You may think a bouquet is a bouquet is a bouquet, right? But—surprise!—there’s a lot more to that collection of blooms than just picking your flower colors. Who’d have thought?
Several different styles—defined by the actual shape of your bouquet—can help reflect your personality and enhance your wedding ambiance. In my time in the Raleigh wedding world, I’ve seen the gamut. Here are the main types of bouquets I see most often.
Hand-tied or hand-held
Think gathering wildflowers. This classic bouquet is quite literally a group of blooms tied loosely together with a single strand. Substitute ribbon for burlap for twine for bedazzled string, pending your taste.
Posy
You’ve probably seen this one before as it’s the most common style. This small bouquet has a round shape to it tied with a ribbon wound up the stems.
Round
This one combines the hand-tied and the posy with its round shape but looser feel of flowers. The ribbon or tie wraps up the stem to give it a fancier look.
Cascade
In true bohemian style, this bouquet mimics a waterfall with flowers or greenery tumbling from the main cluster.
Pageant
Similar to the cascade, the pageant uses longer-stemmed flowers on the bottom to create a draped look.
Some alternative bouquet styles include the composite and pompander. Composite bouquets take different petals and buds and wire them onto a single stem. The pompander looks more like a hanging ball of petals carried with a looped ribbon, a style most popular for flower girls.
There are oh so many options when it comes to bouquets, and the most important thing is to look at pictures and figure out what you like—and what you don’t. As a Durham florist, I’ll be more than happy to help point you in a direction!