Your Wedding Bouquet

It's likely you'll purchase more flowers for your wedding than for any other occasion in your life. Among other factors, the choice of your wedding bouquet depends a great deal on the style of your gown. Season is another important consideration. Like many brides, you may decide to chose your bouquet based upon the time of year. Bouquets come in these principal types:

Cascade: The cascade is the most traditional and formal style of bridal bouquet. It's a waterfall-like "spill" of blooms and greenery which is anchored in a hand-held base. As the name implies, it resembles a cascade or waterfall with the flowers flowing downward. Traditional wedding flowers used in the cascade bouquet are white and include roses, stephanotis, white or calla lilies, and mingled with greenery. The bouquet has the appearance of being loose and free flowing.

Classic Hand-Tied Bouquet: This choice is a dense bunch of blooms either anchored in a bouquet holder, wired, or hand-tied. This option gives the illusion of a "just picked" bouquet of spring flowers.

Nosegay: This is actually a general term for any small, round cluster of flowers, all cut to a uniform length. They were all the rage in Victorian times and are popular once again. Usually made with one dominant flower or color, nosegays are wrapped tightly with ribbon or lace for a delicate effect. This type of bouquet usually contains very little greenery. Or, for an all-out Victorian look, insert the nosegay into a silver carrying cone (also known by the unusual name: tussy mussy).

Pomander: This style is a bloom-covered ball suspended from a ribbon, perfect for child attendants. (Flower girls may carry a basket of petals instead.)

Composite: Less well-known, this option is a handmade creation in which different petals or buds are wired together on a single stem, creating the illusion of one giant flower.

Beidermeier: This is a nosegay made up of concentric circles of different flowers for a somewhat striped effect.

Arm Bouquet: As the name implies, this is an elegant crescent shape, designed to be cradled in one arm.

Here's some additional bouquet suggestions and ideas.