Birthday
HydrangeasToday it is hard to imagine a bride without a bouquet, but the tradition has come a long way, from wreaths and bunches of herbs to cascades and posies. Here is how the bridal bouquet appeared, what part Queen Victoria played in its history, which bouquets royal brides chose and where the bouquet toss comes from.
You can order a bridal bouquet in our bridal bouquets section, and flowers for the newlyweds in flowers for newlyweds.
Key milestones
Origins: wreaths and herbs
According to a popular account, brides in Ancient Greece and Rome already adorned themselves with wreaths and bunches of herbs and flowers believed to offer protection and wish them fertility. In many cultures, including Ukraine's, the wreath long remained the main wedding adornment, woven with periwinkle, myrtle, viburnum and wild flowers.
The age of Queen Victoria
In 1840 Queen Victoria married Prince Albert in a white dress adorned with orange blossom, setting the fashion for white wedding dresses for decades. The Victorian era also saw the language of flowers flourish, so bouquets began to be composed with meaning. Since 1858, when Victoria's eldest daughter married, British royal brides have included a sprig of myrtle, a symbol of love and marriage, traditionally taken from a bush grown at Osborne House.
Royal bridal bouquets
- 1923, Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (the future Queen Mother) laid her bouquet on the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior in Westminster Abbey in memory of her brother, killed in the First World War. Royal brides have left their bouquets there after the wedding ever since.
- 1956, Grace Kelly — a small bouquet of lily of the valley. More about her look in "Grace Kelly's wedding look".
- 1981, Princess Diana — a lavish cascade bouquet with gardenias, stephanotis, orchids, lily of the valley and roses.
- 2011, Catherine Middleton — a compact bouquet of lily of the valley, sweet William, hyacinths, myrtle and ivy.
- 2018, Meghan Markle — a delicate bouquet to which, at Prince Harry's request, forget-me-nots were added, his mother's favourite flowers.
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Why the bride throws her bouquet
According to superstition, the woman who catches the bride's bouquet will be the next to marry. The custom spread widely in Western countries in the 20th century and later reached Ukraine. It is often linked to an old custom of tearing off a piece of the bride's dress for luck, but that is more legend than history. Today many brides order a second bouquet for the toss and keep the main one — how to preserve it is explained in "How to preserve a bridal bouquet".
The bridal bouquet today
Modern brides choose a bouquet to match the style and season of the wedding: round and cascading, relaxed "garden" styles, single-variety bouquets of peony-shaped roses, bouquets with succulents or dried flowers. How to choose the shape and flowers is covered in "Bridal bouquet guide".
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FAQ
Why is myrtle included in royal bouquets?
It is a Victorian tradition: myrtle symbolises love and marriage, and the sprig is taken from a bush at Osborne House.
What happens to a royal bride's bouquet?
After the wedding it is laid on the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior in Westminster Abbey.
Where does the bouquet toss come from?
It spread in Western countries in the 20th century; by superstition, whoever catches it will marry next.
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Author: Maria Svitlovir
Graduated from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Institute of Biology and Medicine (2001). BSc in Biology, MSc in Horticulture. Writes about plants, works at a garden centre selecting and repotting plants, and contributes to plant reference guides.
