Wedding Bouquets for Any Wedding

Choosing a bouquet can be as bewildering for a bride-to-be as choosing the gown and venue for the wedding. There is a vast array of plant-life to choose from as well as nearly as many styles of bouquets.

There are four main types of wedding bouquets: Nosegays, Cascade bouquets, hand-tied bouquets, and contemporary bouquets. The type you choose should compliment your dress, your décor and style for your wedding as well as be easy to carry and manage during the wedding ceremony. Nosegays, or tussie mussies, are small, round clusters of flowers. They are appropriate for most styles of weddings and, as small arrangements, are usually easy to hand-off during the ceremony. Cascade bouquets are luxurious, eye-catching floral arrangements that descend below the main design. These are very formal arrangements and can be more difficult for a nervous bride to handle, but will compliment most traditional gowns.

However, if you are petite, this bouquet may be too large. Hand-tied bouquets are exactly what they sound like - an arrangement that has been tied or wrapped around the centerpiece of the design. These arrangements show off the natural stems (although they can be wrapped thoroughly in a ribbon). These casual, simple bouquets are reminiscent of a gathering of wildflowers. Contemporary bouquets are not traditional or formal is style, design or arrangement. Often they are made up of unusual, distinctive flowers, such as calla lilies or orchids. These very sophisticated bouquets will look out of place in a simple, garden-style ceremony, but will suit a wedding that features unconventional or cosmopolitan ideas.

In general, it is wise to choose flowers that are in season and hardy. You want fresh flowers to be able to hold up throughout the entire day and in the hands of a nervous bride. Choose a shape that will be easy for you to carry as well as one that compliments your gown and your complexion as well as matches the style of your wedding. If your dress is very formal and traditional you may not want a contemporary bouquet, but a hand-tied bouquet could add a touch of simplicity to your dress. Finally, choose blooms that you like and, if you absolutely must have an out-of-season flower, go for silk.