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Composite-flower Bouquet Almost forgotten, the composite-flower bouquet dates from the early 20th century. Unable to source the wide range of colours and year-round availability found in today’s hybrid roses, florists used this ingenious method of constructing huge ‘roses’ from the petals of gladioli. Then called ‘glameria’, these oversized blooms were worn by themselves on a hat or as a corsage, or several could be fashioned into a bouquet for the bride with an unlimited budget. Although featured recently in the pages of Vogue magazine, this specialized and time-consuming technique may unfortunately never regain its former popularity. Fan The fan enjoyed a fleeting popularity in the late eighties. Lacy plastic fans were embellished with carnations, baby’s breath and plenty of tizzy ribbon. Around the same time, some unfortunate brides, possibly badly affected by frizzing and teasing their hair once too many, choose to carry flower-filled baskets. The sight of what appeared to be an overgrown flower girl walking down the aisle confused the wedding guests who were already traumatised by the sight of the groom in his pale pink tux. While we may still be trying to forget and move on, it doesn’t take a great leap of faith to imagine a bevy of bridesmaids carrying elegant bamboo fans embellished with jewel-coloured orchids and rich, two-tone ribbon. Perhaps the fan is due for a revival as well? Crescent Bouquet A crescent bouquet may be suitable for the bride who wants a small, unusual bouquet with more structure than a posy. It’s perfect for complementing a slim waist and hips, as it has a dainty, curved line. Surprisingly, it has never reached dizzy heights of popularity, which means that this bouquet will never date your wedding photos! Muff The muff is for the very individual bride. Far more popular in Europe, where it was borne centuries ago out of necessity, a bridal muff is an unusual, yet perfect choice for a winter wedding. It can be made by your dressmaker, then embellished with flowers. To continue, but not overdo the look, have your bridesmaids wear evening gloves. Prayer book or Bible Spray The prayer book or Bible spray is a sign of faith and spirit. A long-time favourite of devout brides, especially Catholics, a small spray of flowers is attached to her prayer book's cover. While a traditional choice, it can be designed in a contemporary way. Shane Connolly’s classic book, Wedding Flowers, shows a simply perfect stephanotis version. Shower bouquets Shower bouquets replaced posies as the bridal bouquet of choice around 1910. By 1920 this style became quite exaggerated, with larger and larger bouquets almost concealing the bride! 'Lovers’ knots' were incorporated into the design; yards of ribbons streaming out of the bouquet featured knots along their length into which buds and foliage were inserted. Interestingly, the custom of tossing the bridal bouquet to unmarried girls is only half of the original tradition – the catcher of the bouquet was entitled to untie a lovers’ knot and the wish she made was said to come true. Lovers’ knots are the evolutionary forerunner of ‘swing flowers’ – tiny blossoms ‘swinging’ on narrow ribbons attached to a posy bouquet. After reaching their peak in the 20’s and 30’, shower bouquets all but disappeared by WWII: their generously elaborate style at odds with the austerely simple suits worn by war-time brides. Corsages, now the sole premise of mothers and grandmothers of the bride and groom, were often worn instead of a hand-held bouquet during the war years. What used to be termed the shower, now became known as the large, multi-trail bouquet, subsequently renamed the princess in honour of the late Princess Diana and her impressive bridal bouquet. The new, smaller shower bouquet regained top position in the 1980’s, albeit in smaller sizes. The shower then gave rise to the popularity of the similar teardrop, trail and cascade. These are all variations in proportions, with the most contemporary being the cascade. It features waterfall-shaped dimensions, the width across the top not much more than the width below. This gives a more natural, flowing look than the stiff point of the teardrop and a neater look than the trail, which peaked in the 90’s. Their long, elegant line can often be more flattering than the plump, round shape of the posy and complement elaborate and vintage gowns beautifully. Church flowers, church pedestals, alter flowers, pew end flowers, buttonholes,
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