A Brief History of Bridal Bouquets
A beautiful bridal bouquet is the cherry on top of your bridal look cake! But have you ever wondered why brides carry a bouquet at all?
Bridal flowers have a long history dating back to ancient times. They have long been used in weddings (among other ceremonies) to symbolise love, fertility, and good luck for the newlyweds.
In ancient Greece and Rome, brides would wear crowns of herbs, such as ivy, rosemary, and myrtle, which were believed to bring good luck and fertility. In the Middle Ages, strong-smelling herbs and spices were thought to ward off evil spirits and mask the smell of body odour. Bridal bouquets would be made up of herbs instead of flowers. Dill and sage were especially popular in bouquets, as dill was believed to invoke lust, and sage to bring good luck.
We can thank the original trend setter, Queen Victoria for the rounded bridal bouquet. When marrying Prince Albert, she carried a rounded tussie-mussie filled with moss and orange blossom. During the Victorian era, the language of flowers was very popular, and it was customary for brides to carry specific flowers that conveyed specific meanings. For example, roses symbolised love and devotion, while lilies symbolised purity and innocence. A bride had to carefully choose her flowers for the sentiments they represented, and the blooms she carried became ‘her flowers’ for the rest of her life.
In the early 20th century, bridal bouquets became more elaborate and typically consisted of a variety of flowers, including roses, lilies, and other popular blooms. Flowers like stephanotis, orchids and calla lilies were also often used in bridal bouquet.
Today, the old bridal flower traditions have been almost forgotten, with brides now selecting flowers for the beauty of their colours, fragrance and shape. This is not to suggest that bridal flowers do not play an important part of the wedding ceremony – quite the contrary! Many brides choose flowers that have personal significance or that match the theme and colours of their wedding. Popular choices for bridal flowers today now include roses, peonies, lilies, and hydrangeas.
The choice of flowers may vary in different cultures and customs, and also the trend of flowers change from time to time. For example, the tussie-mussie, rounded shape of the bouquet is now also giving way to new shapes, such as wreaths or drop flowers.
If you are looking for some timeless wedding flower inspiration, check out our range of beautiful bouquets and arrangements! Alternatively, pop into the shop on 88 Angelo Street, South Perth, or give us a call on (08) 9474 2340 to discuss your wedding day inspiration.