How To Design The Perfect Bridal Bouquet

Flowers are one of the most beautiful parts of any wedding. All the floral ceremony decorations are important, but often for brides their bouquet is the most special part of the wedding floral design. Whether you choose to do it yourself or work with a florist, there are a few things you need to know about designing your bridal bouquet. Learn how here…

Be sure you know the general style of your bridal ensemble. The flavor of wedding gowns and bridal jewelry sets can vary tremendously, and the bouquet that is divine with a beaded trumpet gown will not suit a ’50s inspired tulle wedding dress, and vice versa. Most brides can define their wedding style in a word or two: classic, dramatic, glamorous, cutting edge, romantic, vintage, preppy, girly, and so on. To find out what style of bouquet looks best with your bridal gown, pick up a wedding magazine or go online to see what other brides have chosen to do.

After you have a general idea of the bouquet style you prefer, get ready to choose a shape. A round nosegay is ideal if your taste runs to classic wedding gowns and pearl bridal jewelry sets. If your dream wedding gown is a glamorous trumpet covered in crystals, you need an equally striking bouquet, such as a waterfall. Getting married in a field? Consider a loose, hand-tied bouquet with a natural form that is not overly shaped. To go with a satin ballgown, consider a crescent bouquet or a beautiful teardrop arrangement.

The next factor to decide is the size of the bouquet. Budget is an important factor; obviously the larger your bouquet is, the more flowers it has, the greater the expense. But do not automatically rule out a large bouquet solely because of price! A creative florist can often save you money on a large bouqet by mixing less expensive blossoms in with your signature blooms. First and foremost, the size of the bouquet should suit the size of the bride. A petite bride should carry a smaller boquuet, anda tall bride should carry something larger to get the same effect– proportion is important, and designing bouquets is much like shopping for bridal jewelry in that regard. A large, grand bouquet will overwhelm a tiny bride, and similarly a dainty bouquet will look insignificant in the hand of a large bride. Be sure to remember that fuller or more ornate bridal gowns require larger bouquets for balance.

Finally, it is time to select the flowers! Many factors are important in choosing your flowers, including seasonal availability, color, style, hardiness, and price. Some of the most popular flowers include roses, lilies, tulips, hydrangeas, and peonies. The season in which your wedding falls will immediatiely rule out certain varieties. Style also plays a big part in flower selection – classic flowers like roses pair well with timeless pearl bridal jewelry sets, splashy lilies are fabulous for tropical theme weddings, while orchids positively ooze sophistication and elegance. And of course, price matters– a bouquet that is out of your budget is of no use to you. Work with your florist to get the style you want while still staying in your price range. Your florist can recommend blossoms that are in season at the time of your wedding, and also keep price down by showing you similar-looking substitutes for expensive blossoms, such as lisianthus isntead of roses. DIY brides will often be able to get the best price on their dream bouquet by ordering the flowers online or from a grocery store.

Last but not least, is the color of your wedding flowers. This is in many ways the easiest part of designing your dream bouquet, because there is no right or wrong. There are some easy color rules you can follow: white, pink, or red for a traditional wedding, purple or red for drama, yellow or green for fun, and hot pink or orange for a beach wedding. Then the last thing to do is choose the wrap for your boquuet, and you have designed your perfect bouquet!