History of Wedding Bouquets

There are many different types, styles and flowers used in wedding bouquets today. And for most modern day brides the addition of these bouquets add to the romance of the wedding day itself but, have you ever wondered where the tradition of carrying a wedding bouquet originated or how it became such an important part of our wedding traditions? Knowing a little about the history of wedding bouquets may make choosing that perfect bouquet a little more meaningful for today's brides.

No one knows for sure when carrying wedding bouquets actually began. However, these bouquets have been part of the wedding ceremony since ancient times. The original wedding bouquets were not made up of beautiful flowers however, but of herbs and spices. In ancient times bouquets made of garlic and other aromatic herbs were carried by brides to ward off evil spirits to keep the bride safe on the day of her wedding.

In Ancient Greek and Rome both the bride and groom wore garlands around their neck. These garlands were made up of herbs and spices that signified the start of their new life together, hope for the future and fertility. Celtic bouquets often consisted of heather and thistle as well as spices and were used to ward off evil.

By the time Queen Victoria and Prince Albert married flowers had been added to bouquets replacing many of the spices and herbs although edible flowers were still contained in the bouquets along with dill that was thought of as the lust herb. During the reception the bride and groom along with their guests would eat the dill from the bouquets to increase sexual desire.

During the Victorian era flowers were chosen not because of their beauty or fragrance but, because of the message they conveyed. Each flower was assigned a special meaning. This limited the choice of flowers that brides chose to use in their bouquets because some beautiful flowers were assigned some very negative meanings making them undesirable to use in the wedding bouquet. However, as times changed, many of the meanings of these flowers were lost to the general public and brides began choosing flowers based on their colour, shape and availability.

Today's brides choose their bouquets based on their own personal choices rather than hidden meanings to be found in the flowers and today you are as likely to see brides carrying bouquets of silk flowers as you are to see those carrying fresh flowers. This is due in large part to the improvement in artificial flowers in modern times and the brides desire to keep the bouquet as a memory of her special day.

In fact, today's modern brides often have two bridal bouquets. One that she keeps and a smaller version that she throws as part of the wedding traditions allowing her to still toss a bouquet and keep one for her as a keepsake.

Whether it is the bride of ancient time carrying herbs to ward off evil spirits or today's modern bride carrying a brightly colour and intricate designed bouquet, the wedding bouquet is one wedding tradition that is destined to remain a part of our wedding tradition.