Source: Yanni Design Studio
If you’re planning a wedding with a vintage theme, you’ll want your bouquet to look authentic. Bridal bouquets have existed for centuries in some cultures, but like every other aspect of fashion, have evolved and altered over time. Though some of your vintage bridal bouquet choices will depend on the era that’s your inspiration, here’s a few basics that should steer you away from the path of anachronisms.
Pick the Right Flowers:
Vintage is a broad term, but it typically means anything between 1870 and 1970. The hybridized flowers of 2014 did not exist during this period, and so should definitely be avoided in your vintage bridal bouquet. This means that you should skip flowers like modern roses in favor of old-world styles, and pass over any dyed flowers (like many calla lillies) for the natural beauty of species from the past. Don’t worry that this will make your bouquet drab, though; heritage flowers are usually just as beautiful as modern ones, and typically have a stronger fragrance.
Color Chronology:
Hot pink and chocolate is an amazing color combination, but it’s also amazingly 21st century. Depending on the era you’re honoring, choose colors that evoke the feel and look of that time period. This could mean faded pastels, like apricot and silver-green, for a Victorian vintage bouquet, or sunny daffodils and contrasting bright blue hyacinths for a boho 1970s look. Not sure what colors were popular in which era? Look at vintage fashion or interior design photos to get an idea of the most popular hues.
Shape with Style:
One way to give your vintage bouquet an instant old-world feeling is to skip over fancy configurations for a simple, hand-tied look. Stems are bound together and cut off evenly, then wrapped several times with a beautiful silk or satin ribbon and finished in a bow. This simple construction is classy, easy to put together, and adaptable to most flowers. It’s also convenient to hang on to and hand off to your bridesmaids during the ceremony, not to mention easier to toss during the reception, while larger bouquets can be tricky to handle.
On the other hand, certain eras, like the 1920s, did sport incredibly showy bouquets. If you’re having a Gatsby-esque wedding, don’t be afraid to go over the top with your flowers, using an oversized silhouette that drapes down toward the floor. To keep it from being too crazy, stick to monochrome flowers of one or two types, plus greenery. White roses and maidenhair ferns are a perfect combination for a show-stopping 1920s-style bouquet.
