The above picture pretty much summarizes the metamorphosis of the wedding bouquet from the enormous cascading style arrangement held by Princess Diana to the more demure and compact one seen in the hands of Princess Kate. A bridal bouquet is a once in a life time accessory and is a very prominent feature of a complete bridal ensemble. The flowers are carefully picked and assembled into a gorgeous bouquet adorned with pearls, brooches and other stones which complement your entire outfit.
This tradition, predominantly seen in western weddings, began in ancient cultures where the bride and groom carried aromatic herbs and spices or wore them as garlands which were believed to ward off evil spirits. Years later, when Queen Victoria married Prince Albert, the herbs and spices had been replaced by fresh marigold flowers, thereby setting a trend for brides to come. This custom has become so popular that even modern Indian brides now choose to hold a bouquet as they walk down the aisle.
Choosing your bridal bouquet is a very important task as you in most cases your bouquet is with you throughout the day and will feature in all your wedding pictures. A wrong bouquet can throw off your entire look. Like every other bridal accessory, bridal bouquets come in different types, shapes, sizes and colors.
The cascade bouquet is the most traditional and classic style of bouquet. The flowers are arranged loosely in a drooping manner to mimic the effect of a cascading waterfall. This style is best suited for an outfit with a fuller skirt and is an absolute no-no for a bride with a small frame.
The round cluster bouquet is a clean and modern style, with the flowers arranged in a loose circular fashion.
A variation of this would be a tight cluster of flowers to form a hemisphere or a ball. The loose arrangement mostly has a cluster of different flowers making it very pretty and even colorful. The flower ball bouquet looks striking in a single colored flower interspersed with beads or pearls.
The hand held or loose tied bouquet is a very informal style where the flowers are tied around the stem with a ribbon or lace.
A pomander bouquet consists of a tight floral arrangement which create a flower ball. However instead of being held by the stem, these flowers are set in the shape of a ball and is handled by a looped ribbon or cord handle. These are rarely seen with brides but are popular arrangements for flower girls or as part of the wedding décor.
Need help creating a unique wedding bouquet? Checkout House of Flowers by Marry Me which is a local florist in Mumbai that can help you create something special for your big day!
