Wedding Floral Arrangements

The majority of brides have dreamed of their weddings since they were little girls processing down their hallways wearing pillowcases as veils and carrying bouquets pulled from backyard gardens. From the moment a couple becomes engaged there are a seemingly endless number of decisions to make from the venue to the menu, and none can set the tone of the wedding more than the flowers. With their wide variety of color and structural options, wedding floral arrangements have the power to drastically affect the mood of a wedding.

Possibly the most important floral arrangement in any wedding is the bride’s bouquet. There are three basic types of bridal bouquets: cascade; round; and hand-tied. A cascade bouquet has a waterfall effect with the majority of flowers on the top, and some flowing downwards. The flowers are often blended with greenery for a more colorful effect. A round bouquet is round in shape and tends to feature much less greenery than a cascade one. The flowers are usually of many different varieties and bunched tightly together. A hand-tied bouquet is a grouping of flowers tied loosely together to showcase their stems. There is not right or wrong answer when choosing the bridal bouquet. Each bride should select a bouquet that best reflects her personality. A cascade bouquet is often seen as more romantic and whimsical while a round bouquet has a more modern feel. A hand-tied bouquet has a more natural feel. For brides who wish to preserve their bouquet, but still want to participate in the traditional bouquet toss, it is a good idea to have a separate “tossing bouquet.” This simple bouquet can be composed of one or two flowers from the bridal bouquet and does not need to be large or expensive.

Once the bridal bouquet is selected, bouquets for the bridesmaids and maid of honor should be chosen as well. These bouquets should be smaller in size than the bride’s bouquet but should incorporate some of the same elements to create continuity in the wedding party. In keeping with one cohesive theme it is common for one type of flower that is present in the bouquets to also be used for the groom’s boutonniere and those of the ushers and any other male participants.

While they do not have to match the bouquets exactly, similar floral arrangements can also be placed throughout the venue where the ceremony will be taking place. Depending on the site selected, some couples choose to have large floral arrangements placed throughout, while others prefer smaller, simpler arrays positioned in select locations.