Brides have been carrying bouquets for hundreds of years. In ancient times, bridal bouquets generally consisted of garlic, herbs and spices to keep evil spirits away. By Victorian times, fresh flowers had replaced the garlic, herbs and spices, and many of these flowers carried special meanings, like innocence, faith and love. Floriography, the language of flowers, continues to this day, with some brides researching flower meanings and basing their bouquet selections on those meanings. Floriography isn’t the only trend in bridal bouquets. There are many others. Here is a brief review.
Bridal bouquets are traditionally pale in color, but today’s brides are branching out and choosing bolder colors, like burgundy, red and purple. Bouquet color schemes can be monochromatic—all shades of purple, for example—or complementary. With bouquets getting brighter, they have become a real feature in wedding photography, in particular black and white photography with selective coloring.
Roses remain a bridal bouquet standard, but other flowers are starting to make their way into the mix. Daisies, hydrangeas, lilies, peonies and tulips are popular choices, as are orchids. Many brides, in fact, are asking for more tropical flowers in their bouquets, either because of their theme or for a unique twist.
While cascades of flowers were once the norm in bridal bouquets, many brides today are opting to take a simpler route. Hand-tied bouquets are a popular choice. With the flowers gathered together and wrapped in ribbon, the bouquets are easier to handle and have a contemporary look to them.
While today’s bridal bouquets might be somewhat simpler in design, brides can still add some dazzle to them with beads, crystals, feathers, pearls, sequins and other accessories. Brides with themed weddings can take it a step further and incorporate extra special touches into their bouquets, like miniature seashells, pinecones or butterflies. Bouquets featuring vintage brooches are also becoming popular.
Bridal bouquets can run the gamut from the traditional all-white hand-tied rose bouquet drenched in crystals to the sassy gold, red and purple bouquet cuffed by feathers. It is up to the bride how she wants her bouquet to be. Brides should check out some samples, talk to their florist and select a bouquet design that speaks to them.
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