Which Wedding Flowers Are in Season, Month by Month?

Locally grown wedding flowers in Western Pennsylvania run from tulips and hellebore in early spring, to peonies in May, to snapdragons, scabiosa and zinnias in summer, to dahlias from late July until the first frost. NOAA's 1991 to 2020 climate normals for Pittsburgh International Airport put the median first freeze of fall at October 23, which is when the local field season ends in a typical year.

The other end of the season is set the same way. NOAA's median date for the last 32-degree night of spring is April 23, which leaves about six months, 183 days in a median year, when flowers can grow outdoors here without frost. Everything outside that window comes from greenhouses or from growers in warmer climates. That is why a December wedding in Pittsburgh can still have lush, garden-style flowers, and why it cannot have dahlias cut that morning in Oakmont. This post walks through the year season by season, using what a local grower-florist reports having and when.

What does "in season" mean for wedding flowers? 

A flower is in season when it is blooming naturally in the fields and gardens of the region where the wedding takes place. In-season flowers are cut close to the event and travel a short distance. 

The phrase has a second, looser meaning in the flower trade: available somewhere in the world at good quality. Roots to Petals in Oakmont describes how the two fit together. During the growing season, the shop grows many specialty cut flowers locally and sources more from a network of local flower farmers. Outside the growing season, it sources similar flowers from warmer climates so that its garden-style designs are available year-round.

Both are valid ways to get beautiful wedding flowers. Knowing which one applies to a wedding date helps a couple ask for flowers that will be at their best. 

What sets the local growing season?

Frost does. NOAA's normals for Pittsburgh International Airport give these markers:

• Last spring freeze: April 23 in a median year, with a 1 in 10 chance of a freeze after May 12
• First fall freeze: October 23 in a median year, with a 1 in 10 chance by October 9 

Hardy spring flowers and bulbs bloom before the last frost. Tender summer flowers, dahlias above all, are finished by the first hard freeze of fall.

Weddings in the shoulder weeks need a flexible plan. A date in early May or mid-October sits inside the range where frost can still decide what is available locally that week.

Which flowers are in season for a spring wedding?

March and April. Tulips and hellebore lead the local season. Roots to Petals features local tulips and hellebore in its Easter designs, and it has a spring collection titled It's Local Tulip Season.

May. Peonies arrive. The shop offers its local peony bouquets and arrangements for a limited time in May. A couple set on local peonies should plan a May wedding and tell the florist early. 

Ranunculus, anemones and poppies are among the other garden-style flowers the shop lists in its work.

Which flowers are in season for a summer wedding?

June and July. The field flowers take over. Snapdragons, scabiosa and zinnias are among the local flowers Roots to Petals names in its summer and fall arrangements. Lisianthus, which North Carolina State Extension describes as blooming from summer to first frost, belongs to this stretch as well.

Late July and August. Dahlias begin. Roots to Petals reports growing more than 100 dahlia varieties across three garden locations, with full bloom arriving in July and its dahlia bouquet subscription starting around late July.

Which flowers are in season for a fall wedding?

September and early October. Dahlias continue, and the local summer flowers are still going. The shop describes its arrangements at this time of year as packed with local seasonal blooms until frost ends the season. 

Late October and November. After the first freeze, the local field season is over. Specialty chrysanthemums, which the shop lists among its regular flowers, carry the fall look, joined by flowers sourced from warmer climates.

For October weddings, the frost dates deserve a second look. In a median year, dahlias from local fields are available until about October 23. In 1 year out of 10, a freeze has ended them by October 9. A florist can plan the design so that it works with or without them. 

Which flowers are in season for a winter wedding?

December, January and February. Nothing is blooming in local fields, so winter wedding flowers come from greenhouses and from growers in warmer climates. The style does not have to change. Roots to Petals notes that it sources flowers similar to its local specialty blooms out of season to keep its garden-style designs available all year. 

Winter has its own materials. Evergreens such as cedar and juniper carry the season, and the shop builds its holiday wreaths on a cedar and juniper base. 

By February, some local flowers are back. For Valentine's Day 2026, the shop noted that every garden-style bouquet and arrangement included local specialty tulips grown by Brynhill Flower Farm.

How do you plan a wedding around a favorite flower?

Start with the flower's local window, then decide how much it matters. 

• If the flower is the priority, pick the date to match. Local peonies mean May. Local dahlias mean August, September or early October.
• If the date is fixed, ask the florist what will be at its best that week, and whether the favorite can be sourced from elsewhere.
• If the look matters more than the species, describe the color, shape and feeling. A designer can reach the same effect with what is in season.

Cost is not the deciding factor on average. The Knot 2026 Real Weddings Study found that average spending on wedding flowers varied by only $200 across the four seasons, from $2,700 in October through December to $2,900 in January through June. 

Book early. Roots to Petals states that it is booking a limited number of weddings for 2026 and 2027. The shop's post on why locally grown flowers make a difference for event arrangements and its guide to choosing a garden-style bouquet explain the style in more detail.

FAQ 

When are peonies in season in Pittsburgh?

May. Roots to Petals offers its local peony bouquets and arrangements for a limited time that month. 

When are dahlias in season in Western Pennsylvania?

From about late July until the first frost. NOAA's median first freeze date for Pittsburgh International Airport is October 23.

What flowers are in season for an October wedding in Pittsburgh?

Dahlias until frost, along with specialty chrysanthemums and the last of the summer field flowers. After the first freeze, florists turn to flowers from warmer climates.

Can you have garden-style flowers at a winter wedding?

Yes. The flowers are sourced from warmer climates or greenhouses, and evergreens add seasonal texture. 

Are in-season wedding flowers cheaper? 

Season makes little difference to the total on average. The Knot's 2026 study shows seasonal averages between $2,700 and $2,900. Guest count affects the budget far more. 

How long is the outdoor growing season in Pittsburgh?

About six months. NOAA's normals for Pittsburgh International Airport put the median last spring freeze at April 23 and the median first fall freeze at October 23.

Seasonal Wedding Flowers From Roots to Petals in Oakmont 

Roots to Petals is an independent, woman-owned florist at 527 Allegheny Avenue in Oakmont that grows and sources local flowers for its garden-style wedding work. Each wedding design is custom, with color palettes drawn from the season. The shop's wedding flowers page explains its process, its event flowers page covers showers and parties, and its dahlia subscription shows what comes out of its own gardens in late summer. For more seasonal reading, see the posts on flowers to plant in the fall in Oakmont and on where to buy Valentine's Day flowers in Pittsburgh.

Visit Roots to Petals or call 412-822-6023 today. Contact us for more information.