A wedding is an important day in the life of any girl. But what to do with its symbols after? We're talking about a dress and a bouquet. According to popular belief, a dress should either be burned or kept for life. But if the girl is not superstitious, the wedding dress can be sold or given to another bride.
Where to put the bride's bouquet after the wedding? And in general, where did such a tradition come from? Who buys a bridal bouquet for a wedding? What kind of a sign is it to catch a bouquet at a wedding?
Let's try to tell the whole story of the wedding bouquet.
Let's start from the very beginning.
How the bride's bouquet came about
Flowers have always symbolized holidays. They used to decorate houses, tables and girls before. A wreath on a girl’s head or flowers woven into her braid had a special meaning. Yes, firstly, it is beautiful and emphasizes tender youth, but also in the old days in many countries it was believed that flowers protected a girl’s purity from evil spirits. And when getting married, envious people, rumors and ill-wishers huddle around the bride.
The flowers were on the bride's head and hair for a long time. But in the 19th century, a bouquet suddenly appeared at the wedding of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. Thus, the British queen became a trendsetter and the founder of a wedding tradition, since from now on no bride can do without a bouquet.
Later, florists began to carefully select flowers for bouquets. Everything was taken into account: the meaning of each flower, color scheme, shape, size, special requests of fashionistas.
Photo 1. Wedding of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert (Great Britain, 1840)
Bottom line
There are a lot of signs associated with a wedding bouquet. Although it is not at all difficult to comply with them. Since a flower arrangement is considered one of the most important amulets, a girl should still approach it with all responsibility.
To do this, try to correctly place accents, choose the right colors and plant varieties. In addition, note that the man is currently giving flowers, so he should also be involved in the actual composition.
Give him a similar responsibility. Together you can make the right decision by deciding what is considered more important for your future family.
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Bridal bouquet: traditions and signs
Throwing a bridal bouquet became relevant almost immediately. Even in the Middle Ages, the bride had to give something to her bridesmaids, so that they, taking something from the hands of an already married girl, would thereby attract a quick holiday to themselves.
Most wedding gifts were jewelry. But with the appearance of flowers at the wedding, all attention turned to them. And since there is only one bouquet, and it is impossible to divide it among all the friends, someone decided to throw the “symbol of a quick marriage” into the air - let fate itself decide this issue!
In any case, catching the bride’s bouquet at a wedding is a good omen!
What if the bride’s bouquet fell by? In this case, the girl at whose feet he is closest takes him.
Sometimes the bride's bouquet is given to a specific friend - often a witness. This is no less auspicious sign.
Interesting wedding signs
The main bouquet of the bride should be chosen together with the groom. He gives it to the girl on the wedding day in the morning. It is believed that this accessory protects her from the evil eye, so during the celebration it should not be let go of her hands for a minute. As a last resort, you can give the composition to your mother or fiance to hold.
It’s very bad if the bunch falls to the floor, it can promise a series of troubles and misfortune.
It is also extremely undesirable to throw it into the hall for your girlfriends at the end of the event; for these purposes it is better to choose a backup bouquet.
A good omen for the superstitious is to see flowers in a dream on the eve of a wedding. They say it brings fun, joy and good luck.
It should also be said about what the different colors symbolize. Here are the main values:
- red – passion, flame, love, energy;
- orange – good mood and warmth;
- green – purity, calm, harmony;
- pink – carefree, lightness, fun;
- blue – devotion;
- yellow – joy, brightness, warmth;
- white – simplicity, innocence, goodness.
There is an article on the site dedicated to the red bridal bouquet. You can find out who it is suitable for, what features it has, what it can be made of and how it can be decorated.
The names of the flowers are also of great importance, each of which symbolizes something:
- tulips - passion;
- lilac – tenderness and tremulous feelings;
- lily - beauty;
- lily of the valley - good luck and happiness;
- carnation – perseverance and determination;
- delphinium – carelessness and lightness;
- rose - mysteries and secrets.
If you stop at the latter, then we already wrote about a wedding bouquet of roses. You will learn about their features, what they mean, who they are suitable for, how to make a bouquet of these flowers, etc. This is the place for you if you prefer a bridal bouquet made of tulips. What do these flowers mean, who are they suitable for, why are they interesting, how to use them wisely - the answers to these questions can be found in our other article.
There are also many interesting things related to the design of the composition . Decorative elements made of satin signify the durability and strength of family ties, white lace speaks of the trust of partners and harmony in relationships.
Another interesting sign prohibits throwing flowers away or giving/selling them to anyone. If you are familiar with superstitions, you want prosperity in life and to be happy with your soul mate, keep them as a keepsake.
Who gives the bride's bouquet?
In general, it is advisable to entrust the purchase of the bouquet to the groom. As a last resort, the bouquet should be bought by the bride's father or another close relative on the girl's side. But this is a matter for a man!
