Flowers are an integral part of most wedding celebrations, and have been for hundreds of years. The fact that modern weddings include a "flower girl" demonstrates the importance placed on flowers in wedding ceremonies and celebrations.
Even if a bride-to-be wants a modern wedding bouquet, traditional bouquet styles are still useful as inspiration. A fresh, updated version of a classic bouquet style is eye-catching and shows off the bride-to-be's personality.
Vintage Bouquet Ideas
There several types of traditional wedding bouquet styles:
- Nosegay or posy - a relatively small, rounded bouquet with closely-packed flowers, traditionally roses and greenery. The nosegay has its wedding origin in Victorian times.
- Arm sheaf - popular in the early 1900's, the arm sheaf bouquet is a bunch of long-stemmed flowers that lie across the bride's arm, with the blooms at her elbow. Traditional flowers for this bouquet include long-stemmed roses and lilies.
- Cascading - popularized in the 1920's, the cascading or teardrop bouquet begins as a round bouquet similar to an oversized posy bouquet, with blooms and greenery creating a cascading effect before tapering off. Roses, lilies, and trailing vines make up a traditional cascading bouquet.
- Hand-tied - a looser version of the nosegay or posy, a hand-tied bouquet is usually longer than the nosegay. Roses and tulips are traditional blooms for these bouquets.
- For additional information on these and other traditional bouquet ideas, look on Perfect-wedding-day.com.
How to Update a Traditional Bouquet
To update any of these bouquet styles, try the following:
- Unexpected color choices. Consider using jewel tone blooms such as dark purple roses or indigo tulips in monochrome bunches or with crisp white flowers for a modern bouquet.
- Experiment with different sizes. Update a classic nosegay bouquet by requesting a bigger version. Highlight the bouquet's elegant blossoms by choosing greenery to fill in rather than additional flowers.
- Incorporate uncommon blooms and greenery. A sumptuous bunch of ivies make for an unusual and eye-catching bouquet. Roses and lilies, as well as orchids and tulips, make up the most traditional of wedding bouquet flowers. Try brightly colored daisies, white azaleas, or vibrant tropical flowers for a more unique wedding bouquet.
- Add unique decorations. Some bouquet arrangements allow for beads or strings of pearls to loop through the flowers. Strands of eye-catching clear rhinestones or even glittering mirror beads add some unexpected glamor to a standard bouquet.
Holding a bridal bouquet during a marriage ceremony is an age-old wedding tradition. There are plenty of ways to incorporate this custom into a wedding ceremony, and still stay true to a more modern aesthetic. A few updates to a classic wedding bouquet is a natural way for modern and vintage to meet in a wedding celebration.
