All Things Bridal Bouquet

The bridal bouquet is a collection of flowers held by the bride as she walks down the aisle. It's meant to be a complementary addition to the overall theme of the wedding and the style of her wedding dress.

But why do brides carry flowers? The Bridal Bouquet is more than just something to keep a bride's hands busy when she walks down the aisle, and holds a historic value was well as tying together the wedding's design and décor. So if you're a bride-to-be, deciding what you’ll carry as you make your way to the altar is pretty important.

THE HISTORY

Ancient Greeks and Romans, even Egyptians, carried fragrant herbs and spices to ward off bad luck during weddings. The flowers symbolized a new beginning and brought hopes of fertility, happiness, and fidelity. It wasn’t until the Victorian age that we see the birth of the wedding bouquet as we know it today. Flower symbolism was hugely popular at that time and many brides were able to communicate their romantic sentiments through their specific floral choices. Many brides and couples today look to choose their florals based on color and beauty.

LET'S GO OVER THE FACTS

What kinds of flowers should I use?

This part can be overwhelming, but a lot of the times the kinds of flowers you choose comes down to three things: personal preference, the color theme of your wedding, and the time of year it's taking place. Here's a breakdown of the types that tend to be the most popular.

What style bouquet should I have?

There are no 'wrong' bouquet styles. Whether it’s traditional, loose and organic, minimal, or even non-floral, our advice is to choose what feels comfortable and what reflects YOU. When it comes to the size of the bouquet,  it should be proportionate to the bride, the flower choices, and your desired look. You don't want to be swallowed by a bridal bouquet that is too large, or the opposite effect where you lose the impact with something too small.

Should it complement my wedding dress?

Yes! Your bridal bouquet should be a reflection of you and your style, just like your wedding dress. If you have a classic, sleek wedding dress, you may want to go with a simple and elegant bridal bouquet that is all white with little pops of color. If you have a ball gown wedding dress, you may want to look at a big and bold bridal bouquet to go with the fullness of your dress. No matter what the style of the bouquet is, one thing to keep in mind is balance in size, color, and types of flowers used.

How much does a bridal bouquet typically cost?

It typically ranges anywhere from $150-$350, but that doesn't include flowers for everyone else in the wedding party. You can learn more about those additional floral costs by requesting a copy of our a la carte floral menu here.

Who else in the party needs flowers?

If you’re opting to outfit everyone with flowers, it's typical to have bouquets for your bridesmaids; a basket of petals, nosegay, or flower crown for your flower girl; wrist or pin corsages for female family members (like mothers, grandmothers, and sisters); and boutonnieres for the groom, groomsmen, ring bearers, ushers, and male family members (like fathers, grandfathers, and brothers).

How do I differentiate between bouquets?

Most commonly, brides opt to have their ‘maids carry a slightly smaller version of their own bouquet, sometimes designating a certain flower to appear in the bridal bouquet only. You could also choose a variety of blooms for your own bouquet and then have each bridesmaid carry a single bloom or a few stems of a single variety. Another great option is to play with color, either adding an additional tone to your bouquet or having one be quite bright while the other is more muted. In most cases, the bridal bouquet is 2-3 times the size of the bridesmaids bouquets.

Do I have to toss my bouquet?

No. After putting all that work into designing the perfect photo-worthy bouquet, the thought of throwing it over your head can be totally heartbreaking. Also, many female wedding guests have expressed intense aversion to the entire practice of the bouquet toss, so you may want to save them the ordeal. If you do decide to do a bouquet toss, either ask your florist to create a smaller (and less expensive) nosegay for you to throw, or grab one of the bridesmaid's bouquets. The smaller style will be much easier to throw, and less dangerous for those trying to catch it, plus you want to keep your bridal bouquet right?!

What should I do with it after the wedding?

If you’re attached to your bouquet, look into options for having it preserved. You can press a few of the blooms in a book or a frame, dry the flowers and place them in a shadow box, or have a professional preserve it for you into variety of keepsake ways. You can tackle the resin project yourself or we recommend checking out Etsy artist Leman Floral who also creates resin ring holders and jewelry trays with wedding flowers. Otherwise, stick the stems in a vase, and pop by your local florist for flower food to add every few days to keep the flowers alive as long as possible. Then relish in the pictures from your photographer.

Need a wedding florist? Make sure to check out our floral design page and the wedding options we offer to couples.