11 of the Most Popular Styles of Wedding Bouquets
Find out which type of flower arrangement is right for your celebration.
From classic round bouquets to stylish cascading arrangements, discover 11 popular wedding bouquet types and decide which one will complement your wedding theme and venue.
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Brides have been carrying bouquets since ancient times, and while the style of these wedding floral arrangements has changed throughout the years, there are a few main types of flowers that women choose to incorporate on their wedding day for their bouquet. From classic round bouquets to stylish cascading arrangements, the choice you make will likely complement the formality of your wedding celebration, as well as your wedding theme and wedding venue. Your floral designer can help you select which one is right for you, but we've also gathered some inspiration to ignite your floral interest.
You may have a particular flower that you want showcased in the bridal bouquet for your wedding– and this can influence which type you choose. Roses and peonies work extremely well for round bouquets, while brides who want to focus on greenery may choose a cascade style or arm sheath for a more glamorous wedding celebration, or a hand-tied bouquet that fits beautifully with an alfresco garden ceremony or rustic fête. Others decide on their bouquet style first – perhaps you've always envisioned walking down the aisle at your wedding ceremony with a perfect round arrangement of orchids. For these brides, we recommend letting your florist know so they can recommend the flowers that will work well depending on color choices, season, wedding location, etc.
Take a look at some of the most popular wedding bouquet styles, below! To get more floral inspiration, click each photo to view the rest of the real wedding.
Round Bouquets
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One of the most popular types of wedding bouquets is the round style. While most round bouquets showcase one type of flower, such as roses or peonies, many brides feature a variety of flowers with a similar look, such as ranunculus, garden roses, or other popular wedding flowers. These types of arrangements don't have to be monochromatic either – feel free to mix up the color of your wedding flowers! Photo by Duke Photography; Planning & Design by Tessa Lyn Events
Presentation Bouquets
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Also known as a pageant-style bouquet or arm sheath, these gorgeous wedding arrangements feature long-stem flowers and foliage or verdure that the bride cradles in her arms. It's an elegant look for a modern or classic wedding and also allows the bride's wedding dress to take center stage since these bouquets are held off to the side. Photo by Justine Ungaro
Cascade Bouquets
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Made popular by the late Princess Diana, the cascading bouquet features flowers that fall gracefully towards the floor in a dramatic style. The floral arrangement is beautiful, regal, and makes quite the statement as you walk down the aisle on your wedding day. Photo by Brandon Kidd Photography
Nosegay Bouquets
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These typically smaller bouquets are perfect for bridesmaids to hold at a wedding. The compact cluster of flowers is wrapped tightly and often places an emphasis on greenery. It's a more petite arrangement of flowers, which can also be a lovely bouquet for a more intimate wedding or even an elopement. Photo by Strand Photo
Posy Bouquets
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Like a nosegay, this floral arrangement is small and easily held in one hand. It's often round in shape and the flowers are also frequently tied with ribbon. Consider personalizing your ribbon with your wedding monogram to create a unique bouquet of flowers for your big day. Photo by Karlisch Photography
Pomander Bouquets
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Also known as a kissing ball, a pomander bouquet features a tightly arranged sphere of flowers that's held with a loop of decorative ribbon. It's mostly carried by flower girls as it's easy to hold – plus it looks adorable! However, we've also seen a number of wedding ceremonies showcase this type of floral arrangement as décor, with flowers suspended from trees or even shepherd hooks along the wedding aisle. Photo by Images by Berit, Inc.
Composite Bouquets
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Also known as a glamelia bouquet, these floral arrangements feature individual flower petals that are designed to look like one large flower. This type of wedding bouquet is quite popular for brides to hold, as well as bridesmaids. They can look lovely for a classic wedding or even a modern wedding celebration. The extended flower petals also create a nice display for photos of your wedding ring! Photo by Studio This Is
Hand-Tied Bouquets
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These types of bouquets are popular for a number of wedding styles, but they're mostly used for boho-chic and rustic wedding fêtes. The casual, loose look showcases flowers that appear freshly picked from the garden, which also beautifully complements an alfresco wedding ceremony. Photo by Ryan Ray Photography
Single Stem Bouquets
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This particular bouquet features three stems, but it provides the same look as a single-stem wedding flower arrangement. Often a great choice for small-budget weddings, brides can carry just one long-stemmed flower that can make quite a statement. We love when brides use larger flowers, such as king protea, lilies, peonies, or even tropical leaves in lieu of flowers. Photo by Kir2ben Photography
Arm Bouquets
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Since many brides feel that a large flower bouquet covers the most beautiful part of their wedding dress, a recent trend is the arm bouquet. Showcasing the same flowers that would appear in a traditional floral arrangement, this style wraps around the arm with ribbon to stay out of the way, so the bride is free to greet her wedding guests. Photo by Christine Bentley Photography
Brooch Bouquets
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This final popular wedding bouquet doesn't even feature flowers. A great choice for brides who want to keep their wedding bouquet as a keepsake for years to come after the wedding, jewelry and brooches can be arranged into a round bouquet-like shape in lieu of fresh flowers. This look is especially popular for vintage-inspired weddings since the wedding arrangements can often include family heirlooms. Photo by KLK Photography; Venue: Vibiana
Did you have a beautiful bouquet or wedding flowers that you would like to share with us? We accept submissions for real weddings here. We can't wait to see your celebration!
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