Sometimes it’s hard to explain to your florist what kind of bouquet you want to walk down the aisle with. This glossary of bouquet shapes will help you create and explain what you what your perfect bouquet to look like for your big day!
Round
- Simple, elegant, and traditional, designed as a tight cluster for destiny, or loosely for an “airy” feel
- Works well with all weddings and dress styles
- Selected flowers will influence the formality of the bouquet
- Can be easily tailored in cost depending on the type, size, and variety of the flowers
Pageant
- Also called “arm sheath” bouquet, long stem flowers and foliage that the bride cradles in her arm
- Can be designed as moderately or elaborately as the bride wants
- Alternative for a modern wedding
- Can be arranged with or without the stems showing and a ribbon-tied as the finishing touch
- Popular floral choice with this bouquet:calla lilies, gladiolus, orchids, long-stemmed roses, delphiniums, and larkspur
Cascading
- Also known as “shower bouquets” is the most formal and traditional; it’s designed to spill gracefully over the bride’s hands for a sophisticated and classy style
- Any flowers can be used to create this kind of bouquet
- It’s rounder at the top and gets narrow into a point at the bottom
- The late Princess Diana’s impressive bridal bouquet was the cascading style
Posy
- Small round bouquet that can be easily held in one hand
- One of the most popular style bouquets for brides and bridesmaids because of this ability to incorporate a wider range of flowers and shapes that are rich in color
- Can be constructed with a hand-wrapped ribbon that matches the wedding and embellished trim, or replacing the stems with floral wire to create a more unified look
- Best used flowers are roses, gerberas, peonies, tulips, and rununclus
Pomander
- Referred to as “kissing ball”, flowers that are suspended from a loop of decorative ribbon
- Typically the flowers are the same size and touch or they overlap in the design
- More interesting and less expensive way to display flowers
- Great for flower girls to hold and as ceremony decor
Nosegay
- Cluster of flowers are more compact, stems are wrapped tightly with either organza or satin ribbon and stems are cut at one length
- Typically have more greenery than the traditional bouquet
- Trendy bouquet style for brides and bridesmaids (but a smaller arrangement)
