YOUR BRIDAL BOUQUET IS AN ACCESSORY, NOT A COLORFUL SHRUB WITH ITS OWN ZIP CODE!
Attention, brides-to-be! We need to have a little conversation about that enormous collection of flowers you’re planning to drag down the aisle.
Having spent years designing weddings and floral arrangements, I have seen just about everything imaginable. Some bridal bouquets have been absolutely breathtaking. Others have left me wondering whether the bride was getting married or auditioning to become the Grand Marshal of the Rose Parade.
So, allow me to offer a little unsolicited advice. After all, that’s what I’m here for!
YOUR BOUQUET SHOULD COMPLEMENT YOU, NOT COMPETE WITH YOU!
Let’s start with a basic principle. Your bridal bouquet is an accessory. Its purpose is to enhance your overall appearance as you walk down the aisle, not become the main attraction.
A talented floral designer should consider two very important things when creating your bouquet: the color and style of your wedding gown and your physical proportions. Not all brides wear pure white, nor should they! But whatever color you choose, your flowers should complement the entire ensemble.
Think of it this way. Suppose you’re getting dressed to the nines in a gorgeous white outfit. Would you automatically reach for a pair of hot pink shoes? Probably not, unless you were deliberately trying to make a fashion statement. And if that’s your intention, wonderful! But at least understand where everyone’s eyes are going.
The same principle applies to your bridal bouquet.
If you’re wearing a white or ivory wedding gown, my preference is a predominantly white or cream bouquet, perhaps accented with a subtle pastel shade from your wedding color scheme.
Why?
Because the minute you introduce a massive arrangement of bright pink, purple, orange, and electric blue flowers, you’ve effectively redirected everyone’s attention away from your beautiful face and straight to that giant explosion of color sitting just below your boobs!
Congratulations. You’ve spent thousands of dollars on your gown, hair, makeup, and photographer, and the first thing your guests notice is a floral arrangement that looks like it escaped from a Mardi Gras float.
Now, I love color as much as the next floral designer. There’s a place for it. Your bridesmaids, ceremony arrangements, centerpieces, and reception décor can all celebrate your color scheme.
But YOU are the star of the show. Not the hydrangeas.
SIZE MATTERS... BUT NOT THE WAY YOU THINK!
Let’s discuss another one of my pet peeves: bridal bouquets large enough to require their own building permit.
How many times have you watched a bride walking down the aisle carrying what appears to be a shrub?
I’ve seen bouquets so enormous that I practically wanted to yell, “Could somebody please pull back the bear grass? I think there’s a bride hiding in there!”
Ladies, bigger is NOT always better.
Your bouquet should be proportionate to your height, frame, and gown. A petite bride carrying an oversized cascading arrangement can look like she’s struggling to transport a centerpiece from the florist’s delivery truck.
And please don’t tell me that you need an enormous bouquet because you’re having an expensive wedding. The flowers don’t know how much you spent on the reception, and neither should your guests.
Look at the royal weddings.
Catherine, Princess of Wales, carried a relatively petite, predominantly white bouquet. Meghan Markle did the same. Both arrangements were elegant, understated, and beautifully proportioned.
Princess Diana, on the other hand, carried a magnificent cascading bouquet. It was considerably larger, but it complemented her elaborate gown, dramatic veil, and statuesque appearance.
Now imagine handing Diana’s bouquet to Catherine.
Poor Kate would have looked like she was delivering funeral flowers to Westminster Abbey.
The point is simple: Your bouquet should be designed for YOU, not pulled from a florist’s one-size-fits-all bridal catalog. The goal is not to let a florist overcharge you for something that is not right for you anyway!
AND WHILE WE’RE AT IT, LET’S TALK ABOUT THE PRICE!
Here’s something that might irritate a few florists, but I’m going to say it anyway.
If you walk into a floral shop and someone announces, “Our bridal bouquets start at $250,” before they’ve even asked what you want, I suggest you politely thank them and head for the door.
Why?
Because a bridal bouquet should be priced according to its design, size, flower selection, labor, and materials. Not simply because somebody attached the word bridal to it.
As a floral designer, I’ll let you in on a little secret. In many cases, it takes me no longer to create a bridal bouquet than it does a bridesmaid’s bouquet. So why should I charge you more?
Yes, some bridal bouquets involve intricate wiring, elaborate construction, specialty flowers, and considerable design time. Those absolutely warrant a higher price.
But suppose you want to carry a simple, elegant handful of baby’s breath tied with a beautiful satin ribbon.
I could probably create that bouquet in ten minutes, and depending on wholesale prices, my flower cost might be under ten dollars.
So why on earth would I automatically charge you $150?
Because you’re the bride?
Because the word “wedding” magically increases the value of baby’s breath by 1,400 percent?
Please.
I’m all for florists making a fair profit. They’re running businesses, not charitable botanical institutions. But there should be some relationship between what you’re buying and what you’re paying.
And brides, don’t be afraid to ask questions. A reputable designer should be able to explain what goes into the price of your bouquet without acting as though you’ve requested access to the nuclear launch codes.
FINALLY, YOUR BOUQUET IS NOT A CHEERLEADING POM-POM!
Now that we’ve addressed color, size, and price, let’s discuss how to carry the darn thing.
I’ve seen brides hold their bouquets practically under their chins, as though they’re trying to smell every rose simultaneously. Others carry them so high that the flowers completely obscure the bodice of a gown that probably cost more than my first car.
And then there are the brides who swing their bouquets back and forth as they walk.
Ladies, you’re walking down the aisle, not leading the halftime entertainment at a football game.
Hold your bouquet comfortably and steadily at approximately waist level, with your arms relaxed. If someone is escorting you down the aisle, practice holding the bouquet with one hand if necessary.
And for heaven’s sake, remember that your photographer is trying to capture YOU, not a close-up of your florist’s inventory.
You want your guests to admire your face, your smile, your gown, and that wonderful expression of anticipation as you approach the altar.
You don’t want Aunt Mildred whispering to Uncle Harold, “Isn’t that a beautiful arrangement? By the way, who’s the girl carrying it?”
MY FINAL WORD OF ADVICE
Your bridal bouquet should be beautiful, personal, and thoughtfully designed. If you’ve always dreamed of carrying a rainbow of flowers, by all means, it’s your wedding. I’m not going to chase you down the aisle with a can of white spray paint. It’s YOUR day. Don’t let anyone dictate your choices.
But before making your decision, stand in front of a full-length mirror wearing your gown and hold something approximately the size and color of your proposed bouquet.
Then ask yourself one simple question:
“When people look at me, what do I want them to notice first?”
If the answer is your face, your gown, and your happiness, you’re on the right track.
If the answer is a floral arrangement large enough to qualify for agricultural zoning, we may need to revisit your choices.
Remember, you’re getting married. You’re not opening a garden center.
Love,
Alfie