Wedding Bouquet - How to Choose the Perfect Bouquet for your Wedding

Your wedding flowers will represent a significant portion of your wedding budget. However, when it comes to your wedding bouquet, there is a lot to consider. Many brides will develop an emotional attachment to their bouquet with many choosing to have their preserved after the wedding is over.

The style and shape of your bouquet also needs to coordinate with your wedding outfit. A good florist will be able to advise you on the best bouquet to suit your look, but you should also be aware of the shapes and styles that are available.

A hand tied bouquet is the most popular choice these days. These are round in shape with the stalks being hidden under the flowers. Generally they will suit most styles of wedding dress and this shape is also popular for bridesmaid's bouquets.

Shower bouquets are generally more expensive than hand tied versions because they require individual flowers to be wired to create the cascade effect. These are good for dramatic dress styles as they are quite large.

Tear drop bouquets are smaller than a shower bouquet but have wired flowers forming a neat tear drop shape. The tapered shape of this bouquet makes it suitable for many dress styles.

For a contemporary touch choose to carry just a single flower such as a long stemmed calla lily. This is a great look for an informal wedding and works well with very simple dresses.

Pomanders are generally the bouquet of choice for bridesmaids and flower girls. These spherical arrangements have flowers placed around a large ball of foam and a ribbon carry handle attached at the top.

It is important that you firstly tell your florist exactly the style and shape of your wedding dress, providing a picture would be a good idea and that you heed their advice. Choosing a bouquet which is too big will make you appear to be hiding behind it, likewise, choose one which is too small and your beautiful bouquet could appear insignificant and totally drowned out by your dress.

If you don't want to throw your actual wedding bouquet at the reception then ask your florist to make a second one from less expensive flowers which you can throw. This then leaves your original bouquet intact for you to preserve.

Finally you will need to practice holding your bouquet so it is at the right height. Try and purchase a silk or paper version to practice with just make sure it is in the right shape and size! Hold it too high and your guests might not be able to see you for it and if you walk down the aisle clutching it with white knuckles you will appear nervous and tense. Try to hold it at navel height level with your belly button so that your guests can see it and your beautiful wedding dress in equal measure.