Burgeoning bouquets

Judy Dutton
TheKnot.com

Nothing (short of the bride herself) makes wedding guests catch their breath and think “beautiful!” as much as the carefully chosen flowers that are carried down the aisle. It’s an important decision: should you pick poppies or peonies? Something simple or elaborate? A clutch or a cascade? There are countless styles, colors, and blooms to choose from. If the sheer number of options is threatening to throw you into floral overload, never fear: Consider this your field guide.

Bouquet Style 1: Bold Nosegay

This compact bouquet, typically a small cluster of flowers cut to a uniform length, makes a subtle but elegant statement much like the bride who carries it. A nosegay works for nearly every wedding style, but especially for simple, chic affairs. It also won’t overwhelm a bride who’s small in stature.

Best blooms: “In a nosegay, round flowers—roses, peonies, hydrangeas—give the best dome effect,” says renowned floral designer Ian Prosser. And in keeping with their simplicity, these arrangements are often monobotanic, meaning made of all one flower. (Demi Moore carried a small clutch of calla lilies to tie the knot to Ashton Kutcher.) Other options: sweet pea or any type of orchid.

Colors to request: Because they’re so small, a monochromatic nosegay will have the biggest impact. (Gwen Stefani carried a nosegay of mixed white blooms at her wedding.) Hot colors like fuchsia or orange will pack a big punch. Brides who want to shake things up a bit should consider having two shades of one color (such as two tints of red), or related colors (such as pink and peach or blue and lavender) to preserve this bouquet’s stylish yet simple nature.

Special extras: To make this unassuming bouquet pop even more, consider adding clear or colored Swarovski crystal pins—between the flowers or embedded in the petals. 

Bouquet Style 2: Whimsical Cascade

The cascade has taken on a new form, embracing a modern, light and airy feel rather than the voluminous pageant style you might envision. These bouquets are the obvious choice for more formal affairs, but they also fit perfectly in an elaborate garden or any outdoor setting where the surrounding foliage will echo the bride’s floral bouquet.

Best blooms: Longer, pointed flowers such as dendrobium orchids, delphinium, and larkspur are top choices, giving an elegant, contemporary sweep to the cascade, says Prosser. Beware: Cascades that contain too many types of flowers can look old-fashioned. For a more up-to-date look, go beyond the usual filler ferns and ivies and ask for alternatives like maidenhair, autumn, or Korean rock fern and small flowering green stems such as snowdrops, Green Mist Ammi, and Missouri Beauty day lilies.

Colors to request: Because this shape is already so eye-catching, brides are best off going for an understated color scheme like all white or variations on one shade. A good rule of thumb: The brighter the bloom, the less you should use.

Special extras: Keep scale in mind. Nothing screams 1980s beauty queen like an out of control cascade. The lowest point of a cascade should be above the knee, with the width much less than that of your hips. And hold it right below your navel at the hipline, which will keep it from covering up your dress, says Rebecca Cole, author of Flower Power. Case in point: Mira Sorvino carried a cascade of tiny white, blue, and yellow blossoms to the side so guests could ooh and ah over her custom-designed Armani gown.

Bouquet Style 3: Contemporary Composite

While most bouquets have a flowy, natural feel, contemporary bouquets are the polar opposite: Sleek, structured, and almost architectural in nature, these arrangements are all the rage among urban sophisticates and celebrities alike. It’s the perfect match for a modern dress (streamlined, strapless, or A-line) and will look best in more cosmopolitan décor.

Best blooms: Flowers with clean yet dramatic lines (cattleya orchids, gloriosa lilies, calla lilies, protea, and tropicals such as birds of paradise) work well, as do distinctively shaped foliage (Monstera and Xanadu.) Keep things interesting with an asymmetrical mix that contains an odd number of flowers, says Prosser.

Colors to request: Dark, daring colors and combinations reign with these bouquets (Heidi Klum held purple roses at her wedding). Think beyond your typical palettes and consider black-and-white with a striking accent color like hot pink or chartreuse; blues with yellow (especially great for an ocean-side ceremony); or white with any color woven in. The key is to not introduce more than two color stories. Otherwise it will look disjointed against your gown.

Special extras: Use unexpected elements. For evening nuptials, one eye-catching option that is on the rise is fairy lights (made popular by Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason). That contemporary bouquet, made of sterling roses and grape hyacinth, featured tiny fairy lights wired into the flowers—this UK trend is now making its way here.

Bouquet Style 4: Textural Hand-tied

These dense bouquets of blooms show the stems and have an effortless I-just-grabbed-these-from-the-garden feel. Long, loose hair and simple, flowing gowns go well with this carefree style of bouquet, which is often picked for seaside nuptials (barefoot bride Jennifer Garner’s beachside bouquet was a hand-tied, single, long-stemmed calla lily) or ranch events (Sandra Bullock carried red roses tied with leather straps for her western-themed wedding).

Best blooms: Pretty much any flower will look great, with lilies, roses, orchids, hydrangeas, peonies, tulips, and mini calla lilies topping florists’ lists. And while their aura is already fairly informal, the trend is to make them even more casual by loosening up the arrangement and including more greenery such as berries, grasses, and herbs including rosemary, lemon balm, sage, and mint.

Colors to request: Bright, diverse color combinations are a no-brainer for this bouquet: Think raspberry pinks, oranges and reds; chocolate brown with apple green accents; all shades of yellows and creamy whites; or the full gamut of pinks from ballet slipper to deep sherbet. You can have fun with hand-tied bouquets. The key to keeping it chic is to keep your color limit at three.

Special extras: “Since the stems are showing, florists have gotten very creative with what they wrap them with,” says Randie Pellegrini, executive producer and owner of the celeb event planning company, Cordially Invited Inc., in Beverly Hills, CA. Ribbons matched to the bouquet (and without a bow), pearls, rhinestones, fancy buttons, and sentimental brooches from family members all lend themselves to a modern look.