WeddingGuideUK.com - Choosing Your Flowers

Choosing Your Flowers

Choosing Your Bouquet
As you arrive at your wedding, the first impression your guests have will be of you behind whatever you decide to carry, and therefore the scale and choice of bouquet needs to be chosen to fit the style of your dress. Remember that the best bouquets are not always the most expensive.

There are various bouquet styles available which the florist will be able to advise you on:

Drop Shower	The flowers flow from a posy top on individual wires, the result being a very wide trail
Teardrop	A posy top with a wide trail all the way down. The trail flowers are attached to a central wire
Shower	A posy top, flowing down to a single trail of flowers. The trail flowers are attached to a central wire
Trailing	A slender bouquet with no posy top. A good choice for the bridesmaids
Formal Posy	A perfectly round shape with foliage, lace or tulle (fine net) to add an even edge
Informal Posy	Not such a strictly rounded shape

Larger bouquets like the teardrop style used to be the most popular styles, but today more brides are opting for small posies and naturally tied bunches of flowers on their own stems, to create a simple yet dramatic effect.

Wired bouquets use individually attached flowers, are quite heavy and are more expensive than hand-tied ones. Hand-tied bouquets use flowers on their natural stems, making the bouquet more natural and less formal. Remember to choose your bouquet in proportion to your size. Long trailing bouquets make you look slimmer because they draw the eye downwards, while wide bouquets draw attention to the hips.

Particular bouquet shapes complement particular dress styles and fabrics best:

A traditional large skirt - Suits a large shower bouquet
An ultra-slim gown/petite figure - Avoid large and overwhelming bouquets and choose a small bouquet, posy or a long bouquet such as the shower style
A princess line dress - Suits a teardrop or trailing bouquet
A simple dress - Suits a more extravagant bouquet to add detail
A detailed dress - Suits a simple bouquet to avoid taking away the splendour of the detail on the dress, but not a small one because it may get lost amongst the detail. Alternatively, you may like to carry a bouquet which is held in the crook of your arm, which allows the bodice to be on full view
Light or floaty fabrics - Choose small and delicate flowers like gypsophilia
Heavy fabrics e.g. velvet and satin - Choose richer and stronger coloured flowers
Lace - Choose hardly any decoration, such as a small posy or a single flower

You may decide that you do not want to carry a bouquet at all. There are some interesting alternatives that are worth considering before choosing a bouquet. Why not carry a single flower that will give a simple yet dramatic feel to your wedding day. You may like to carry a prayer book with a single flower tucked under a piece of ribbon tied around the book. Some brides choose to carry a bible, parasol, fan, pomander or a dolly bag with a drawstring. For winter weddings, some brides choose to wear a muff decorated with flowers.

These options also serve as an alternative for bridesmaids or register office weddings where simpler bouquets are usually chosen, such as a hand-tied bunch of flowers, a posy or a single flower such as an arum lily. A handbag filled with flowers can make an interesting alternative. Small satin bags filled with flowers carried by the bridesmaids will complement the bride's outfit and bouquet.

There are several points that you should remember while you are carrying your bouquet:

If you are going to be escorted by your father or another person, you will only have your right hand free to carry your bouquet as you will be holding the person's right arm with your left hand
Carry your bouquet at a fairly low height, so that your dress is on show rather than hiding behind it
Some bouquets look better when carried slightly away from the body, while others look better carried close to the body. Your florist or dress designer should be able to advise you on this

Choosing The Bridesmaids' Bouquets
Before deciding upon the type of flowers that will make up the bridesmaids bouquet, consider what

style of arrangement you would like them to carry, and whether you would like them to be in the same style or colours as your own.

The bouquets for the bridesmaids are usually smaller versions of the bride's one, complementing thecolour of the bride's dress and their own dresses. Smaller trailing bouquets are a suitable choice for bridesmaids, although younger ones can be prone to becoming easily bored when holding a bouquet. Adult bridesmaids could carry smaller versions of the bride's bouquet, and there are several alternatives available that will keep young bridesmaids occupied throughout the ceremony:

Basket filled with flowers or petals, along with sweets or toys to keep the bridesmaids occupied
Small posies which are light for small hands to carry
Decorated hoops that are fun for children
Pomanders, which are balls of flowers carried by loops of ribbon which are attached to them
Small teddy bears wearing necklaces made from flowers

In addition to bridesmaids, some brides choose to have a flower girl. Traditionally, flower girls are usually very young children who carry a small basket of flowers or petals. The flower girl accompanies the bridal couple during the signing of the register, and then walks down the aisle in front of the bride and groom, strewing flowers in their path (do not forget to check with the minister that it is allowed inside the church).

Introduction to choosing your flowers
Budgeting for your flowers
Create your own flower bouquet
Flower preparation and checklist
Choosing a florist
Creative ideas
Floral arrangements and accessories
Flowers to suit your star sign and birthday
The symbolic meaning of flowers
Flowers A to Z

Advertising Information | Privacy Policy | Testimonials | About Us
Add WeddingGuideUK.com to your favourites