I grow those sorts of things, but I can't really promise you anything flowering then. You might give Jill Dawson a ring at the alpine nursery near falls creek, but I'm not sure what would be flowering in Oct. It's a bit early for daisies, things like marsh marigolds and sky lilies would be flowering, but you won't be getting them for a bouquet. I'm not sure about snow gums. There should be some early peas in flower, ditto prostantera and maybe stylidiums. Jill will know.

We went for roses in the end (for my daughter's October wedding). However, we used the foliage of Acacia podalyriifolia, which looked really delightful with them. I was so worried, and studied floristry for some time in advance as we planned to do all the flowers ourselves. My daughter disliked what she perceived as the posed and expensive look of the typical made-by-florists efforts.
I needn't have worried. She and the bridesmaide disappeared into our bedroom about four hours before the wedding ( to be in our garden), and titivated, gossiped, and ate strawberry icecream, which did wonders for my daughter's nerves. I'll love those bridesmaids for ever! After a while they put their heads out and asked for the buckets of roses and wattle leaves. It took about five minutes to compose the bouquet and whack a blue satin ribbon around it. Heads appeared through the door again and asked for "something long and spiky". I provided some Juncus leaves. Bridesmaids posies were made involving 3 roses, 3 juncus leaves and few sprigs of wattle leaf. They looked superb with their slim dresses. I wandered off to put vases on the central dinner table so they'd have somewhere to put themn afterwards. So much for all my worry!
I think they were the easiest wedding flowers anyone ever had. (well, OK, I still had to cope with corsages and buttonholes, and they took MUCH longer. Making them was fun, though, with the neighbours and some relatives of the groom to help.)
The bride's bouqueat was really very elegant, and all the better for being simple. Yes, native flowers might have added another good touch. I only tell you the story because the wattle leaves and Juncus were so effective.
Take it from me, though - weddings get so complicated that it's easy to lose the plot, and ruin the day by choosing the high-stress options. Simple is good.
Best wishes for your big day, and many years afterwards.
Trish

You could look at Flannel Flowers. I know they are anything but alpine daisies, but they do look like large Eidelweis. They should be in flower by October

I got married in december and found it hard to find a decent native (truly native not south african)bouquet
we wanted waratah and grevillea but was advised that the grevillea would wilt by the ceremony
When you seek out a florist ask them what they can get and how they will cope you might not get what u want but they sometime can subsitute other plants in
we ended up with folige of casuarina,individual flowers of gymea lily(which are spectactular on there own)smoot bark apple gum leaves,nsw christmas bush and gum nuts from a w.aust which i forget.
Just find a florist who will take on your ideas but also give them the room to create a unique bouquet because what u have in mind might not work in a bouquet

Olivia,

I know it's not alpine, but have you thought of using Geraldton Wax flowers? They are long-lived and keep very well. Check when they are available. Mine are starting to flower now, but there would have to be some available in flower at that time somewhere in Australia or overseas.

All the best for your wedding,
Frank.

Thanks for the advice.

I have found a local florist who thinks she can make what I am after.

Talking with her I have found that natives do not have a regular availability period like common exotics do, and as such she cannot say exactually what will be available in late October, but will source what she can that matches the appearance I am after.

I never knew looking for native cut flowers would be so difficult!

Hi Olivia,
What flowers did you end up having on your wedding day? I am getting married in early January 2008 (in the Dandenongs) and would love to have native flowers. I have no idea what is flowering then though. Any help (from anyone) would be much appreciated!
Many thanks,
Jen

I too am curious to discover what Olivia ended up with!
Jen, if you're getting your flowers from a florist you may have to depend on a florist who will "source what she can" at the time, unless you're planning to do something spontaneous from your own garden or that of a helpful friend or relative. As Olivia points out, flowering times for Australian plants can't always be predicted by a calendar, as the plants themselves devise their own time-tables each year according to when it has rained. So depending on a florist may end up being the most stress-free option.
In January there would be plenty of Grevilleas available. Some have excellent vase lives - up to 9 days - and despite what Olivia's florist said, I imagine there are some which would be good in bouquets, BUT I do wonder whether the problem might be a tendency to drip nectar.
The same might go for those spectacular grafted gums, with their large flowers of red, orange, or various shades of pink, which would be in flower in January. They'd look good, and I suppose they'd stop their copious nectar-production after they have been picked??? (They are big enough flowers for someone to wipe each flower out with a tissue, if you wanted to make a bouquet with home-picked flowers.)
Baeckia virgata, with its tiny white flowers very appropriate for bouquet fill would be available through a florist, I imagine.
I think that scrambling lily, Geitonoplesium cymosum would look superb in a wedding bouquet. It has shiny little light-green leaves and white flowers, on long,fine gracefully tumbling stems. It lasts about 5 days in a vase, but I don't know whether florists ever carry it, or use it for bouquets.
Callistemons are probably available in January, and Meleleucas. Leptospermums flower around that time. Baurea rubioides (pink flowers) is also a good filler, flowering about that time. Crowea ditto.
Flannel flowers have finished up here (Toowoomba) by then, but maybe down south they are later?
Paper daisies of various sorts make good dried flowers, if you wanted to go that way. Dried flowers are certainly fuss-free! I've seen some very pretty bouquets made of the various kinds - white, pink, yellow, orange and bronze.
Good luck with it all.
trish

I'm no flower expert but I know where you can find some of the best in Australia. My link wikk take you right to it. Best of luck in finding the perfect wedding flowers!

Here is a link that might be useful: wedding flowers

I'm no flower expert but I know where you can find some of the best in Australia. My link wikk take you right to it. Best of luck in finding the perfect wedding flowers!

Here is a link that might be useful: wedding flowers

If you don't mind yellow, what about Hibertia? And around that time of year you may even be able to get a waratah or two. Perhaps a white one! Couldn't do better that one or two white waratahs, I reckon.