Why Brides Carry A Bouquet

Every bride carries a flower bouquet on her wedding day. Ever wondered why? Let’s dig deep into the tradition of carrying a wedding bouquet. From the Ancient Times to the time of Queen Victoria, let’s delve into its origin and significance in today’s world.

In Ancient times, there was a tradition of wearing flower garlands on the wedding day. According to folklore, wearing flowering garlands assures the bride and the groom of a bright future and good luck. Flowers were considered as a symbol of fidelity and hope of fertility, and hence every bride is supposed to wear the flowers on her wedding day making way to a happy and prospered married life.

This tradition of wearing flower garland continued unmodified until middle ages. With each passing decade, people started incorporating modification in the flower wearing tradition. In the Middle Ages, the focus shifted more to herbs and spices and less on flowers. At that time, newlyweds were supposed to be in touch with strong-smelling herbs and spices which were thought to ward off evil spirits. Other than that, the strong smell of these herbs and eating them on your wedding day thought to prevent the bride and the groom from ill health.

One of the popular herbs that the couple from Middle Age period used to have is “Dill”. Being the herb of lust, it is known to increase sexual desire when consumed in recommended quantity. The bride and the groom were asked to consume on the reception night.

So, when did the tradition of carrying a bouquet on the wedding day start?

Well, it all started when Queen Victoria got married. She was the first bride to initiate this beautiful tradition. On her wedding, she carried a tussie-mussie, a tiny round clutch of flowers in a filigree holder filled with moss and orange blossom. Her desire to carry flowers on the wedding day became a tradition which every bride loves to follow. 

It’s the Victorian period when lovers started using flowers as a way of expressing their love. From a symbol of good luck and fidelity, flowers became a medium of romance. People started giving flowers to their loved ones to express their feelings. Not only this, it is during this time, each flower got a different meaning. Red rose became the symbol of love whereas Poppy became the symbol of peace.

All thanks to Queen Victoria who started this tradition of carrying flowers in the wedding which extended to exchanging flowers with loved ones.

Nowadays, brides carefully chose flowers for the sentiments they represented, and the blooms she carried, became “her flowers” for the rest of her life.  Flower bouquets have become one of the ornaments that the bride loves to carry on her special day. When it comes to a wedding flower bouquet, there’s a lot to choose from. The most popular flower bouquets are as follows:

• Cascade
• Posy
• Hand-tied
• Round
• Nosegay
• Pomander
• Composite

In today’s modern world, there are plenty of options that a bride can consider when choosing a flower bouquet.

The Conclusion

Every woman loves flowers, no matter what the occasion is. Our ancestors started the tradition of including flowers on the wedding day for good luck and we are blessed that this tradition is still followed, though with minor changes.

From flower garlands to flower bouquets, the tradition has seen slight modifications but that too in a good way. The main purpose of including flowers in a wedding remains the same i.e. inviting the goddess of fertility and fidelity to bless the newlyweds and wish them a happy married life. However, the method to wear them has been changed. Nowadays brides carry flower bouquets not only because it’s a tradition, but to add more value to their wedding attire.

No matter what type of wedding dress she wears on her wedding, a wedding bouquet is all that she needs to complete the bridal look.  

There is no harm in trying new trends but there are deeper reasons for their presence which we should never forget. Flowers do add visual beauty and a touch of romance to a wedding, and above all, they symbolize good luck and fidelity for the bride and the groom. Let’s not forget that.