Wedding Flowers in Malta: Florists and Décor

In short: For a Maltese summer, choose hardier flowers and plenty of greenery, hire décor rather than buy it, and decide early whether ceremony flowers will move to the reception. Malta's wedding florists generally quote on request, so book a consultation once your venue and colour scheme are set.

Flowers and styling are what turn a venue into your wedding. They're also one of the easiest places to overspend, and in Malta one of the easiest to get wrong, because a bouquet that looks perfect at a morning fitting can look tired by a July evening.

This guide covers who does what, which flowers cope with the heat, what drives the price, the difference between church and venue flowers, and where the money makes the biggest visual difference.

Florist, Decorator or Stylist: Who Does What?

The roles overlap, and plenty of Maltese suppliers do more than one, so it helps to know what you're asking for.

• Florist. Fresh flowers: the bouquet, buttonholes, ceremony arrangements, centrepieces, arches and installations. Alistair Floral Design in Birkirkara, for example, covers bouquets, buttonholes, centrepieces, church and venue arrangements, arches and canopies. Browse wedding florists.
• Decorator. Everything that isn't a flower: linens, lighting, candles, table settings, backdrops, signage, furniture and statement pieces, usually hired. Creations by H&S, for example, offers venue styling, décor hire, custom props, and setup and pack-up on the day. Browse wedding decorators.
• Stylist or designer. Pulls the whole look together into one design and manages the florist and decorator, or does both jobs in-house.

Whichever route you take, make sure your florist and decorator see the same mood board and the same floor plan. Flowers, lighting and colour all interact, and clashes usually come from two suppliers working to two different briefs.

Flowers That Survive a Maltese Summer

From June to September, Malta is hot, bright and often humid. Cut flowers lose water fast, and an outdoor ceremony in the late-afternoon sun is a real test for delicate blooms.

Hardier Choices

As general florists' guidance (not a guarantee), these tend to hold up better in warm conditions. Always ask your florist, who will know what's available and in good condition that week.

• Orchids and anthuriums: tropical by nature and tolerant of heat
• Lisianthus: looks delicate but lasts
• Carnations and spray roses: sturdier than their reputation suggests
• Chrysanthemums, craspedia and proteas: strong shapes that hold
• Greenery: olive branches, eucalyptus and ruscus, which cope with heat far better than most blooms
• Dried and preserved flowers, pampas and grasses: they can't wilt at all

Handle With Care in Summer

• Hydrangeas: beautiful but very thirsty, and they wilt fast out of water
• Peonies and sweet peas: delicate, and generally spring flowers, so ask your florist about availability for a summer date
• Gardenias and lily of the valley: bruise and brown easily in heat

That doesn't mean you can't have them. A good florist will keep them in water until the last moment, use them indoors rather than outside, or put them where they'll stay out of the sun.

Practical Tips for Hot Weather

• Keep the bouquet in water and in the shade until just before you need it.
• Schedule outdoor ceremonies for late afternoon or evening. Your flowers, and your guests, will thank you. Our guide to the best time of year to get married in Malta compares the months.
• Ask your florist how outdoor installations will be kept watered, and plan to set them up as close to the ceremony as possible.
• Put the most delicate flowers indoors and the hardiest outside.

Table flowers by Alistair Floral Design.

What Drives the Price of Wedding Flowers

Malta's wedding florists don't generally publish prices for wedding work; Flowers Malta, for example, lists its wedding arrangements without a price and asks couples to get in touch. So the best way to budget is to understand what moves the price, then get two or three itemised quotes:

• The number of tables, because centrepieces scale with your guest list.
• Large pieces like arches, canopies, aisle displays and hanging installations.
• The flowers themselves: what's in season and what has to be brought in.
• The size of your bridal party: bouquets and buttonholes add up.
• Full styling vs flowers only: lighting, linens and furniture hire.
• Delivery, setup and breakdown, especially at venues with tight access times.

Our Malta wedding costs guide shows how flowers fit into the overall budget.

Church vs Venue Flowers

Flowers in Church

Church flowers by Flowers Malta.

Each parish has its own approach to wedding flowers, and some have rules about what can go where, set-up times or removing everything afterwards. Ask your parish before you brief your florist. It's also worth asking whether another wedding is booked in the same church that day; some couples arrange to share the church flowers.

