One of my favorite thing at each wedding is seeing the different details each bride decides to make a part of her ensemble. From the shoes, the veil, the jewelry, the accessories, and even the dress, there are so many ways to make your dress and details into a perfect reflection of your style and taste.

But, there is one thing that I love even more than the jewelry. The BOUQUET. I mean, ladies, what other day of your life do you get to carry around a gorgeous bouquet of flowers? I WISH I could get away with that in everyday life. There are so many different styles and types of bouquets, but there is one thing for certain, IT MATTERS. It might not seem like the most important accessory, but in my opinion, it is.

Why? Because the bouquet is in a LOT of your photos, and it definitely can add to the gorgeousness of the day. Some brides might go for something simple and monotone, and others will choose something bright and colorful. The bouquet is a way to add some personality into your day.

As a photographer, I see SO much value in trusting a florist to design a bouquet that will be the perfect reflection of your tastes and theme of the wedding. I would say that the bridal bouquet ends up in at least 50% of the photos from a wedding. From portraits, bridal party, and family alone there are so many reasons to have a bouquet that is not only beautiful from all angles, but is the proper size!

Below are some tips that one of my FAVORITE florists, Paula from Paisley Petals gave me in regards to bouquets :

“Your bridal bouquet is your ultimate wedding day accessory. Much like the invitations you mail to your guests, it will help set the tone for the feel of the entire day. It should set the stage without stealing the show and compliment your dress beautifully.

With literally thousands of options for wedding day florals, an experienced professional florist will be able to help you sort through the noise and the over-abundance of available ideas to make bloom selections and style choices that will suit you and your day perfectly.

In the age of Pinterest, the number of ideas you see can be seriously overwhelming!

My best advice for honing in on your perfect bouquet match? Find lots of photos of bouquets you love AND lots of photos of bouquets you don’t love. Go through these with your florist. The best way to communicate about floral designs is through photos. Your florist will be able to see what you’re drawn to and what puts you off and put it into words, even if you aren’t sure how to say what you’re looking for. You’ll end up with a finished product that is perfect for you.

The one thing you shouldn’t do? Don’t show your florist a photo of someone else’s bouquet and ask them to duplicate it exactly. It doesn’t feel good to us, and ultimately does you a disservice. You should have a bridal bouquet that is brilliantly one of a kind, just like you!

You want to have enough of a vision to give your florist direction, and enough trust in their talent to let them create something you’re going to swoon over.

One of our favorite things to do is to incorporate personal details into your bouquet. Things like your grandmother’s brooch or lockets with photos of your parents on their wedding day can be easily added to your bouquet handle. We’ve even used lace from the mother of the bride’s wedding dress to wrap the stems of the bride’s bouquet! If there is one particular flower that is especially meaningful to you, we love to use that in your bouquet, even if not in all of the other arrangements. Another idea to make your bouquet meaningful is to pick some flowers with amazing fragrance. You’ll be reminded of your beautiful wedding day every time you smell them! You can even plant some of that particular flower in your own garden after the wedding.”

AMAZING advice, Thank you Paula!

Now, let me show you some of my favorite bouquets! They are all different, but they each compliment the dress and the wedding!

This bouquet was created by Paula from Paisley Petals. I LOVE that the bouquet was loose and natural feeling. The ribbon detail made it feel romantic and I love the colors that she chose!

Amanda’s Bouquet was created by Distinctive Designs. I love that since she had a summer wedding, she went with bright colors! The orange really popped against the greenery of their outdoor wedding ceremony!

Connie’s Bouquet was created by Love Blooms. I LOVE the loose greenery around the edges, along with the lavender and deep purple colors!

Jessica’s Bouquet was created by Amy at Mae Flower Co.. I LOVE the bright colors and the addition of succulents into the bouquet. I also love the size. I love when a bouquet makes a statement!

Anna’s bouquet was also created by Amy at Mae Flower Co. ! I love that she went for white flowers, but had her bridesmaids carry a bright coral color that was a contrast from her bridesmaid dresses.

Jessica & Dan got married in December, so I LOVE that she chose some pinecones to go in the bouquet!

For Claire’s Wedding (Above), she went with simple white blooms and greenery to compliment her bridesmaid’s navy dresses.

Emily’s Bouquet (Below), was created by Flora Laura. I LOVE the beautiful colors. The contrast between light blue and peach just made me so happy!

I hope you found some inspiration and are highly considering hiring a professional florist to design your bouquet. The photos don’t lie, a bouquet REALLY adds to a photo and to the day!

Cheers, Love!

Kels

For information about wedding photography, visit www.kelseylynnephotography.com.