The bride's bouquet is an attribute that any wedding cannot do without. Flowers have long symbolized feminine beauty and tenderness; each individual species can be associated with a certain appearance and character. So, for example, young girls and romantic natures very often choose compositions with peonies. These beautiful plants have enjoyed well-deserved popularity since ancient times - the first mentions of them are found in ancient Greek and ancient Egyptian writings, when the construction of gardens was considered almost a sacred process, and each flower had its own unique meaning.
Photo of a wedding bouquet of peonies and roses
Peonies and roses in a wedding bouquet
Peonies have long been considered simple flowers, unable to convey the sophistication and charm of a wedding picture. But in just a few years they won the hearts of brides, florists and decorators. Currently, peonies compete with classic roses and other popular flowers. Moreover, these plants are inexpensive throughout the season.
Perhaps the peony rose looks best in the company of its older brother. It was bred by British breeder David Austin half a century ago. The flower is similar to a peony, but has a rose scent, is more durable and stays fresh longer. Such qualities could not go unnoticed.
Peonies and peony roses in tandem create an elegant and extremely beautiful composition.
Color solution
Both plants offer a wide palette, but not every plant is suitable for a classic wedding. The most popular are peach and white compositions, which always look fresh and delicate. However, for many brides it is important that the bouquet reflects their inner self and acts not only as an attribute of celebration, but also as a symbol of hidden character traits.
- Pink bouquets are suitable for romantic, dreamy and sensitive people. Crimson and scarlet peonies and roses will represent passion and expression, as well as devotion and fidelity. This is a choice for bright girls who are not afraid to talk about their feelings.
- Dark lush buds are a sign of aristocratic taste and love of art. Such roses or peonies speak of the calmness, wisdom beyond her years and inner maturity of the bride, despite her young age.
- White peonies and cream roses in the bouquet symbolize the innocence, purity and modesty of the bride.
- Purple and lilac buds are for creative, creative and self-confident people.
- Bold choices include yellow and orange peony roses and pink peonies. Optimists or people tired of trends gravitate towards these combinations. These girls have a different mentality and a special look at everything.
Form value
A bridal bouquet of roses and peonies looks best in the shape of a neat or slightly unkempt hemisphere. The flowers themselves are layered, fluffy and seem a little messy.
The barely developing buds are held at the altar by girls who are no more than 22 years old. Half-open flowers are most popular among brides aged 22 to 30 years. They retain their shape for a long time and, with proper care, remain fresh until the end of the evening.
Fully blossomed buds are considered the privilege of mature ladies who get married in their fourth decade of life. A bouquet of these plants symbolizes life experience and the fact that a woman is blooming and still beautiful.
Signs and symbolism
Peonies in European countries have long been revered as a sign of wealth and prosperity. In the hands of newlyweds, they speak of strong relationships and program the couple to create a happy family. What do other countries think about lush vegetation?
The Chinese considered peonies to be a symbol of royalty and nobility. They believed that the flower grows only where people are happy and loved.
The Japanese usually planted peony bushes in front of the bride's house. This flower was associated with fertility and good health.
In Greece, where peonies were born, they were considered a talisman against the evil eye or any evil. These flowers were given to newlyweds to protect them from the evil eye.
The peony rose combines the symbolism of two flowers, which means love, reciprocity and tenderness.
A bouquet of roses and peonies speaks of the strong mutual affection of the newlyweds, promising them a long and prosperous life.
Memory of children's holidays
Many people keep in their souls wonderful memories of the most important events of childhood. Everyone whose childhood fell during the Soviet and perestroika years remembers that all touching school holidays were invariably accompanied by lush, beautiful bouquets of flowers. The peonies were a real favorite.
These same flowers were received for birthdays and professional holidays by all those who had a reason to receive congratulations during the peony flowering season. And it must be said that it is quite long: from May to September.
It is worth noting that in the past this flower was the most accessible and widespread. The unpretentious bushes did well in dachas and personal plots; they were often grown even in flower beds at the entrances of high-rise buildings. For special occasions and the most precious people, workers preferred to choose more impressive flowers: roses, callas, gladioli.
Features of choice
Organizing a wedding, decorating a restaurant, buying a dress - against the backdrop of all this, choosing a wedding bouquet seems like an ordinary trifle. And in vain, because she will be in sight all day and must be perfect. Here's what to consider when searching for the perfect bouquet:
- Wedding style. If the bride and groom are not too picky and are planning a traditional wedding, then any colors and shapes of peonies and roses will do. More original couples should be more careful. Lilac buds for a celebration in Provence style, cream, peach and pink flowers for an elegant wedding, red, burgundy or yellow for a celebration in boho style.
