Designing a bridal bouquet and accessories is one of the most interesting, and beautiful aspects of the floral world. There is something very challenging and creative in the dialogue with the bride to be and in matching a bouquet or piece of jewelry to her personal taste.
Apart from her personal taste and style, there are a few important factors that can’t be overlooked when deciding what bridal bouquet or accessory she’ll want to order.
There are so many clues and signs regarding a bride’s taste and style- be it where she chose to have the wedding, the dress she chose to wear, or even the color of her make-up and hair style. Considering these important topics and investigating them, help the designer understand and successfully address the bride’s personal taste, and in so doing help create the perfect bouquet or accessory.
In this guide I will address the critical issues that will help in the process of choosing the right bouquet or floral accessory.
The Relationship between the Bride’s Height and Weight to the Size of the Bouquet
The bride’s height and weight are of the utmost importance in designing the bouquet and choosing its size, so that it will accent her form perfectly and will be an inseparable part of her appearance. What do I mean?
For example, a petite bride will look best with a small round bouquet or a subtle cascading bouquet. If, however, she is thin and tall I would offer her a medium sized round bouquet, a flowing cascade or even an elongated bouquet. A full figured short bride will look best with a round bouquet, while a full figured tall bride can opt for a round bouquet, a flowing cascade, or an elongated bouquet.
Every bride has the perfect bouquet for her. Creating the right match, in size and shape will impact on her appearance, will beautify her, and will be a wonderful souvenir captured in pictures in the wedding photo album.
What is the Connection between a Classic or Modern Hair Style and the Bridal Bouquet?
A bride’s hair style along with her dress often make a very deliberate statement regarding her style.
For example: a bride wearing a white or cream long fitted sheath dress with elements of lace or pearls, with a classic updo hairstyle is undeniably aiming for the classic elegant look, and the bouquet she chooses will reflect that.
Wedding Gown Design and the Royal Slippers
Another important consideration is the style of the gown itself:
The color and type of fabric the dress is made of. Will it be fitted sheath or a grand ballroom dress? Will it be long, with a train, or short and dazzling?
To the bride with a ballroom dress I would not recommend a cascading bouquet as it will get swallowed up and lost in the dress. It will be a detriment to the overall look and will cause confusion to the eyes. Instead I would recommend a round and defined bouquet that will blend harmoniously with the dress.
On the other hand, a bride with a long fitted sheath dress can look superb with the following bouquets: the round bouquet, the cascading bouquet, or even the elongated bouquet. “The add on that catches on” Often times I use the same material used to make the dress to design the bouquet’s handle. This creates perfect harmony between the dress and the bouquet. Yet even here, there must be a perfect match! If a bride chooses to wear a full lace gown it is doubtful I will add more lace to the bouquet so as not to overdo the textures. In such a case I would use organza ribbons of the same color as the dress, or perhaps satin or another creative element that will perfectly fit the gown and the overall look of the bride.
The Bridal Slippers Also Matter
Many times brides come to me with vibrant and colorful shoes. For example, I had a bride wear a cream colored country style wedding gown, along with dramatically orange shoes. This choice points to a very clear statement the bride is making regarding her unique style. In this case, there is an expectation for a non-traditional bouquet.
Flowers and Seasons – What Should You Avoid?
Often times, brides order a bouquet for a summer wedding and yet ask for winter flowers.
Winter flowers, while beautiful, are sadly not available in the summer time. It is possible to import flowers, but this is not always recommended. For example, tulips- a beautiful flower that can be imported has a big disadvantage in that it quickly opens and wilts in the summer heat. A bride choosing winter flowers expresses her style and personal taste. Our role as designers is to offer alternatives that are in keeping with her style but composed of flowers of the appropriate season. The bouquet comes out just as stunning!
An important issue I do not compromise on is ordering flowers during the hottest months of the year. In the case of the bridal bouquet, prepared and arranged for a July or August wedding, I try to avoid using heat sensitive flowers such as roses for example and instead suggest to the bride equally beautiful alternatives. If she insists, I suggest using floral foam in the handle so that the flowers remain hydrated and fresh all day.
With floral accessories – for example floral jewelry, hair combs and etc…choosing the right flowers is critical. And so I design the crown and the combs with durable flowers that are resistant to the heat and do not require a source of water, for example baby’s breath, statice, chrysanthemum, craspedia, gomphrena, durable types of orchids and others…
Naturally, I prepare the flowers ahead of time and pretreat them so they will absorb water, filling their stems and increase their lifespan.
Choosing a Bouquet of the Right Shade, or- ‘How Will I Know if this Bouquet Makes Me Pale or Makes Me Glow?’
Colors, colors, colors… often times brides to be come to me with their white dresses and their pale complexion and will ask for a white bouquet. It is the designer’s role to explain to the bride the importance of color as a source of beauty. It is vital to explain to her that in such a case, a white bouquet will drown in the overall look. To such a bride I would recommend other options, for example soft and interesting pastels, or any other colorful option that will catch her eye and her interest.
A Bouquet’s Quality – Seasons and Flowers
I strongly recommend ordering the bridal bouquet at least 2 weeks prior to the wedding. Ordering a bouquet in advance permits the use of a wide variety of flowers that might not be available on short notice. In addition, brides often choose bouquets that require time to allow the flowers to open in time for the big event to create a rich, high quality arrangement.
Examples of flowers that need to open and bloom – lilies, lilium candidum, alstromeria and others…
Ordering at least 2 weeks in advance allows the designer to ensure a natural unforced opening of the flowers, so that on the wedding day they are in their full glory. Prior to the arrangement, the flowers have to undergo a meticulous pretreatment process to preserve their quality and ensure the durability of the bouquet.
To Sum Up
A bridal bouquet is an integral part of a bride’s appearance, or, more specifically, another jewel adorning her. As designers, our task is to the design the perfect bouquet for the bride to be and we can’t do that without taking into consideration all the factors described above.
I wish us all happiness and a bounty of flowers.
With much love,
Orit Hertz
