Bride's Bouquet: Finding One that's Right for You

Choose Flowers that Flatter
Think of your bouquet as the one accessory that can make or break bridal attire. The bride's bouquet plays an important role in the appearance of your wedding gown, and bouquets should complement the style of your dress, says Amy Child Marella, floral designer to the stars and owner of L.A.’s Hidden Garden Floral Design.

See our inspiring gallery of wedding flowers for more ideas.
Tips:

• For tailored, streamline wedding dresses, smaller size bouquets work better than large, overpowering ones.
  
• Take photos of your wedding dress with you to the florist to coordinate the right bridal bouquet for your dress' silhouette.

Consider the Season
If you’re a spring bride, aesthetically, a fall flower wouldn’t work for your bouquet. Some brides like certain [seasonal] flowers, but pick the wrong time of year for their wedding, says Marella.

Tips:

• Choosing flowers that work within the season of your wedding is a safe bet, but not always required.
  
• For a little extra money, most seasonal or exotic flowers can be sourced from other countries.

Mix and Match Colors
Instead of adopting a monochromatic color scheme for your bouquet, infuse pops of color, using flowers with vibrant hues (yellow, red, orange, etc.) as accents.

Tips:

• Select shades that complement the existing color scheme used throughout the wedding.
• Brightly colored flowers should never take the attention away from your wedding dress, therefore, insert smaller bits of color here and there to keep everything flowing.

A larger bouquet, undoubtedly, will be heavier to tote. If you’re concerned about the weight of your bouquet, ask your florist to create a nosegay—a hand-held, smaller bunched arrangement.

Tip:

Self-preservation
To preserve your bouquet after the wedding, remove flowers from water, hang it upside down, spray with hairspray and let it dry.

Tips:

• For best results, transfer your bouquet into water immediately after using it in your pictures. Petals must be sprayed before the bouquet dies, and keeping them in water will extend the life of yourwedding flowers.
  
• If you don’t want to take the DIY route, there are companies you can call that specialize in preserving bridal bouquets. Ask your florist to recommend someone they've worked with before.

More Expert Advice on Selecting Your Bride's Bouquet

1. Look for flowers with symbolic meanings to use in your bride's bouquet. For weddings, Marella’s clients often choose roses (love, happiness), peonies (life, happy marriage), and hydrangeas (thanks, understanding).
   
   
2. Marella recommends using fresh flowers for your bridal bouquet, as live blooms are always in style.
   
   
3. If you’ve picked a flower that doesn't hold well out of water, Marella suggests having the florist make two bride's bouquets—one for photos and all pre-ceremony events, and another for your walk down the aisle.
   
   
4. Select flowers that will tie in with your theme—modern (calla lily's, cymbidiums, succulents, horsetail, or tulips); whimsical (looped curly willow, hanging amaranthus, roses); romantic (roses, peonies); beach (orchids, succulents, dahlias).
   
   
5. For extra flair with wedding planning, with ribbons and beading.
   
   Many of our image gallery's offer great ideas forwedding flowers.
   

Image courtesy of the Hidden Garden Floral Design.