It is better for female representatives (even the mother of the bride!) not to touch wedding flowers at all until the wedding itself! If you believe the signs, the newlyweds’ family happiness can be stolen and the husband will continue to “go to the left.”
Photo 2. Bridal bouquet - the final touch to the bride’s image
What should a wedding bouquet be like?
Is it possible to give the bride's bouquet?
What should be the bride's bouquet, signs? There is no clear idea about a wedding bouquet, and never was. Among the variety of plants, the girl will have to choose one or more flowers.
As a rule, such a choice is based on the meanings of flowering plants. It's easy to recognize them. To do this, it is enough to use the entire known language of flowers.
- rose – passion, love and unsolved secrets;
- tulips – hot nature and temperamental spirit;
- lilac - tender and sincere feelings;
- lily – grace and grandeur;
- chrysanthemum – warmth, tranquility and homeliness;
- carnation - determination.
In addition to the varieties of flowers themselves, color shades can also say a lot about them. Of course, the determining criterion in their choice will be stylistic compliance with the general organizational background. However, it is equally important to choose in such a way that the color itself reflects the girl’s inner world and state.
- red – love and passion;
- pink – tenderness and warmth;
- yellow – charm;
- green – calm and friendship;
- blue – complete mutual understanding;
- white – innocence and simplicity;
- orange – positive attitude.
Inheritance
In some families, the wedding bouquet becomes an heirloom. Mothers dry the flower arrangement to give it to their children before the wedding. Throughout the entire celebration, this attribute of the bride is not released from her hands and is treasured like the apple of her eye. It is allowed to entrust the bouquet only to the mother for a while.
Preserving a flower arrangement in its original form until children grow up is not easy. It is allowed to separate the buds into petals, dry them and store them in a linen bag.
Advice! If unsightly mold appears, remove it carefully with a piece of soft cloth or a cotton pad.
It is interesting to know why dry petals are sprinkled on newlyweds who return to the house from the registry office. This custom promises mutual understanding and happiness in the newly-made family.
What to do with the bouquet later
One of the most ancient superstitions says that a bride can lose her happiness along with flowers. What then is the right thing to do in this situation? First of all, calm down. There's nothing terrible here. The solution is simple! Use a backup and keep the wedding flowers at your place. Such a bouquet is purchased so as not to break tradition. Usually it is not very large in size and is lighter, because when you catch it, it should not cause harm. Of course, its decor should completely coincide with the theme of the holiday.
In the West, it is believed that spouses should store wedding flowers for a year, so that during this time they have time to completely dry. On the anniversary, they should definitely be burned - in such a symbolic way, completing the probationary period of family life. It is believed that if newlyweds follow this custom, they will definitely be happy and live together for many years.
Don’t want to resort to such a drastic method, and don’t know where to put the flowers? Take the advice of experts and decorate your home with them.
- Decorate a corner in your apartment with wedding items. Flowers can be placed in the center of the composition, adding also photographs from the wedding ceremony and other memorable things for you.
- Use plants to make wall hangings. By placing it in a beautiful frame, you will create an original and unique decor for your home interior.
- Make a collage of wedding photos and beautifully complement it with boutonnieres. The painting will serve as a daily reminder of the happiest moment in life.
Perfect color and quantity
The classic bouquet is dominated by white flowers - a symbol of the bride’s purity and purity. Shades of pink are acceptable, embodying the tenderness of the feelings of the future spouses. There shouldn't be too much red. Passion in a relationship is not always the key to happiness. The newlyweds will often quarrel over trifles and be jealous of each other. Fights and scandals are possible.
There should be as many flowers in the bouquet as the bride’s age. If the girl is an even number of years, one extra flower is added to avoid misfortune.
Video: how a wedding tradition saved a life
And this video is about how, thanks to tradition, a man who fell through the ice was saved. He accidentally fell into the lens of the camera that was filming the bride and groom. In this case, the newlyweds throw flowers into the river, which is permissible according to ancient Russian wedding customs.
People have come up with a great many superstitions that dictate what a bouquet should be like. Should we believe in them and be afraid of them? If you are suspicious and superstitious, then for your own peace of mind you can follow the basic traditions. But remember that your destiny is only in your hands!
How to throw flowers
One of the main signs about the bride’s wedding bouquet says: an unmarried girl who catches the bride’s bouquet will soon meet her betrothed. This tradition is associated with the desire of single women to receive something from a friend who has already managed to get married. Together with the item received from the young wife, it was supposed to receive part of her luck, which would help her meet her beloved man.
Lonely friends often tried to tear off a piece of a veil or dress. To avoid damage to the wedding dress, a more “legal” way of getting good luck was invented. In the middle or at the end of the holiday, the bride turned her back to the unmarried girls and threw her bouquet. Fate itself had to determine who would receive the energy of success contained in the wedding flowers. In order for a thrown accessory to bring happiness to the girl who caught it and not deprive the newlywed of good luck, you need to take into account the nuances.
- Before throwing, the bride must turn around her axis three times.
