Prairie HiveNo wedding will ever be complete without flowers. Flowers are important parts of any wedding, making your special day dreamier and more beautiful. Bridesmaids are traditionally seen carrying bouquets during weddings. But since flowers are not cheap, you might be wondering if you can do away with them.
Do your bridesmaids really need bouquets?
The simple answer is no, your bridesmaids don’t need bouquets at all. The good news is that you can find cheaper and better alternatives that they can wear from arm garlands to wrist corsages.
Should You Get Bouquets for Your Bridesmaids?
Buying extra bouquets for each of your bridesmaids can easily add up the cost. If your budget doesn’t allow it, or you don’t want to spend more than what you can afford, bouquets are not your only option for your bridesmaids as they walk down the aisle. You could even decide to ditch the bouquets altogether and try other alternatives.
Are the Bouquets for Bridesmaids the Same as the Bouquet of the Bride?
Floral bouquets are not always the same, but the bridesmaids’ bouquets are often a variation of the bouquet of the bride.
The bridal party must be cohesive and still similar to one another while still having some slight differences. Since your wedding party will all walk down the aisle during the ceremony, it is important that their bouquets match with each other, or else, your guests will notice it right away.
Who Should Pay for the Bouquets of Your Bridesmaids?
The bride is typically the one who shoulders the expenses for the bouquets, flowery, and other greenery used for the wedding. It is also the bride who plans the types and colors of the flowers and the orders of bouquets. There are also instances when family members are the ones who volunteer to pay for small stuff such as decorations or flowers.
However, there are times when the bridesmaids choose to pay for their individual bouquets, often as requested by the bride or as a form of a gift for her. It is also typical for bridesmaids to pay for their own shoes, dresses, and accessories. For this reason, it is also more ideal if they will also pay for their own bouquets.
Do Bridesmaids Have to Carry Bouquets?
When a bride is planning her wedding, she has many decisions to make. Among these decisions is whether or not her bridesmaids will carry bouquets. Traditionally, bridesmaids carried bouquets of flowers, but this is no longer a requirement. Some brides choose to have their bridesmaids carry flowers, while others do not. There are many factors to consider when making this decision.
If the bride decides to have her bridesmaids carry bouquets, she needs to choose the type of flowers and the design of the bouquets. The flowers should complement the wedding theme and the dresses of the bridesmaids. The bouquet designs can be simple or elaborate, depending on the bride’s preference.
Do Bridesmaids Keep Their Bouquets?
When a bride walks down the aisle, she often has a beautiful bouquet of flowers in her hands. After the wedding is over, what happens to those flowers? Do the bridesmaids get to keep them, or do they have to hand them back over?
Traditionally, the bride’s bouquet is given to the maid of honor, who then gives it to the bride at the end of the wedding. However, there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to bouquets. Some brides choose to let their bridesmaids keep their bouquets as a memento of the day, while others prefer to have them returned.
Alternatives for Bridesmaid Bouquets
Gone are the days when flowers are your only option for bridesmaid bouquets. If you want to deviate from traditional bridesmaids’ flowers or you are looking for something unique that your wedding party can use as they walk down the aisle, here are a few options you can consider:
Arm Garlands
You can ask your wedding florist to prepare gorgeous arm garlands instead of bouquets. The stems can be arranged into a beautiful garland accentuated with baby’s breath that your bridesmaids can wear on their arms.
Balloons
Balloons can also serve as both wedding decors and bouquets, depending on your wedding’s color palette. Don’t forget to ask if some of your bridesmaids have latex allergies, though.
Clutch
Buy some matching clutches that complement your bridesmaids’ dresses in place of bouquets. It is not only unique and stylish as this is also perfect for emergency essentials to help you on your big day.
Dreamcatcher
For whimsy and dreamy wedding ceremony, dreamcatchers are just the best accessory your bridesmaids can carry.
Fabric
Use fabrics to create lovely fabric bouquets depending on your specific wedding colors.
Fans
Fans are cheaper alternatives for bouquets, especially for outdoor weddings. These also work great for summer weddings, not to mention that these can come in handy to keep your ladies cool.
Feathers
If your bridesmaids’ dresses are modern, why not let them carry a feather or even a bouquet of feathers to complement the contemporary look.
Flower Crowns
Say goodbye to bouquets and let your bridesmaids wear lovely flower crowns to have whimsical wedding photos. These flower crowns will look even better if they are wearing more casual dresses.
Flower Necklaces
Your florist can also design some flower necklaces for your bridesmaids to wear like leis.
Fur
If your wedding falls on the holidays or winter season, fur is one of the alternatives to bouquets that they can carry as they walk down the aisle. Fur complements winter wedding themes while keeping their hands warm and comfy.
Lanterns
Dimming the aisle and having your bridesmaids walk down while holding lanterns can make your wedding more romantic and magical.
Mason Jar
Mason jars are popular wedding trends, especially for weddings with rustic themes. Some brides let their bridesmaids carry mason jars of assorted sizes as they walk down the aisle for a more unique touch to the occasion.
Music Sheets Flower
Yes, you can use music sheets and turn them into bouquets as an alternative to floral ones. These can even be kept as wedding mementos depending on the quality of the paper, unlike bouquets made from real flowers.
Palm Leaf
Tropical florals such as palm leaves are your best choice for beach weddings, destination weddings, or tropical-themed weddings.
Paper Flowers
Paper bouquets will always be a great alternative to traditional bouquets. You can use monochromatic palettes that go well with your wedding colors. All you have to do is choose the perfect colored paper for your bridesmaids’ bouquets.
Parasols
Pick parasols of different colors and have your bridesmaids carry them instead of bouquets. If you like, you can have your entire bridal party carry parasols, including the groomsmen.
Ribbon Wands
Festive and cute wedding accessories, ribbon wands are great options if you don’t want to stick with the usual bouquets. Try to use high-quality ribbons like rich velvet ribbon or hand-dyed silk ribbon to dangle from the wands.
Seashells
Seashells can serve as more tactile bridal bouquets instead of flowers for a unique and beachy arrangement.
Wreaths
Different shapes like wreaths are excellent ideas if you don’t want the blooms to be arranged into bouquets. These wreaths can be gorgeous statement floral pieces that would also look great on the photos.
Wrist Corsages
Style some wrist corsages for your bridesmaids and all members of the wedding party. Gone are the day when corsages are only traditionally saved for the groomsmen because they also look great even on your bridesmaids.
