7 Bright Ideas for Bridal Bouquets
You spend countless hours debating which wedding veil you’ll wear and which shoes you’ll step into – but don’t forget that your bouquet is a bridal accessory, too. You want to be sure your bunch of blooms suits your gown, the style of your event and, most importantly, your personality.
There are numerous shapes to choose from, not to mention colors and types of flowers; so, to help get you started, the experts have compiled seven popular options that range from classic to cool:
Beidermeier
The most formal bouquet, the beidermeier is a tightly-structured nosegay made up of concentric circles of different-colored flowers, resulting in a striped effect, says Anja Winikka, site director of TheKnot.com. It’s best for formal or semi-formal events but works well with a wide range of blooms.
Cascade
According to Karen Bussen, an NYC-based floral stylist and author of the “Simple Stunning Wedding Flowers” (Stewart, Tabori and Chang, 2007), back in the day, almost every bouquet was a cascade, with flowers and greenery wired and arranged to trail dramatically from the bride’s hands. They fell out of favor when brides began to prefer more tailored styles, but Bussen strongly advocates for an updated version of these romantic handfuls.
“Whether your wedding is formal and opulent or more whimsical and funky, a bouquet that cascades – or just trails pretty ribbons or vines – is perfect for the new heirloom-inspired looks we’re seeing on the bridal runways and in richly patterned invitations,” she says. “Consider delicate jasmine blossoms, heavy-headed helleborus, elegant ferns and wayward tulips.”
Composite
A handmade creation in which different petals or buds are wired together on a single stem to create the illusion of one giant flower, this style works well in more intimate, sophisticated weddings, says Winikka.
Hand-tied
A dense bunch of naturally gathered blooms either anchored in a bouquet holder, wired or hand-tied with ribbon or raffia, this style is perfect for a garden wedding or informal affair, says Winikka. Think wildflowers like cosmos, daisies and grasses, as well as garden blossoms like tulips and delphinium, says Bussen.
Nosegay
All the rage in Victorian times and enjoying a renaissance today, these small, round clusters are usually made with one dominant flower or color, says Winikka. The blooms are cut to a uniform length and are either wrapped tightly with ribbon or lace or are carried in a silver cone known as a tussy mussy. They often feature delicate blooms, such as lily-of-the-valley, violets and tweedia, along with fragrant accents such as lavender, rosemary or scented geranium, says Bussen.
Pavé
This carefully tailored bouquet often features only one or two brands of blooms arranged in a refined, almost dome-like shape. “A beautiful choice for brides who like a polished, classic look, this style works well with many kinds of flowers, including roses, peonies, stephanotis and lisianthus,” says Bussen.
Single Flower
This sleek, modern one-stem-only style is usually seen with orchids or another flower variety that has a lot of blossoms on a single stem, says Winikka.
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