There are few things that get brides as excited about their wedding décor as fresh, beautiful flowers. In most weddings, floral décor helps set the tone for the entire theme and provides a big dose of the elegance, but for sheer ahhhh factor, nothing can compare to the bridal bouquet itself. The problem is, when it comes to flowers, Mother Nature has given us so much to choose from that it can be hard to know where to start.
It’s always good to know what other people are doing, so you can choose whether to embrace the trends or buck them. So what colours and styles of bridal bouquets are trending in 2016?
International Floral Distributors, a consortium of leading floral distributors in the US, has released their 2016 forecast for what’s trending now. According to the IFD forecast, there are several major bridal flowers trends we’ll see this year that will provide gorgeous inspiration and emotional impact for couples and guests alike.
Simple White
With white being by far the most popular wedding dress colour for North American brides, it’s no surprise that a monochromatic theme has always been a preferred choice. This year, expect white bridal bouquets to hit the mainstream. But white doesn’t have to be stark and severe: soft, creamy pastels such as peonies in the palest possible shades of peach, lemon and pink are also trending, or for a winter wedding, try experimenting with the winter wool floral trend which involves wrapping the bouquet in wool. The key to a white bouquet is to mass just one flower variety, such as the afore-mentioned peonies, or more traditional ivory roses or calla lilies.
Majestic Purple
What bride wouldn’t want to carry the royal colour? Purple – in all its incarnations, from deep plum to pale lavender – is hot this year, valued as a magical, regal colour with romantic sophistication. Flowers to use in the majestic purple bridal bouquet include orchids, roses and carnations.
Beautiful Blue
The Lapis palette is defined by blues and whites, a classic combination that is crisp and cool. This bouquet is constructed with roses, calla lilies, peonies and the deep blues of hydrangea or delphinium.
Colourful Kaleidoscope
Brides looking to make a bold statement this year will love the trend towards bright colours and shapes that really pop. Expect colours to be big and exciting; don’t shy away from orange, coral, hot pink and even turquoise. Blooms of choice include the brightest daisies, roses, dahlias and ranunculus.
Earth Angel
Inspired by romantic English garden weddings, this wedding bouquet trend features a soft, unstructured feel and shades of blush and peach as well as natural tones. The look includes roses (of course) combined with succulents and lamb’s ear foliage for a look that’s not quite vintage. The idea is to use various types of flowers that could have been freshly picked from the garden, rather than using just one or two varieties.
Huge budget? It’s all about the luxury blooms this year, with orchids trending for those who can afford them. But with all the choice available to this year’s brides, there’s sure to be a trend that works for any budget and taste.
Hanging blooms
Don’t forget about your floral reception decorations! “If your venue has lovely grounds, choose a statement tree and have bottles hanging from branches filled with pretty blooms,” suggests Gemma. “These can make a wonderful backdrop for photos. You could also use the whole tree as an alternative wedding guest book, asking guests to write their messages on luggage tags and to tie them to the hanging bottles.