France and the Bridal Bouquet

Many of the traditions associated with a wedding come from France such as a bride’s trousseau (bundle) which was a collection of items the bride took with her upon marrying. Another tradition is the classic wearing of orange blossoms or wearing a white dress which also came from France.

But the history of the bridal bouquet goes quite far back in ancient times. The Ancient Greeks and Romans carried fragrant herbs and spices to ward off bad luck during weddings. The flowers symbolized a new beginning and brought hopes of fertility, happiness, and fidelity. Herbs such as rosemary to represent loyalty, wheat for fertility, ivy for an unbreakable bond, and thistle, thyme, heather, or basil for protection were common.

And since we have no idea what it was like to not use soap and toothpaste but can imagine, flowers helped cover up the odors eminating from all sorts of bodies and sickness. I hate to say but it was the motivating factor as to why perfum first was bottled and spritzed in royal French courts!

Then comes along the uptight Victorian bride to whom flowers are a language. Selecting the right flower to relay the proper message was fraught with stress and social taboo innuendo best avoided.

Things have gotten a little more complicated (in a good way), less evil spirts to ward off and less focus on flower language oriented with today’s bridal bouquet. So, what are the types of bridal bouquets for the modern day couple?

There are 5 things to consider (much simpler in the 21st century) to consider while choosing the flowers for flower bouquets when having your wedding in france:

Personal Preference

Time of Year

Color and Theme

Minor consideration is the style of dress.

Your budget

And more good news! There is no right or wrong about the kind of bouquet. Kind of like hem lines. No longer do we care what length her dress is. So, whether you want a free organic bouquet, just greenery wedding bouquet, round and full, or over your arm to carry it at your side, you get to choose what you’d feel most comfortable with. Remember proportion though. A full figured bride might do well with lots of flowers to carry! How great is that!

Traditions have their place, history has its influences, but the modern day couple really can do what they want to do whether in a French chateau or a Cote d’Azur beach. Anything is possible with floral bouquets. And The Painted Bouquet is here to design it for you!