- Personality and appearance of the bride. Delicate blondes choose soft colors - pink, ivory, nude, powdery, beige. Bold brunettes should pay attention to bright and rich shades such as scarlet, raspberry and coral. Yellow, white and salmon colors are suitable for red-haired brides.
- Shape and color of the dress. The shades of the dress and the bouquet should under no circumstances overlap. But a strong contrast between colors and fabric is also unacceptable. Here it is necessary to strive for harmony of the picture as a whole.
- Season. A red bouquet will stand out against the winter white. Pink or peach color will complement the abundance of greenery. In summer, colorful flowers should not be left aside, so it is logical to choose bright shades - crimson, yellow, coral. An autumn haircut will allow you to get rid of burgundy or orange buds.
Which brides is it suitable for?
To create a harmonious wedding bouquet, it is not enough to decide on the type of flowers, dimensions and color scheme of the composition. You should choose the shape of the latter, making sure that it matches the bride’s build and the style of the dress.
There are a number of the most popular forms of wedding peony bouquets.
Ball or round bouquet. One of the most popular, fashionable and quite versatile forms. Typically, inflorescences and buds that are not fully opened are used and placed in a spiral arrangement. The middle part of the bouquet is usually formed by lush blooming flowers. It is fluffy terry peonies that allow you to achieve the perfect ball, and fill possible voids with hydrangeas, ranunculus, various small inflorescences, buds, greenery, and decor. Compositions of this shape look harmonious with a classic fluffy dress. Due to their roundness and short stem length, these bouquets are suitable for both slender girls and plump brides.
Do-it-yourself ready-made composition or bouquet
This dilemma torments all brides, because they want to look perfect and personally choose every flower in their future wedding bouquet. Both options have their pros and cons:
- Contact your florist. Many couples prefer not to bother themselves with making a bouquet and shift this responsibility onto the shoulders of a professional. The florist is able to fulfill the most whimsical wishes regarding the shape and size of the future composition. He can advise a confused couple on the best color combination and suggest various ways to break up the floral tones with splashes of green, such as eucalyptus branches. The florist will complete the order on time and, if necessary, order the appropriate flower shades in advance. The disadvantage of this option is its high cost, since the bride and groom will pay not only for the flowers, but also for the bouquet itself. Another thing that can be annoying is stale plants. Unscrupulous flower growers masterfully hide “tired” buds, and they are difficult to immediately find in the general mass.
- Make the bouquet yourself. This is a difficult but interesting undertaking. Here the bride herself will see what and in what quantity to include in the composition, but if there is a lack of skill, the plants can be ruined. In addition, peonies are very delicate and after repeated rearrangement they lose their freshness. Beginner florists are advised not to choose complex bouquets or make them huge. It’s better to practice something simple in advance so as not to fail on the appointed day, and look for ideas on the Internet or come up with your own.
Feminine look
Many dresses, for example, A-line and Greek cut, are in harmony with a bouquet of lilacs. The result is a great airy and light look. For a more sophisticated combination, the bride can choose a dress with a “mermaid” or “fish” silhouette. Then other buds should be added to these flowers to make a harmonious composition.
As for color, the delicate purple color scheme is combined not only with white, but also with the now popular ivory. And girls who like an unusual approach can choose powdery shades of the outfit, which are based on beige. These colors are most often used in vintage dresses with fringe and lace.
In accessories, the bride can repeat the main color accent in her bouquet, but not overdo it. For example, buy shoes of the same color, a hair comb or a wreath on your head.
Selected bouquet in wedding concept
The bride must remember that no matter how beautiful the bouquet is, it must match her outfit and accessories. Otherwise, the girl risks looking ridiculous and stupid, even with such luxurious flowers as peonies and roses.
Combination with the bride's outfit
In wedding floristry, there are several unspoken rules that help newlyweds make the right choice of color and shape of the bouquet:
- The richer and more detailed the bride’s outfit, the smaller and simpler the bouquet should be. It is also worth choosing a monochromatic arrangement of the correct shape, for example, a classic hemisphere or a bouquet tied with a ribbon.
- Bouquets of long stems will go well with long fish-shaped dresses. Both roses and peonies allow you to create such a composition. In addition, to refresh the composition, florists advise adding some hanging greenery, other smaller flowers and pulling the bouquet up.
- Compositions in pastel colors such as soft pink, lilac, cream roses and white peonies go well with flowing dresses made of flowing light fabrics without petticoats. It is better to make the bouquet a little scattered, as if collected in a hurry.
- All types of bouquets can be matched to a classic wedding dress, with the exception of hanging options.
- For a dress with a train, you should not choose an option that is too bright or too massive, so that it does not distract from the dress.
