Tips For Beautiful Wedding Bouquets

Sue Walsh on April 14th, 2008

When you think of brides you think of bridal bouquets! It’s traditional for a bride to carry a bouquet of lush, beautiful flowers. Here are some tips to make yours shine! To insure both a budget friendly and long lasting bouquet, chose flowers that are in season for your area. The further away a flower has to be shipped in from, the more it will cost and the shorter it will last. Also try to choose sturdy flowers. More delicate blooms like stephanotis and hydrangea tend to brown and wilt quickly in hot conditions. To keep your flowers looking their best, be sure they are kept cool and hydrated for as long as possible before you need them. Roses are the most popular wedding flower. If you’ve chosen them for your bouquet, consider the meanings behind the different colors available:Red roses have always meant love-deep, passionate, ever lasting love. White roses symbolize purity and brightness. A mixed bouquet of red and white roses symbolizes unity.Pink roses have several messages, depending on the shade. Deep pink roses symbolize gratitude and respect, while light pink roses show sympathy. Yellow roses on the other hand symbolize friendship and caring, while orange roses symbolize new beginnings, perhaps explaining why they are an increasingly popular selection for bridal bouquets!

The more exotic rose colors also have meanings. For example, green roses represent fertility while blue roses are symbol of mystery and intrigue. Purple roses signify enchantment and love at first sight. Black roses, not surprisingly, represent death, and perhaps more surprisingly, new beginnings

To give your bouquet a personal touch, add a treasured piece of jewelry such as a vintage string of pearls or pretty pin. My bouquet had my late grandfather’s rosary beads entwined in it and it made me feel close to him all day. Another idea is to use a piece of fabric from treasured quilt, hankie, or even from your mom or grandmother’s wedding gown as a bouquet wrap.

Your wedding flowers are just another beautiful addition to your special day. Choose carefully, add a personal touch, and keep them cool until you’re ready for them and you’ll have a breathtaking bouquet to carry down the aisle!

What are your favorite wedding flowers and why?

Photo: Sue Walsh