- You should mentally say the words of wishes for happiness to your friend.
The tradition of throwing flowers appeared in Western culture. In Rus' it looked different. Lonely friends danced around the hero of the occasion. The bride had to stand in the center with her eyes closed. At a certain moment, the round dance stopped, and the newlywed held out flowers to the person opposite her.
Expert advice! After one of those present catches the bouquet, the bride must take it back. If this is not done, according to the sign, the new family will not be happy and will soon fall apart. You can give only one flower to a friend for good luck in her personal life.
Superstitions about wedding decorations
Wedding jewelry originates from the legends of the ancient peoples of the Volga region and the Caucasus, according to which the bride should wear a necklace and other jewelry made of turquoise. It is believed that turquoise patronizes those born under the sign of Sagittarius and Capricorn, bringing happiness and love to its owners.
In all countries, turquoise is considered a stone of happiness and prosperity. The main properties of the stone: brings peace and prosperity to the home, protects against negative events, prevents quarrels and conflicts between spouses, helps heal broken hearts, and also enhances female attractiveness in the eyes of men. Therefore, the stone has been considered a feminine stone since ancient times.
You don’t have to believe in the following superstitions, but listen and follow them as a way of respecting your ancestors, or at least just in case, because no one is stopping you from doing this.
- Our ancestors paid special attention to wedding signs related to wedding rings. After all, they protect us from severe life shocks, stress, serious illness and envy. Therefore, you need to wear them without taking them off, not lose them and not let anyone try them on, so as not to give away your marital well-being and destroy your happiness.
- The bride's earrings are put on by a friend who has been happily married for several years - then the newlywed will be happy.
- Wedding jewelry and accessories for a wedding dress are not rented or from friends.
- The bride should not wear pearl jewelry on her wedding day. It is believed that if newlyweds are presented with a product made of natural pearls, then there will be many disagreements, troubles and tears in family life. For this reason, guests need to pay close attention to the signs so as not to give an inappropriate gift in the form of pearl jewelry for the wedding.
It is noteworthy that the superstition about pearls
, about the tears of a bride in married life, was formed not so long ago. Initially, when people lived in harmony with nature, jewelry made from this material was considered a symbol of purity, tenderness and fidelity, and this perfectly suits the image of the bride. When applied to weddings, pearls were considered an omen of happiness, good luck and protection from troubles. People believed that by wearing such jewelry, the girl thereby showed the groom and everyone around her that her thoughts were pure.
Each married couple has the power to independently determine in which direction their own relationship will flow. Practical people understand that no wedding decoration can bring sorrow into their lives or, on the contrary, only happiness, until the spouses themselves allow this. Others argue that a sign will definitely come true if you believe in it, so newlyweds need to determine what they themselves are leaning toward, discarding superstitions and other people’s opinions.
Roots of tradition
The handing over of the bride's bouquet was observed back in the days of the ancient Slavs. Then this flower arrangement was filled with deep meaning and special energy . The groom collected a bouquet, only from certain plants that carry the meaning of happiness, strong marriage, love.
While arranging the bouquet, the groom simultaneously uttered a spell so that his union with the bride would be successful and happy. During the wedding, the girl held a bouquet near her chest to feel the love of her new husband.
At the end of the evening, the unmarried bridesmaids danced around the bride, and she remained inside it, blindfolded. When the round dance stopped, the girl standing opposite the bride received the coveted bouquet.
Such a romantic ritual also had a practical meaning: single young people understood which of the girls was ready to get married. This means you can send matchmakers
Throwing the bride's bouquet over the back, rather than passing it in a round dance, was borrowed from Europe. Initially, it was believed that a successful marriage could bring a piece of a wedding dress, so the girls tried to tear off at least a small piece of it.
To keep the dress intact, brides began to attach small flowers to it, but it was not very convenient to pin them, and the outfit was still spoiled. Then the girls began to simply take a small bouquet in their hands - they didn’t mind throwing it to their single girlfriends. To this day, the bride throws a bouquet - this ritual has become an integral part of any wedding celebration.
The bride throws a bouquet into the sky
What do flowers symbolize?
The tradition of using a bouquet at a celebration was preceded by another custom. The guy collected flowers and gave them to his chosen one. Each flower told about the feelings of the lover. If a girl accepted a sign of attention, the guy could woo her.
Nowadays, the bouquet is selected taking into account the preferences of the bride. Today only professional florists know the language of flowers. However, those who wish to observe ancient traditions must remember that:
- The rose has long been considered the main symbol of love. A white rose represents sublime feelings, a red rose represents passion and carnal desires. It is not advisable to use yellow and tea roses for a wedding celebration;
- gerberas speak of friendly sympathy. Husband and wife should not only be passionate lovers, but also friends with each other;
- lilies indicate the serious intentions of the future spouse. He expects the same intentions from the chosen one as his wife;
- orchids are a symbol of fidelity and affection for a loved one.
