The modern bridal bouquet can be traced back to Queen Victoria, who carried a tussie-mussie to her wedding to Prince Albert. Since it is your wedding, you can choose to carry a bouquet if you like (or not).
Whether you are allergic to pollen or you're just not the floral type, weddings don't have to have flowers, and flowerless wedding can be even more bold, beautiful and unique than their botanical counterpart.
I've seen plenty of instances where folks replace flowers with something else — like lanterns, candles, clutches, feathers, and parasols. Some brides walk with a book in their hand (usually the bible, but could just as well be the Kama Sutra), framed photographs, or other family heirlooms.
Can brides actually walk down the aisle alone? Absolutely! It is actually an old tradition that the father is passing his daughter to her husband to take care of and cherish.
The easiest and most common answer is to hand your bouquet to your Maid/Matron of Honor/Man of Honor. They can hold any bouquets and be a rock star for you. You'll be hands-free and able to hold hands with your best friend, wipe away tears, and exchange rings.
So the final answer to “Do I need a wedding bouquet?” is ABSOLUTELY NOT… but you've got tons of options! Whatever type of offbeat bride you are, just remember, you have options. And as long as you feel confident about your choice, you will look beautiful with whatever you choose to carry.
You can choose to skip out on having flower girls altogether, or you can get creative by giving the role to a friend or family member that isn't already a part of the wedding party. You can even give this role to a pet who is trained and able to follow the cue of when to walk down the aisle.
While wearing “something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue” is a pretty outdated tradition, many brides still have fun with it today.
Roses consistently top the list of choices for a classic, traditional bouquet. Why not consider traditional with a twist? Carry one single rose, with sprigs of greenery around it, or opt to hold a bouquet of four or five roses all the same color.
Greenery vines, like ivy and eucalyptus, are incredibly versatile which makes them a great material to use if you've come up with an especially creative bouquet alternative idea.
Who pays for the flower girl's dress? Typically the parents of the flower girl will take on the cost of paying for the dress. If you have a little extra in your wedding budget and you can gift the dress to the flower girl that is lovely but not required.
You don't have to have a flower girl or a ring bearer, especially if you don't have anyone in mind for the role. You can either choose to skip having those two things all together, and ask a groomsmen to be in charge of your rings, or you can get creative.
"Usually a simple hairstyle is all that is needed (a few minutes to curl or put her hair up) depending on age," says Candice Coppola, owner and creative director at A Jubilee Event. The pro adds that it's a thoughtful gesture to offer to pay for this as your gift to the young attendant.
This is entirely up to preference. If the person who catches the bouquet wants to keep it (and the bride wants to give it up), they totally can. If not, many newlyweds opt to either give their arrangements to guests as favors or donate the flowers to a charity the next day.
Of course, the original meaning behind the bouquet toss has become obsolete, but many couples still incorporate the activity today. In fact, Shannon Leahy Rosenbaum, a planner and designer at Shannon Leahy Events in San Francisco, says it occurs at about around half of the weddings she plans.
The maid of honor.
Hand it to her at the start of the ceremony and let her keep it until after your first kiss. That way you can walk back up the aisle as a married woman with flowers in hand.
Using fake flowers or plants for a wedding is not tacky at all as long as you select high-quality artificial plants that look just as natural as the real ones. In fact, high-quality faux plants or flowers can even make your wedding appear more elegant while stretching the dollar.
2. DIY Wedding Décor. With weddings shifting focus from quantity to quality, “do it yourself” wedding decor has become increasingly popular. DIY wedding elements—from signage to photo booths—are an easy and affordable way to get loved ones involved in the wedding planning process and save money.
From walking down the aisle first to last, the traditional order is: Mother of Bride, Mother of Groom, Grandparents of Bride, Grandparents of Groom, Groom, Officiant, the Wedding Party, Maid of Honor and Best Man, Ring Bearer, Flower Girl and lastly the Bride and her Father.
It means that no one caught the flowers and nothing more. It's only a tradition, you know, for fun. Just like if someone had caught the flowers, it wouldn't have meant that that person would necessarily have soon be married, but since it's within the realm of reality, they might have been.
"The bride should cover the cost of her wedding party's hair and makeup, especially if she's requesting or encouraging them to have it done," says Jove Meyer of Jove Meyer Events. Meyer says most of his brides fund bridesmaid hair and makeup for their crew.