In our previous article on bouquets, we talked about styling the bridal party bouquets. In this article we’re dealing specifically with the bride’s bouquet.
There’s no floral touch as quintessentially bridal as the one you’ll carry down the aisle. A bridal bouquet is a focal piece that stays with you throughout the day, and appears in almost as many photos as you do - so it’s important we get it just right!
There are a number of variables to consider, as your dream bouquet takes shape…so shape is precisely where we’ll start.
Wide Bouquets
These days, a wide bouquet with a bit of whimsy is very desirable. Instead of the traditional round bouquet, a lot of brides opt for an organic shape with reach and asymmetry. Typically held upright, the blooms are concentrated toward the center, where the stems gather. Then the flowers disperse outward, creating a beautiful, airy effect.
Brides looking for a timeless, natural, un-fussy bouquet should go this route. It can certainly hold its own against a gown with volume.
Cascading Bouquets
A cascading bouquet is just what you’d think. It pours out over the bride’s hands, hanging like an upside down teardrop. Popular in the early 20th century, it gives a very elegant effect. It looks beautiful with a classic gown, perhaps one with lace sleeves and a bit of a train.
Focus the bulk of the blooms toward the top, and taper as you make your way down.
Posy Bouquets a.k.a. Petit Bouquets
Wanna go a little more understated? A more modest-sized bouquet—sometimes dubbed a posy bouquet—does just that. A posy may be the perfect choice for a petite bride, or one whose gown isn’t too embellished.
Some brides echo elements from their own bouquets in smaller, unifying wedding party bouquets.
Bridal Bouquets with a Tall/Presentation Style
A less common, but very beautiful option is the presentation style. This unique shape is taller than your average bouquet, and tends to be carried more in the crook of the elbow than in the hand. It’s the type you think of when you imagine a pageant winner being presented with an arm full of beautiful roses.
If your gown is packed with detail on the front, that you don’t wanna coverup, consider this option.
Now, let’s talk about color. Here’s where you can really have some fun - or keep it refined, if that’s your cup of tea.
Colorful Bridal Bouquets
Let’s say you’re a colorful bride, with a vibrant wedding. Your bouquet is another opportunity to represent all those hues. You can really go for it, pick a focal flower that pops and some blooms to compliment. We like to choose a couple main colors to anchor the look, and supplement those with transitional shades. That way, your bouquet looks unified.
Moody Bouquets
Perhaps your event is dramatic. You’ll want to evoke passion, richness, maybe even mystery. A moody bouquet is the one for you.
Choose colors like dark purples, reds, browns, black even. You’ll still want definition, so look for a variety of shapes, sizes, and textures.
Moody bouquets are perfect for fall and winter weddings. We’ve done a number of moody weddings at the Liberty Warehouse in Brooklyn. There was also Lauren and Patrick’s wedding at the Greenpoint Loft. Or you can peruse this roundup of fall wedding bouquets from Boston Magazine.
Monochromatic and All White Bouquets
Very trendy recently is a monochromatic bouquet. It instantly looks cohesive, by nature. Nothing says romance quite like an all red moment. Or let the sunshine in, with a burst of yellow.
Rarely, but sometimes, a bride will even go with a bouquet made entirely out of one element. All tulips. Or all zinnias. Or, your bouquet might feature a variety, and each of you bridesmaids carries a smaller, single-element bouquet, pulling from the colors in your own.
A wildly popular subset of the monochromatic color scheme is the all-white bouquet. It uses a variety of white blooms, and greens for shape and contrast. All-white roses, with white ranunculus, and white Queen Anne’s lace guarantees a fool-proof, classic look.
Which Blooms Are Right For Your Bouquet?
Nowadays, flowers are available in a staggering variety. So the choice is yours, which blooms you’ll showcase in your bouquet.
If you’re someone who doesn’t know all of the blooms by heart—and who could blame you for not knowing—this is actually a pretty comprehensive overview of bouquet blooms in Columbus Magazine.
Roses, ranunculus, and dahlias are very popular, and make versatile statement flowers. They can come across romantic and traditional, or as the foundation for a contemporary bouquet, paired with accents like blushing bride, scabiosa, or sweet pea.
If you’re looking to create a natural drape, you could feature tulips or amaranthus.
You can cover a lot of ground with impactful cluster flowers like hydrangea, astilbe, or delphinium.
If you really wanna turn heads, you could wow with some tropical blooms, like anthurium or protea.
What To Do With Bouquet Stems
While they aren’t the most eye-catching part of your bouquet, stems aren’t just there “to have and to hold.” They’re another opportunity to make your bouquet your own. They can be wrapped in a coordinating ribbon. It might be nice to use soft velvet, or luxurious grosgrain. It’s the part your hands touch, after all. Some brides even choose to wrap their stems in lace from an heirloom gown, to commemorate a loved one.
What To Do With Your Bouquet After The Big Day
Flowers for your wedding can be a big investment, and the choices you make in building your bouquet are meaningful. Of course they’ll be captured in your photos, but you may also want to preserve the essence of the blooms you held to say, “I do!”
Some brides choose a DIY approach, and dry their flowers at home. Many will hold up for quite some time, if hung upside down and handled with care.
If you want something more long-lasting, you don’t have to look far for an artist who will press your flowers and use them to create beautiful framed motifs that can decorate your walls for years.
There you have an overview of the considerations that go into designing the perfect bride’s bouquet. We’d love to hear from you about what questions you may have, or how we can elaborate.