When you think of wedding florals, which piece do you think of first? For many, the first thing that comes to mind is the bridal bouquet. The bridal bouquet is truly the centerpiece of the wedding florals and highlights your color scheme and overall wedding vibe. Whenever I work with a new couple, I always begin with the bridal bouquet and then plan the rest of the florals around it, including the centerpieces, ceremony florals, and boutonnieres. Hi! It’s me, Maegan, with The Floral Pop, a local Nashville florist and wedding vendor here to share everything you need to know about bouquets and boutonnieres!
Let’s start with the basics. Bridal bouquets and boutonnieres date back to ancient civilizations, from Egyptian rituals to medieval traditions, and have always played a significant role in wedding ceremonies. Over the years, the meaning of flowers has changed depending on culture, traditions, religion, and many other factors; however, one thing is always authentic: flowers add meaningful beauty and depth to each wedding. Flowers set each wedding apart and represent the couple for who they are. Recently, I have noticed more and more that bridal bouquets have become highly individualized. I have seen some gorgeous bouquets that look like works of art. Having something that stands out and is just so “you” makes your day special! To learn more about what different flowers and colors represent, check out my blog post, The Language of Flowers. Understanding the various meanings and vibes of certain flowers and colors can help you narrow your choices and make your wedding florals unique and authentic.
When it is finally that time to choose your bouquet and boutonniere, it can be hard to know where to start; remember, no matter if you are looking for something simple or something to add vibrant colors to your wedding, your bridal bouquet and boutonniere should showcase who you are as a couple. Some of my personal favorite types of bouquets and boutonnieres are asymmetrical bouquets, wild bouquets, and pocket boutonnieres. Both are so individual and unique each time I make one, and they feel less like “copycat.” Each asymmetrical bouquet shows the individuality of the bride and her style
Types of bouquets
Asymmetrical
A bridal bouquet designed to have parts that fail to correspond in size, shape, or arrangement.
Cascade
A bouquet design showcasing florals that mimic a waterfall. The flowers are primarily bunched at the top and then designed to fall over the side of the bouquet slowly, getting smaller and smaller as they go.
Nosegay
A petite bouquet, typically smaller than the bridesmaids' bouquets. This has become a popular choice for mothers of the bride and groom in place of wrist or lapel corsages.
Pageant
This type of bouquet has longer stems and is meant to be held in the crook of the bride’s arm.
Round/Ball
A very traditional type of bridal bouquet that is spherical and normally incorporates specific florals that will fit well within that shape. Some versions are very tight, others are slightly loose and airy, similar to below.
Pomander
A round ball of flowers held by a decorative handle or ribbon. This style is not super popular these days, but occasionally will be carried by the flower girl, instead of a basket of petals.
Types of boutonnieres
Single Bloom
A single flower or bud with greenery behind it.
Pocket
An arrangement of flowers and greenery built for the suit or tux jacket pocket.
Lapel Flowers
A floral arrangement that runs the length of the lapel.
To learn about more bouquet options and all types of floral terminology, check out my blog post, Everything You Need to Know - Wedding Floral Lingo Edition.
As you can see, there are many ways to design and style a bridal bouquet and boutonniere, and while technically, there is no “wrong” way to do it, there are many things to consider before choosing your dream bouquet and boutonniere. Here are some of my Do’s and Don’ts regarding bouquets and boutonnieres.
DO
Keep your wedding florals authentic to you and who you are.
Don’t be swayed by trends. Your florals should be unique to you as a couple. One thing I have seen recently is couples choosing to use all white or color for their bridal party flowers while the bridal bouquet and groom’s boutonniere are the opposite, causing the look to be incohesive. If you want color, use color, and if you have a certain vibe, stick with it.
Make each bridesmaid’s bouquet unique while still following the same color scheme.
I enjoy it when each bridesmaid's bouquet has its own style while being cohesive. Some designers believe that all bridesmaids' bouquets should look identical, but I disagree. I believe they should all look good together as a group, but each one can have small changes or minor differences in where the different flower varieties are placed.
DON’T
Hold your bouquet improperly.
Most florists recommend that the pins holding the ribbon or ribbon knot should go in the back towards your belly button. You always want to hold your bouquet at belly button height with your hands below your belly button.
Design your bridal bouquet to be a different color than the bridesmaids.
This could look awkward in photos because it loses cohesiveness and throws off the overall theme of the wedding. The same situation applies to boutonnieres. There are many other ways to distinguish between the bridal bouquet and the groom’s boutonnieres.
At the end of the day, always remember it’s YOUR wedding, and choosing designs that are true to you is the most important. Do your research and work with your florist to fully understand how your bridal bouquet and boutonniere will blend with your other wedding florals and venue. I once designed a bouquet for a styled shoot in Utah and questioned the design before seeing it with the venue and florals. For this bouquet, I worked with a wholesaler in Arizona and decided to work with many flowers that I had never used before, but my rep recommended them based on the inspiration pictures. As I created the bouquet that afternoon, I kept looking at it and saying, “I really don't like this! This is ugly.” I was almost done with it when I finally looked at my friend who was assisting me that day and said, “I hate it. I'm going to take it apart and try again.” She grabbed my hands and said, “No, don't! I like it. Also, you don't have any more time. We need to leave for the shoot NOW.” So I didn't change it, we went to the shoot, and as soon as I handed it to the model and saw her with the bouquet, I loved it! It fit the vibe and was exactly what we needed for that shoot. That bouquet is still one of my favorites to this day!
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