One of my favorite parts of the wedding decor? The flowers of course! There are so many wonderful flowers out there that come in a variety of sizes, colors, textures, and fragrances. I marvel at the ability of florists to combine these beautiful gems of nature into something special for a wedding. To me see the bouquets is the most exciting part of the floral experience on a wedding day.
Most brides probably don't even know why they carry a bouquet. Truthfully, it was something I never thought about myself when I was planning my own wedding. It is a tradition I looked forward to par-taking; but had no idea how it originated. From my research the first known custom of using florals at weddings dates back to ancient Rome. Flowers were used in weddings for their symbolism; mostly for their beliefs in luck and fertility. They were also believed to help ward off evil spirits. Most brides would carry herbs and spices such as dill, chives, and garlic because of these beliefs. Not exactly the fragrances you may think of today when you think wedding (seriously could you imagine a bride walking down the aisle smelling of garlic).
Then there is the belief that flower bouquets were carried to help mask the natural body odor. This is from the time when bathing wasn't part of a daily routine. During the Victorian era flowers were popular romantic gifts to exchange; and gifts were given between lovers based on the flowers meaning. That would spill into the wedding and formed the more modern use of carrying flowers down the aisle.
No matter why it started, today it gives the bride and her maids something to do with their hands while walking down the aisle. Plus it looks great in pictures. Here are some of the gorgeous bouquets from some of the weddings I have done over the years.
The first two are from Susan's Floral Art and photos from Tera Nelson Photography. I loved the wrap and hints of blue gems mixed in with the flowers. The bridesmaids carried something with brighter pops of blue and yellow. Both perfect for a May wedding.
I loved the softness and how romantic this bride's bouquet felt. It fit the overall romantic vintage vibe of this wedding. Photo from Dyanna LaMora.
When it come to playing with textures, Deihl's Flowers did a wonderful job on this bride and her bridesmaid's bouquets. Photos courtesy of Lauren Fair Photography.
I love it when a bride is not afraid of bright colors. These next group of photos are bride's who were not shy when it came to the flowers she carried. Flowers were created by Mowrer's Flowers and photo by Voltage Studios.
These marsala and orange lovelies were designed by Peterman's Florist. Photo by Amanda Nichols Photography.
I wasn't sure at first about putting shades of oranges and blue together, but Mowrer's Flowers created a perfect fall wedding bouquet.
These flowers by Allyce Marie Designs nailed the brides vintage glam chic wedding style. Photo courtesy of Amanda Nichols Photography.
I love the simplicity of this one. Soft, romantic, and dreamy. Photo by Dyanna LaMora.
Seeded eucalyptus and some small colorful roses, really made this arrangement by Woodrings Flowers pop. Photo by J&A Photography.
Just an overall lovely bridal bouquet by Mowrer's Flowers. Photo from Jason Bafile Photography.
I love how this one feels like it was just hand plucked out of a field. Went well for this bride's summer boho wedding. Flowers by Pocketful of Posies. Photo by Charlie Juliet.
In this one, I love the dusty miller accent. The Details Matter designed this stunner of a bouquet. Photo by Sanderson Images.
This bridesmaids bouquet from a few years ago remains one of my favorite to this day. So many interesting flowers, colors, and textures. Erica from Mowrer's Flowers really outdid her self with this one. Picture from Liz and Ryan.
There are just several of some of the various beautiful blooms I have seen brides and her ladies carry on wedding days through the years.
