Every bride-to-be dreams of her wedding day, from walking gracefully down the aisle, a first dance with her new husband, and of course, tossing the bouquet over her shoulder to the contingent of single women hoping to be the next in line. Though sometimes taken for granted, the bridal bouquet is an essential factor in your bridal look and can take the whole package from average to amazing.
These days, brides have a plethora of options for their flowers and are no longer shackled to the basic cluster of white roses (though still a fine choice). While mixing it up with different colors is a pretty easy option, there are also a number of various shapes and styles for the bouquet itself. Here are five styles to help you choose:
Biedermeier Bouquet
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Originating in Switzerland, these are a bold and unique choice and work best when all of the flowers are of a similar style. This is a tightly-packed and structured bouquet, with the flowers arranged in alternating rings of different colors (imagine a ‘bulls-eye’). This is a great choice for brides who want to add a bit of drama to their look and aren’t afraid to think outside of the box.
‘Presentation’ Bouquet
These bouquets get their name because they are meant to be carried draped over the arm like those presented to actresses or beauty queens. This style is a very fashion-forward look and is one of my personal favorites. This style works best with longer flowers such as calla lilies, orchids, long-stemmed roses and the like. This bouquet is also quite versatile in that you can opt for a double-ended bouquet with flowers on both ends. Presentation bouquets are just as beautiful with an elaborate number of flowers as they are with one or two statement blooms in a single color, so the possibilities are truly endless.
Prayerbook or Bible Spray
For devout brides, this traditional choice is an elegant and understated touch. A small spray of flowers is arranged in a corsage-like setting and wrapped around the family Bible or other heirloom religious book for the bride to carry as she walks down the aisle. This is a wonderful choice for those couples who have such family heirlooms or who would like to start a tradition themselves. Alternately, some brides who still wish to carry a different bouquet can still opt for an attendant to carry the decorated book for presentation at the ceremony.
Pomander Bouquet
These fun, whimsical arrangements are a beautiful option for more casual events or carried by younger attendants such as junior bridesmaids or flower girls. These bouquets are a ball of flowers, usually in one or two colors (often bold and bright colors), and carried over the wrist with a loop of ribbon. While an unusual choice, with the right theme these can be a really great splash of color for your wedding.
Cascade or ‘Princess’ Bouquet
The most formal of bouquets, this style gained in popularity in the early 1920s up through WWII. It continues to remain popular and is a lovely choice for formal weddings. The shape is similar to a teardrop, with the larger rounder portion carried in the hands, with the narrowing trails of flowers cascading down. These can work with either monochromatic palettes or a mix of colors, but are best set against a gown without a lot of overwhelming detail as the bouquet is rather commanding in itself. These are also known as ‘princess’ bouquets in honor of the late Princess Diana who carried a beautiful ivory cascade at her own wedding.
Each and every one of us has a favorite holiday, be it Halloween with its ghosts and ghouls, Easter with fluffy bunnies and candy, Christmas with sparkling snowy trees and carols, and many, many more. One great way to personalize your wedding (and help insure your husband remembers his anniversary) is to tie it in with your favorite holiday. Frightened off by visions of tinsel-bedecked bridesmaids or ring bearers in Cupid costume? No worries, there are plenty of ways to tastefully incorporate holiday cheer into your special day, and here are just a few:
When you’re planning for your wedding there are basically two types of gifts you can buy for all of the people who end up on your list (such as wedding party, parents of bride/groom, reception guests, etc.) — regular gifts and more personalized or custom ones. I’m sure that you already know this, but the major difference between these two types of gifts are that the regular gifts are just that — regular, everyday types of gifts that people could receive from anybody. Custom wedding gifts, however, take this to the next level by adding a layer or personalization and thought to the gift, which will make it resonate that much more with who you’re giving it to. Simply speaking, custom gifts are just a little bit cooler.
$2.25 each >> 
$3 each >> 
$1.80 each >> 
$2.70 each >> 
$2 each >>
Affordable Wedding Alternatives to Luxurious Splurges
Silk Flowers vs. Fresh Flowers:
One of the easiest ways to save a huge chunk of change is to explore alternatives to traditional fresh flower arrangements. Simple arrangements are a snap to do-it-yourself, and there are many online stores where premade bouquets and arrangements can be had for a fraction of the cost of fresh. Now, if you’ve had your heart set on multitudes of fresh, fragrant blooms at every turn in your wedding, I won’t fault you. However, I always ask my brides this very question: in the last five weddings you’ve attended, can you describe the flowers in detail to me? You might be surprised to know that the vast majority of my brides can’t describe more than the general colors or shapes of arrangements. However, every single one could tell me whether they enjoyed the food and drink at the receptions, so consider that some of your flower money might be better spent elsewhere to ensure a pleasantly memorable event for all.
Fondant is a Fon-DON’T
I admit, I’m a total junkie for shows featuring high-end bakeries with their sculpted cakes and gorgeous fondant decorations. However, for most brides in the real world, fondant just isn’t a practical or cost-savvy option. Cakes covered in the smooth, sugary dough usually run anywhere from $3-10 per slice, sometimes skyrocketing to $20+ per slice for the truly elaborate. Multiplying those prices by the average guest list of 100 or more, and you can end up with a budget-busting confection. Many talented bakers can ice a cake in traditional buttercream, and make it smooth as to almost perfectly mimic fondant at a fraction of the cost. In addition to saving some serious dough, most people also prefer the taste of buttercream, as both the texture and super-sugary taste of fondant can be a bit much.
Five Star Doesn’t have to mean Five Courses
Having visions of an elegant meal but going into sticker shock from the prices on a full, sit-down meal? Add in the cost of wait staff to serve your guests and the price can really skyrocket. No worries, keeping your food budget under control doesn’t mean you’re relegated to the world of cold-cut buffets or asking guests to bring a covered dish of their own (I wouldn’t have believed it if I hadn’t seen it on an invitation with my own eyes). One great way to save money is to feature an array of appetizers in lieu of a traditional meal. Tapas (small plate) dining is growing in popularity, and with the inclusion of a few heartier selections, can make for an interesting and satisfying dining experience for all of your guests. Another way to save without appearing stingy is to opt for a nice pasta entrée like lasagna or chicken parmesan. These choices please a wide variety of palates and are usually much more budget-friendly than beef or pork choices.