Wedding bouquets have always been important. The tradition of carrying wedding flowers started as a way of warding away bad luck for the new couple. A bride’s bouquet is also called a bridal bouquet, which became a talisman for luck in love during the Middle Ages when the bouquet toss tradition began. For the Victorians, wedding bouquets were a vehicle for sly symbolism through the language of flowers.
While modern weddings typically consider aesthetics over symbolism, the bouquet is still a meaningful part of your big day. We’ve prepared this primer on the different types of wedding bouquets to help you find your perfect match.
What Are the Different Types of Wedding Bouquets?
Choosing a shape is a crucial step in designing your bouquet. Here are some of the most popular types of wedding bouquets:
- Asymmetrical: Asymmetrical bouquets have a modern shape that’s growing in popularity. This bouquet style takes advantage of variations in color and texture with a mix of flowers and foliage, creating a bold and striking statement.
- Cascading: A cascading bridal bouquet features a concentrated arrangement of flowers that extends into a waterfall of blooms and foliage. Cascading bouquets can have a tight, formal shape or a looser structure for a more natural look.
- Crescent: Like a cascading bridal bouquet, a crescent-style bouquet features a compact center that extends outward — in this case, into a crescent moon shape. Including flowers throughout will create a more structured modern arrangement. You can achieve a looser organic look with cascading foliage and vines on either side.
- Hand-tied: Today’s hand-tied bouquets tend to be looser arrangements, often accented with a wide, trailing ribbon to give the impression of just-picked wildflowers. These bouquets are usually lush, featuring lots of flowers and greenery. They tend to be on the heavy side.
- Nosegay: These small bouquets often feature a single type of flower. They tend to focus equally on the bloom and greenery and may only consist of a few stems. A hand-tied nosegay provides a simple, minimalist look.
- Pageant: Also known as a presentation bouquet, this style’s design revolves around how you hold it. Unlike hand-held bouquets, you cradle this long-stemmed spray in one arm.
- Posy: This classic bouquet typically forms a rounded dome with tightly-bound stems cut to an even length. Posey bouquets typically feature minimal foliage, if any, leaving the focus on the blooms. Often smaller than many traditional bouquets, they offer a midpoint between strict structure and a softer romantic mood.
- Round: With its tight dome of blooms and silk-wrapped stems, a round bouquet is what many people picture when they imagine a bridal bouquet. Round bouquets focus entirely on the blooms, typically using either a single type of flower or ones that match each other’s color and texture. This choice will fit best with a classic wedding style.
4 Bridal Bouquet Styles
Once you’ve chosen the shape, your next step will be determining what style suits your wedding best. You can select one of these four popular types of bouquets or use them as a jumping-off point to plan your perfect arrangement.
1. Monoflorals
If you’re interested in modern wedding bouquet styles, you may want to consider the monofloral trend. Instead of using a mix of different flowers, a monofloral bouquet creates a visual impact by focusing on a single type of bloom.
While you can use a monofloral bouquet to embrace a sense of minimalism, focusing on one type of flower also provides the opportunity to get creative with color. Consider one of the following options:
- A round bouquet of multicolored roses can be a colorful twist on a classic monofloral look.
- A pageant bouquet is perfect for showcasing dramatic sprays of gladiolus or a gradient of lush delphiniums.
- Feature peonies in a posey bouquet for a late spring wedding.
2. Bold, Vibrant Colors
Those looking to make a splash may want to opt for the impact of a brightly colored bouquet. You can embrace this vibrant look in many different ways:
- Choose a single eye-catching hue for your bouquet and use different tones and textures to build visual interest.
- Pick several types of brightly colored blooms and concentrate each one in its own section to create a dramatic color-blocking effect.
- Build a bouquet that includes every color in your bold wedding palette.
Whatever variation you choose, this style is all about drama. Opt for a pageant or crescent bouquet for a showstopping effect, or choose a round or posey shape to create a sense of lavish elegance.
3. Rainbow Pastels
Do you want a bouquet that includes a range of colors without being overwhelmingly bright? If so, you may be interested in this twist on typical wedding pastels. Incorporate a rainbow pastel style with flowers in multiple muted colors, including:
- Peach
- Lavender
- Periwinkle
- Blush
- Pastel yellow
- Pale blue
You can carry the look into the greenery with soft, dusty foliage like eucalyptus, olive branches or ferns.
While rainbow pastels’ soft, romantic look goes best with the pastoral charm of a hand-tied bouquet, it can also add an air of tranquility to more structured arrangements.
4. Rich Greens
If you find the greenery in an arrangement more interesting than the flowers, consider a bouquet that focuses on foliage instead. While they may still include blooms, these bouquets provide variety through texture and tone. Create a lush bouquet with the vivid, saturated greens of ferns and camellia leaves. Add a subtle pop of color with thick-leaved succulents. If you’ve ever dreamed of stumbling into a magical forest glade, you might even enjoy the variety a sprinkling of mushrooms can offer.
These bouquets’ beauty comes from their organic imperfection, so they’re best suited to a looser shape. Cascading, asymmetrical, hand-tied, and crescent bouquets work best for this type of wedding bouquet.
What Kind of Bouquet Should I Carry?
If all the options make choosing a bouquet that suits your style seem daunting, following these simple steps can help make it an easier task:
- Finalize your wedding palette: Before you get down to details, it’s vital to know the colors you’ll use for the invitation, wedding party, and decor. You’ll want to have your colors set before you begin building your bouquet.
- Consider your flower choice: Make a note of any flowers significant to you and your partner that you want to use in your bouquet. For everything else, consider what will be in season. Using in-season flowers will increase your chances of full, beautiful blooms. You’ll also be more likely to save on costs when you don’t need to import anything.
- Choose your bouquet shape: You’ll want to consider your height and shape and the style of your dress. Choose a bouquet with a size, shape, and structure that will complement rather than overpower you.
- Determine your bouquet style: The style of your bouquet should suit your wedding theme and the atmosphere you’re aiming for.
A high-quality designer will be able to offer advice and guidance that can help turn your vision into reality. It’s best to start looking for your florist about eleven months before the wedding so you can be sure you’re able to book the one you want. Ask about their style to determine if it will be a good fit for your vision.
Create Your Perfect Bridal Bouquet With Mahir Floral & Event Designs
You can trust Mahir Floral & Event Designs for a unique, unforgettable look on your big day. Our expert Event Design Team creates stylish and modern arrangements that can bring your vision to life.
We know your wedding should be as unique as you are, so we’ll work with you to create a personalized floral plan that incorporates all your design must-haves. If you’re looking for places to start, you can get a sense of our style by perusing our extensive portfolio or browsing our bouquets and arrangements.
Working with Mahir Floral & Event Designs means individualized attention, custom arrangements, and exceptional service based on your wedding schedule. You only have to choose a time before the ceremony for us to set up and display your arrangements. Our New York City location means we can deliver your flowers straight to your Manhattan wedding and reception venues.
Contact us online with any questions or to schedule an interview today! Read our blog post, 5 Things to Know Before Meeting With a Wedding Florist to prepare for our meeting.
