Bridal Bouquets and Wedding Flowers: Extra Special Touches for an Extra Special Day

How to Personalize Your Wedding Bouquet and Ceremony Flowers

So many details go into planning a wedding.  For the bride, it is easy to be so overwhelmed and distracted by the planning, you forget that this day is a celebration of YOU and HIM and the people who love you both.  One easy way to make your day extra special is to personalize your bouquet and other flower arrangements.  

There are several reasons a bride might want to add a personal touch to her floral arrangements.

• To remember someone special who has died
• To honor someone special to the bride or groom
• To remember a significant event in the bride’s and groom’s lives
• To create a keepsake for the bride and groom or for someone special to them

So, as you make decisions on what kind of flowers you want, what color flowers, whether to use silk or fresh, and so forth, also consider the following ideas:

• Add a colored ribbon

I designed flowers for one bride who wanted to remember a baby nephew who had died.  She asked that I add a tiny blue bow to the back of the bouquet.  Though blue wasn’t her wedding color, it didn’t clash because only she could see it.  And it served as a beautiful remembrance of her beloved nephew.  After the wedding, she could present the ribbon to her nephew’s mother so that the mother would know her baby had been remembered and missed.

• Tie small photos onto the ends of your bouquet ribbons

The photos could be of a special person (e.g., a family member who is unable to be there in person, children of the bride or groom, someone who has died, etc.), or of the bride and groom when they were children.  Photos are such cherished items; think how you will treasure the ones you carry down the aisle.

• Incorporate the favorite flower of someone special

Suppose you want a rose bouquet, but your beloved grandmother’s favorite flower was a pansy.  Your floral designer could add a few small pansies to the bouquet tucked in among the roses, so that they add to the bouquet but don’t overpower it.  You will have a beautiful bouquet full of roses, but will have the added touch of your grandmother’s flowers, too.

• Tie in a charm

Choose a small jewelry charm that represents something special to you.  It could be the initial of someone you love, a religious symbol, or even something to represent your hobby or passion—whatever is meaningful to you.  Your floral designer can tie the charm onto your bouquet ribbons or wire it in among the flowers.  After the wedding, remove the charm, and put it on a charm bracelet or a chain.  Every time you wear the charm you will be reminded of your wedding day.  The charm might even become an heirloom that gets passed on to every bride in the family or to your own daughter one day.

A variation of this idea would be to choose a charm for the bride’s mom to be put in her daughter’s bouquet and a charm for the groom’s mom to be fastened to her son’s boutonniere.  Present both of these charms to the moms after the ceremony as a special gesture of love and appreciation for these very special ladies.

• Add a memento from a vacation or from childhood

Seashells from the beach where he proposed, ticket stubs from your first date, or even that adorable macaroni necklace your groom made in kindergarten can be discreetly tucked into your bouquet or tied to the handle with a ribbon.  (If you decide to use the macaroni necklace, though, don’t tell your groom until after the wedding.  He might just die of embarrassment beforehand.)  Or if you don’t want to use a memento you already have, include a small new trinket that can grace your new home or be used as a Christmas ornament each year after you are married. 

• Something old

A piece of lace from your mother’s wedding gown, or an antique handkerchief from your groom’s grandmother, can be tied into the bouquet or used as ribbon or a bouquet stem wrap.  

• Something new

Did your groom give you a new piece of jewelry for a wedding gift, but you already have the perfect jewels for your big day picked out?  Add your “something new” to the bouquet (a bracelet or necklace can be tied onto the bouquet handle or secured around some of the flower stems.  A ring, earrings, or brooch can dangle from the bouquet ribbons).  It won’t detract from your carefully coordinated accessories, but it will still have a place of honor as part of your ensemble.

• Something borrowed

My best friend borrowed a very silly brooch of mine for her wedding.  It was just a piece of costume jewelry and definitely not suitable for a wedding, so we pinned it where it wouldn’t show.  Only she and I knew it was there.  What a fun secret between best friends on her wedding day!

• Something blue

Iris, hyacinth, sweet pea, delphinium, cornflower and hydrangea all come in blue.  And of course, in the world of artificial flowers, even blue roses and daisies abound.  Or, if you don’t want to use blue flowers, consider this--one bride I know tucked a blue handkerchief into her bouquet.  She was glad to have it when her groom surprised her during the ceremony by singing a song he wrote for her.  She wept tears of joy, but had her handkerchief handy.

Personalizing the Other Wedding Flowers

• Bridesmaid bouquets

Personalizing your bridesmaid bouquets can also be done, but will take a bit more planning and coordination to pull off well.  To make a special gesture to each bridesmaid, ask her which kind of flower she likes best.  Have your floral designer build each bridesmaid’s bouquet using a similar size and structure (i.e., all hand-tied and with matching ribbons and greenery), but with each bouquet featuring that bridesmaid’s favorite flower.  Most kinds of flowers come in more than one color, so depending on the flowers your bridesmaids love best, you can probably blend the colors quite well even if they are not exactly the same shades.

Or, if you want the bouquets to match, but still want to personalize them for your bridesmaids, consider using the charm or jewelry idea mentioned above.  Give your bridesmaids jewelry as their bridal thank-you gift, and tuck the jewelry among their flowers or tie it on the bouquet handles.  One bride I know chose a different charm for each girl—one that symbolized the special relationship she shared with each bridesmaid.

• Corsages

The mothers’ corsages can be personalized by using their favorite flower as well.  Or, as a variation on that idea, have your floral designer use the language of flowers to send a special message to your mother.  Include a card with her corsage that explains what the flowers in her corsage mean.  For example:

Azalea--Take care of yourself for me
Baby's Breath--Everlasting love; happiness; pure in heart
Calla--Magnificent beauty
Gardenia--You're lovely; refinement; joy
Iris--Faith; hope; wisdom and valor
Orchid (Cattleya)--Mature charm
Rose (tea)--I'll always remember
Salvia (blue)--I think of you
Snowdrop--Hope
Statice--Lasting beauty
Sweet pea--Goodbye; departure; blissful pleasure; Thank you for a lovely time

• Centerpieces and display arrangements

Your other floral arrangements can also be designed to reflect your unique personalities.  Consider adding small photos (either in frames or on decorative picks) of you and your happy groom or cherished family members to the table arrangements at the reception.  

A fun centerpiece for the guest book or cake table can be created by adding small childhood toys beloved by you and the groom to the floral arrangement.  This kind of arrangement will give your guests a glimpse of the children you once were.  Discuss the kinds of items you want to incorporate into the floral arrangements with your floral designer.  She will be able to help you design the perfect centerpieces for your big day.

Also, you can place a memorial rose in a place of honor (on the table with the guest book, on a pedestal near the alter, etc.) to remember a loved one who has died.  Make a note of explanation in the program or on a play card next to the flower.

Or, present each guest with a silk long-stem rose that has a blank card tied to it (perhaps have them on the reception tables or have an usher hand them out as your guests arrive).  Each guest can write a thought or wish to you on the card and add their flower to a large vase until a full bouquet has been created.  The bouquet will make a lovely arrangement for your new home, and you will cherish the special wishes of happiness your guests have made for you.  (This idea works best at a smaller, more intimate ceremony.)

The wedding flowers are one of the most important parts of the wedding.  They reflect the tastes of the couple and help set the tone of the ceremony and reception.  So much effort and time go into making a wedding extra special—why not spend some time make your flowers extra special too?

If you enjoyed this guide to personalizing your wedding flowers, and found it useful, please let us know.  Also, please stop by our Ebay Store to see our high-quality silk wedding flowers and other wedding items!