Florist Affluence Floral, Atlanta, Georgia, 678.907.2767

Your Wedding Bouquet

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Shape
Pick a shape that suits you. You'll want your bouquet to complement your body shape so that you feel comfortable and relaxed holding it. Traditionally, if you are petite, a smaller bouquet will suit you better. If you are tall, you can easily pick a more cascading or long architectural style. The flowers you choose will help dictate the style and look of the day.

Complexion
It's important that your bouquet complement your coloring. If you are naturally pale, choose a richer cream to avoid pure white flowers causing a draining effect in your photographs. Rich, saturated colors complement a darker complexion.

Style of dress
If you have a chic and streamlined dress, you can really go all out and add textured or architectural flowers. If you have a lot of beading and detailing on your dress, find a flower that will enhance the details, not clash with them.

It 's all about You

As a bride, you may wander through bridal shows looking for inspiration, scan a multitude of wedding magazines, surf the Internet - all in an effort discover what appeals to your particular sense of color and drama. Ultimately, you pick those colors and textures that will personalize each element of your wedding day, the ones that have your artistry in mind. Today's wedding bouquets are more personal than ever, running the gamut from classic all-white formal arrangements to unique designs featuring brightly colored flowers. The following are eight popular bouquet styles:

Cluster Posy

Nosegays - round clusters of flowers - are a very trendy style of bridal bouquet. Also called a tussie mussie, this style of bouquet dates back to the 14^th century, when it was used to mask unpleasant odors - thus the term "nosegay." Nosegays can vary in sophistication and are therefore a good choice for any wedding.

This design is strictly round shaped from the front view and softly rounded from the side view. For a formal effect, the same variety is used such as roses. If you prefer a less formal "spring" look a mixture of three to five varieties such as lisianthus, freesias and hyacinth look beautiful together. With this design the posy usually has foliage, such as glossy Camellia leaves around the perimeter.

Suggested flowers: Flowers with a round/soft head or shape - for example: open roses, parrot tulips, lisianthus, ranunculus, roses, freesia, peonies, sweet peas, hyacinths and berry clusters.
Compatible dress style: This style of bouquet looks best with a gown that has a long skirt or is box pleated or A-line. The cluster posy can either be held with both hands or with one hand at your side. Either way it is best to hold it low to show off your gown.

Hand - Tied

Hand-tied bouquets by placing the stems of the flowers, foliage and accessories in their hand and wrapping them around the center of the design until they are securely fastened. These arrangements are designed to show the natural growth of the stems, which are often wrapped in ribbon or French braided together. Hand-tied bouquets have a more casual air and are particularly nice for garden weddings and brides who like the feeling of an unarranged gathering of flowers.

Suggested flowers: Medium booms .Calla lilies, hydrangea, lisianthus, tulips, roses, alstroemeria, asiatic or oriental lily, gerberas, freesias, cymbidium orchids, irises, agapantus or native varieties.
Compatible dress style: A simple cut, straight or A-line gown with or without straps.

Loose Posy

The loose posy is informal in its appearance as its not strictly round or even on the edges. The effect is achieved by mixing different sizes blooms with textured foliages throughout the flowers to give an unstructured natural "just picked" effect. Stems are left natural and slightly longer to accent the design.

Suggested flowers: Larger, defined flowers work best .Consider tulips, lisianthus, alstroemeria, asiatic or oriental lily, lotus pods, gerberas, freesias, cymbidium orchids, irises, frangipanis, antherium, or native varieties. More greenery and exotic leaves helps make the bouquet look informal and relaxed.
Compatible dress style: A simple cut, straight or A-line gown with or without straps.

Arm sheaf (hand spray)

This is one of the most versatile designs as it can be held in many different ways. The arm sheaf looks natural and elegant for any bride because it can be held in an upward position across the forearm with the top blooms falling over the elbow and the stems held in the bride's hand. Or alternatively,, this bouquet can be held on an angle cascading down the gown or like a teardrop form the hips. The stems end together and the flowers need to be long and cascading, sometimes graduated. Foliage can be dramatic and vines can trail from the bouquet.

Suggested flowers: Anything long stemmed and structured like roses, lilies, orchids, tulips, irises and magnolias
Compatible dress style: A long straight or fitted dress works well with this design.

Teardrop - Exotic

This style of bouquet has a posy top with a wider trail flowing down to form a teardrop. Formal flowers such as roses and orchids are appropriate with this design as the flowers are confined within the teardrop shape and foliage such as glossy Camellia leaves are used around the perimeter.

Suggested flowers: Roses, orchids, tulips or peonies as feature flowers surrounded by smaller flowers like miniature roses, Singapore orchids, trailing berries and lisianthus.
Compatible dress style: A traditional long gown with a full skirt and/or train.

Cascading

This style of bouquet is very slender from the top to the tip. It can look quite dramatic with cascades of long trailing vines and flowers flowing down to form a narrow tip. Care needs to be taken to ensure the bouquet is in proportion to the brides height and dress style as it can overwhelm the dress if too large or bushy. A trailing bouquet is held with both hands and carried in line with the hips.

Suggested flowers: Roses, orchids, tulips or lilies as feature flowers surrounded by smaller flowers like miniature roses, Singapore orchids, jasmine, hyacinths, freesias, trailing berries and lisianthus.
Compatible dress style: A traditional gown with a full skirt and sweeping train that trails like the flowers. A narrower cascading trail bouquet is also good with a straight gown as it helps create the illusion of slimmer hips.

Contemporary

Contemporary bouquets are inspired by unconventional ideas, styles and patterns and are designed with no specific geometric form. They are usually created with flowers that have definite form and add character to a bouquet (such as calla lilies, orchids and anthuriums). Contemporary bouquets represent the individuality of the bride and are perfect for a sophisticated, cosmopolitan style wedding. They're simplistic but have the added grace of asymmetrical design.

Suggested flowers: Exotic tropical flowers - orchids, protea, birds of paradise, ginger, anthurium, tropical leaf, variegated foliage, roses, lilies.
Compatible dress style: A simple cut, straight or A-line gown with or without straps.

Designer

Anything goes in this design! this style of bouquet is usually dramatic and often contains exotic blooms, spectacular foliage, berries, seedpods, fruit or crystals and beads to accent the design.