Selection of boutonnieres
When everything is ready for the wedding, there is only one small detail left: the buttonhole. This is usually a smaller version of the bouquet. It should have three flowers if they are small, or one large one, but supplemented with greenery.
For a bouquet of roses and peonies, the buttonhole should preferably be made from a peony rose. It is more durable and will adequately withstand the registry office, photo shoot and restaurant.
Many florists recommend taking as many buds for the buttonhole as there are shades in the bouquet. In the case of peonies or roses, you need to add greenery.
Reader
Most often, brides, when choosing a wedding bouquet in blue, prefer a combination of white and blue colors. A white and blue wedding bouquet is very photogenic.
Svetlana Reznik
In this case, you can choose any flower that is found in such shades and collect a beautiful wedding bouquet for the bride. Blue and white will not require additional decorations. A rose, chrysanthemum (a wedding bouquet with blue chrysanthemums looks especially pretty), orchid or cineraria are best suited for this role. Another trend is a dark blue wedding bouquet. It can be composed of roses, hydrangeas or lobelias.
If the wedding is taking place in spring or summer, you can use wildflowers - you get a very natural blue wedding bouquet. The photo above is proof of this. In this case, blue color can be combined not only with white, but also with other bright shades: yellow, orange, red, green, etc. This bouquet is suitable for a modest bride wearing a straight or tight-fitting dress without a train.
Prolonging the freshness of the composition
Fresh flowers have one drawback - they fade. The bride's bouquet will have a busy and difficult day. What to do to prevent flowers from wilting in the middle of an important day?
Use the following tips to do just that:
- Transport a bouquet from a florist only by car. Keep your flowers in a mini vase with water throughout your trip.
- If the flowers are delivered the day before the ceremony, leave them in the refrigerator in water after removing the apples from the produce drawer (this will speed up their wilting).
- Flowers die in the sun and near heating devices. They will not tolerate a frosty night on the balcony.
- At a wedding, florists strongly advise you to be careful with bows: do not throw them, do not place them in the snow or on the hood of a hot car, do not shake them, do not throw them during a photo shoot, do not wrinkle them, and cut them off and place them in water as soon as possible.
- If it's hot outside, the flowers can be gently sprayed with cool water.
- Classic bouquets are considered the most short-lived, compositions made using an oasis sponge on a porta bouquet are the most durable.
Combinations for a harmonious bridal look
It is important to take into account the harmonious combination of the floral accessory with the dress and other elements of the bride’s image. As for the dress, different designs in terms of color are possible.
These include muted shades in the form of pastel, pink, cream, and ivory. They will perfectly complement the ivory bouquet.
But at the same time, many people want to diversify their image. Classic white is perfect for this. Against the background of a muted pastel bouquet, it will look especially bright, festive and solemn.
Many girls decide to wear colored outfits, thereby emphasizing the non-standard nature of their image. As a result, bright and colorful dresses are possible, which will be diluted with the bride’s muted accessory.
As for styles, preference should be given to the most romantic forms. This is a Greek empire style, short airy dress, sun skirt. You should get away as much as possible from the strict and laconic style, which is characterized by a sheath dress or a fitted silhouette. Maximum airiness, volume and splendor in details will be a harmonious addition to an ivory style wedding.
Tips from stylists and florists
The more information the bride and groom have at their disposal, the better the wedding will go. Sometimes it is better to listen to the opinions of experienced people so as not to find yourself in a stupid situation at the wrong time. These recommendations will help the bride to finally organize all the nuances of a bouquet of roses and peonies, as well as her image:
- Petite girls do not need lush floral arrangements, but ladies with curves should think about them.
- The bouquet should be light so that the bride’s shoulders do not get tired under its weight at the end of the evening.
- Boutonnieres for the groom and garlands for the bridesmaids should be ordered along with the main flowers.
- If the bride has a veil, then a large or irregularly shaped bouquet will not work.
- Eustomas, freesias and small shrub roses will go well with roses and peonies.
- Flowers in the hands of the bride should complement the picture, and not contrast with it.
A bouquet is an important detail of the entire wedding ceremony, and not just the bride’s outfit. For this reason, it is made according to the style of the wedding.
Decor
Florist designers pay special attention to decorating a wedding bouquet. A spectacular accessory requires a decent frame
The bride's bouquet of hydrangias is additionally decorated with:
- ribbons of different lengths and textures;
- a cover (corset) for the leg with beautiful embroidery with pearls or rhinestones;
- lace;
- beads, brooch or pendant, which are attached to the bouquet itself;
- a talisman made of a talisman stone.
For original and bold wedding decisions, non-standard decorations of wedding bouquets are used, for example, a rough cord, buttons or letters with the initials of the newlyweds. In combination with delicate hydrangeas, memorable, non-trivial flower arrangements are obtained.