How to Choose Flowers for the Bridesmaids' Bouquets

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Explore this ArticleFinding InspirationPlaying with Size and ColorPutting It All TogetherAsk a QuestionRelated ArticlesReferences

You’re getting married, you’ve already made most of the countless choices that come with planning a wedding, and one of the few things left to decide is which flowers will go into the bridesmaids’ bouquets. This process can be an added stress, but if you keep in mind the color and size of your own bouquet and dress as well as the overall theme of your wedding, you can easily pick beautiful bouquets that fit your budget.

Method1

Finding Inspiration

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   Fit the bridesmaids’ bouquets to your wedding’s theme. If your wedding has a rustic, country vibe, you’ll want to avoid overly formal flowers like roses. If your wedding is rebellious and nonconformist, then traditionally softer flowers like lilies may not be a match. One way to match flowers to theme is to use their symbolic meanings.^[1]

   • Baby’s breath is an excellent bouquet filler that symbolizes innocence.
   • Chrysanthemums are underrated flowers that represent wealth and abundance.
   • Roses are classic symbols of love, joy, and beauty.
   • Tulips represent love’s more passionate side.
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   Use your dress and the bridesmaids' dresses as blueprints for the bouquets.Florists recommend choosing your dress before choosing flowers, since the dress is such a central feature of the wedding day and usually a more personal decision than the choice of bouquets. Think about what the style and color of these dresses mean to you, and pick flowers that reflect that meaning.
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   Give each bridesmaid’s bouquet one type of flower from the bridal bouquet. The bridal bouquet typically features the widest variety of colors and types of flowers, and you can deconstruct it by making each bridesmaid’s bouquet out of only one type of flower featured in the bridal bouquet. If you have roses, daisies, lilies, and mums in your bouquet, you can make one bridesmaid’s bouquet from roses, another’s from daisies, and so on.

Method2

Playing with Size and Color

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   Create bridesmaids’ bouquets that are a smaller version of the bridal bouquet.This is the most popular way to choose flowers for the bridesmaids’ bouquets. If you are carrying a large bouquet of mostly tulips, your bridesmaids can carry smaller bouquets of the same tulips in the same colors. Don't let them outshine you, whatever you decide. Your bridesmaids' bouquets should be smaller than yours no matter what.^[2]

   • Just because your bridesmaids are carrying smaller versions of your bouquet does not mean that their bouquets have to have the exact same arrangement as yours. Trust your florist, and encourage them to create subtle variations within your parameters.
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   Pair large bouquets with bigger, more ornate dresses. A simple rule of thumb is the bigger the dress, the bigger the bouquet. A more ornate dress can accommodate a bigger bouquet with a mixture of flowers, as long as the bouquet does not overpower the dress.^[3]
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   Pick a smaller bouquet for bridesmaids wearing simpler dresses. If the dress is understated, even a bouquet of one type of flower may suffice.
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   Coordinate the size of the bouquet with the size of the person holding it. You want to make sure that the bouquet you choose does not overwhelm the carrier. The bouquet should be just one part of the full ensemble that includes the dress, shoes, and person, and it should not make your bridesmaids invisible.
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   Match bouquets to dress colors. When matching colors, choose a bouquet that is a darker or lighter shade of the same hue. For instance, a sky blue dress goes well with a cerulean bouquet. Choosing a bouquet the exact same color as a bridesmaid’s dress tends to drown out the details of both the dress and the bouquet.^[4]
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   Contrast the bridesmaids’ bouquets with their dresses. An easy way to do this is to pick a color of bouquet that is adjacent on the color wheel to the color of the dress, e.g. an orange bouquet with a yellow dress. Or you can choose opposite colors, such as yellow and violet.^[5]
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   Put your bouquet’s flowers in your bridesmaids’ bouquets in different colors.This is a creative way to make your bridesmaids’ bouquets match your own. If your bouquet features a large quantity of red roses with a sprinkling of baby’s breath, keep the baby’s breath but give your bridesmaids yellow or pink roses in their bouquets. The same matching and contrasting techniques used with dresses apply here.
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   Select different flowers that match the colors in your bouquet. If you’re carrying white roses, give your bridesmaids white lilies, gardenias, or orchids. You can even give each one different flowers for maximum variety within a monochromatic look.

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   Designate which flowers are perfect for your budget and which are stretch options. There are so many options available that you don't have to pay a fortune to get something nice. Sticking to your budget can keep you from being overwhelmed because you can eliminate options from the start.
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   Choose bouquets that fit the wedding party's floral choices as a whole. They should complement the ushers' boutonnieres, the flower girl’s bouquet, and ideally, your table centerpieces as well.
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   Enhance wedding pictures with smaller bouquets for larger wedding parties.The more family members and friends you have in your pictures, the simpler you should keep the bouquets so that the people are not overwhelmed by flowers.
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   Encourage the creativity of your bridesmaids. Consult their opinions on the flowers that should go in their bouquets, or give them the power to create individual bouquets that reflect their personalities. This can be a slippery slope if you have opinionated bridesmaids, and it might make you more comfortable to have final approval of their bouquets. The best way to approach this is to narrow the flower choices to a few you like and then ask for them to pick from these options.