A bridal bouquet is a medium to small collection of flowers that a bride holds in her hand throughout the ceremony. It is thrown to a group of unmarried women after the ceremonies are over. It is believed that the girl who catches the bouquet will be the next one to be married.
These bouquets can come in many forms. They used to be predominately fresh flowers, of varying flora. But now they can be made of silk or other media. You can buy the flowers at the florist or get pre made artificial silk flowers. It all depends on your preferences and your budget. If you are creative you can make your own and have a truly unique bouquet.
One of the important things to think about is matching your bouquet with your wedding attire. If you are using fresh flowers you will need to choose flowers that will match your dress and shoes. Silk flowers are easier as they are easy to match.
The brides bouquet has significance. It is not just a nice accessory. It is the symbol of fertility and sexuality. Fragile blooms will signify her sexual fragility and the flowers bring a promise of pregnancy. Many flowers are symbolic of love and good luck and can be included in your bouquet.
Colors are significant as white and red signify death. So no bride will carry a red or white bouquet. The marigold is a very auspicious flower as it signifies the constancy and endurance of love. They are also bright and vibrant, and will contrast well with the white of your wedding dress.
In the olden days herbs were used instead of flowers. Dill had great significance as it was supposed to encourage intimacy. Herbs also had a special significance in ancient times, giving a special meaning to the bouquet.
So when you consider your bouquet, keep in mind some of these traditions and enjoy thinking about them and especially have fun throwing your bouquet over your left shoulder to the unmarried girls. You never know who will be the next lucky bride!