If you're still working through the church booking itself, our legal process guide explains each step.

Moving Ceremony Flowers to the Reception

Large pieces like arches, aisle arrangements and urns can often be moved from the ceremony to the reception to do a second job. It's one of the best ways to stretch your budget, but it needs planning: someone has to move them, and there has to be time between the ceremony and the reception. Ask your florist to build it into the quote.

Décor: Hire, Don't Buy

For most décor, hire is the norm: arches, backdrops, lanterns, furniture, centrepiece stands and signage. It's cheaper and nobody ends up storing 15 vases in the garage. When you're comparing quotes, check:

• What's hired and what's bespoke or yours to keep
• Whether delivery, setup and breakdown are included, and at what times
• What the venue already provides (chairs, linens, lighting) so you don't pay twice
• Whether the venue limits access times or makes you clear everything the same night

For an outdoor wedding, practical kit counts as décor too: marquees, shade, festoon lighting and power. Equipment hire companies cover those.

Where Your Money Makes the Biggest Difference

If the budget is tight, spend where guests and cameras actually look:

1. The bouquet (or buttonholes). They're in nearly every photo of you both.
2. The ceremony focal point. An arch or two big arrangements behind you shape every ceremony shot.
3. Lighting. Candles, festoons and uplighting transform a room after dark more than extra flowers do.
4. The top table. Then simpler, repeated centrepieces for the rest.

And where to save:

• Use greenery generously; it's cheaper than blooms and holds up in heat.
• Choose seasonal flowers over imported ones.
• Use fewer, larger arrangements rather than lots of small ones.
• Reuse ceremony pieces at the reception.

Wedding Florists in Malta

Some wedding florists in Malta from our directory:

• The Floral Designer in Qormi: arrangements, bridal canopies, floral arches and venue styling.
• Flowers by Phyllis, a family-run florist in St Paul's Bay, from simple bouquets to elaborate displays.
• Flower Arts in Paola, which offers a complimentary consultation for wedding flowers across Malta and Gozo.
• Floreal Malta in Naxxar, which decorates venues, churches and chapels across Malta and Gozo.

When to Book, and What to Bring

Popular florists can only take a few weddings each weekend, so for a Saturday in the busy months contact them as soon as your venue is booked, usually 18 months to two years ahead. Go to your first meeting with:

• Your date, venue and guest count, plus the number of tables
• A mood board and your colour palette
• Photos of your outfits and the wedding party's
• Your budget, honestly: a good florist will tell you what's realistic

Our wedding planning timeline shows where flowers fit among the other bookings, and suggests meeting your florist, decorator and venue together if you can.

Questions to Ask Your Florist or Decorator

• Have you worked at our venue before?
• What will be in season and in good condition on our date?
• How will you keep the flowers fresh in the heat?
• What's included: delivery, setup, breakdown, collection of hired items?
• Can ceremony pieces be moved to the reception? Who moves them?
• What happens if a flower isn't available on the day?
• What are your deposit and cancellation terms?

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do wedding flowers cost in Malta?

Most Malta florists quote on request. The biggest drivers are the number of tables, large pieces like arches and installations, the flowers you choose and whether you want full styling. Get two or three itemised quotes.

Which flowers last best in the Malta summer heat?

As general guidance, hardier flowers such as orchids, lisianthus, carnations and proteas, plus plenty of greenery like olive and eucalyptus. Hydrangeas, peonies and gardenias tend to struggle in the heat. Your florist will know what's in good condition that week.

Can ceremony flowers be reused at the reception?

Often, yes. Arches, aisle arrangements and large displays can be moved to the reception. Plan the logistics with your florist in advance.

How far ahead should we book a florist?

As soon as your venue is booked. For a Saturday in the busy months that usually means 18 months to two years ahead, as popular florists can only take a few weddings each weekend.

Do decorators set up and take down on the day?

Most include delivery, setup and breakdown, but confirm the timings with your venue, especially if access is limited or everything must be cleared the same night.

Are there rules for flowers in Maltese churches?

It depends on the parish. Ask yours what's allowed, when your florist can set up, and when everything has to be removed.

Find Your Florist and Decorator

Compare wedding florists and decorators in Malta and Gozo, look through their recent work and enquire directly. It's free for couples. Still choosing a venue? Start with our outdoor wedding venues in Malta and our top 10 wedding venues.