When you take that time-honored walk down the aisle, there are three things on display: you, your dress, and the bouquet. While you’re free to scour through 47 dress selections until you find the perfect fit, your bouquet arrangement comes down to communication. And, unless you’re in the business, it’s often difficult to decipher all the industry lingo, in order to properly translate your wishes to your florist. Unfortunately, the phrase “I want a beautiful, rounded bouquet with colorful blooms” leaves a lot to the imagination. It sure would be easier if bridal bouquets were decoded…
You’re in luck. We’ve broken down the basic terminology so you can describe your dream arrangement and feel confident that it’s exactly what you’ll get when your big day rolls around.
BRIDAL BOUQUETS DECODED:
HAND-TIED BOUQUET
This bouquet is easily the most popular selection of brides due to its casual, yet stunning appearance and its capability to include a wide variety of different blooms and greenery. This look has the essence of hand-picked flowers tied loosely together. Nearly every hand-tied bouquet includes a lot of greenery, appearing to be more organic in nature. They are usually tied off with ribbon, or long flowing chiffon to add an elegant touch that ties it all together. Hand-tied bouquets are the most versatile of the bouquet types, making it the most popular selection for any style of wedding.
BRIDAL BOUQUETS DECODED: CASCADING BOUQUET
For the bride that likes to go big, this statement piece is lush with long-stem blooms and greenery that flow in a waterfall-inspired way. The outdated version of this style, which was commonly seen with puff sleeves and shoulder pads, has been reinvented using greenery as the focal point of the cascading element instead of blooms.
BRIDAL BOUQUETS DECODED:
ROUNDED BOUQUET
For the bride that has her heart set on one specific flower and is a lover of perfect symmetry, the rounded bouquet will be top choice. It is monochromatic and perfectly rounded. No greenery accents or cascading ribbon, just beautiful clean lines with flowers displayed in person unison.
BRIDAL BOUQUETS DECODED:
CLUTCH BOUQUET
If a bride has her heart set on a rounded bouquet but wants to add in some greenery and difference in color, then the clutch bouquet will be just right. It is still clean and round in its arrangement but allows for bolder colors and variety in boom selection.
BRIDAL BOUQUETS DECODED:
UNSTRUCTURED BOUQUET
Lately, there has been a surge in popularity for the unstructured bouquet. It is big, features a variety of blooms and greenery, and immediately becomes a statement piece. While it is similar in style to a hand-tied bouquet in that it appears to be a collection of hand-picked flowers loosely organized together, the difference is that the unstructured bouquet is elongated and has no symmetry.
BRIDAL BOUQUETS DECODED:
NOSEGAY BOUQUET
This traditional arrangement is smaller in size and includes a nice blend of greenery. While a few accenting blooms may be added, the bouquet remains smaller in size, making it perfect for bridesmaids and flower girls.
BRIDAL BOUQUETS DECODED:
POSY BOUQUET
Similar to the nosegay in size, this is for the bride who wants to see less green, but more floral. They are traditionally rounded in shape and stems are ribbon-wrapped, making them easy to carry.
Now that you’re armed with the right verbiage, you can meet with your florist more confident in communicating your vision. Feel free to take it a step further by supplying pictures of the flowers, colors, and inspirations that make you swoon.
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