, please reach out to me.
Your friend in the wedding business,
John Shyne
Images courtesy of Pexels.com and Pixabay.com.
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