Floral bouquets are one of the time-honored traditions of a wedding. Regardless of how traditional or avant-garde the rest of your ceremony is, don’t feel as if you have to choose flowers as your only option for a bouquet.
There are many other alternative wedding bouquet ideas. These ideas can bring beauty, personality, and style to your wedding party. Furthermore, if you are striving to have a more eco-friendly wedding, or trying to DIY as much of your wedding as possible to stay within a budget, one of these suggestions may be a perfect alternative to a traditional floral bouquet.
Wedding Bouquet Ideas – Photo by Eugenie
Alternative Options to Floral Bouquets
Floral bouquets are beautiful don’t get us wrong. However, there are many alternative bouquet options you can consider for your special wedding day.
From eco-friendly options to super stylish alternatives. Below you will find some of the most amazing bouquet ideas to ensure your bridal perfection.
Paper Bouquet Idea – Photo by Magdas Lukas
Perfect Paper Flowers
Paper flowers can be a really beautiful choice for a bouquet. Furthermore, well-made paper flowers can mimic real ones if you want a more naturalistic look, or be super-stylized if you want something a little more quirky.
With paper flowers, your bouquet will not need anything special to preserve it after your big day. No matter what time of year you get married, it will be difficult to have all of the flowers in the world at your disposal. Moreover, if there’s a particular bloom you have your heart set on that’s not available, you could have it created in paper instead.
A more whimsical paper flower option is to make one giant paper flower instead of a bouquet. As a result, it would be an eye-catching addition to the ceremony to have a beautiful bloom as big as your head!
Photo of Bridal Bouquet made of books – Photo by Lily & Moon
Bouquet of Books
Another paper-based idea is to use written text and turn the pages into flowers. These could be pages from a book, something that you and your partner share an interest in (are you both ardent Harry Potter fans?), or a religious text that is symbolic to you.
Alternatively, you could use sheet music for your paper flowers to commemorate a particular song from your lives or one that’s being used in the ceremony.
Moreover, if there is a family member who cannot join you on your wedding day, you could also make paper flowers from a letter or a card they have written you to help them be with you in spirit.
Eco-Friendly Alternatives
If you’re trying to be more eco-friendly, alternative natural bouquets might be just what you’re looking for.
Having a rustic farmhouse wedding? Consider a sheaf of wheat or rye for your bouquet. Always simple and elegant. Are you a foodie? Incorporate some herbs, small fruits, or veggies.
If your ceremony is in the winter there are plenty of themed options. For example, you could carry evergreen branches with small pinecones or (very carefully) red-berried holly. Furthermore, if you still want a bit of a floral touch without all of the rigamarole of a formal bouquet, a bunch of fresh or dried lavender might be a good option (and it would smell amazing).
Fabulous Feather Bouquets
A feather bouquet is a very versatile option. Furthermore, it can be super glam, think peacock or ostrich feathers with rhinestones or pearls. Or it can be bucolic and simple, with pheasant and turkey feathers and a few herbs or grasses. The color options are pretty much endless as well.
You can make feathers into flower shapes with appropriately themed centers, or just leave the feathers to stand up as they are naturally. Easily combined with other elements to match your style, feathers can be a lovely choice for a wide range of bouquet looks.
Etsy is a great place to find beautiful feather bouquets. Take a look to see if you can find the perfect one for your big day.
Bejeweled Bouquets
For a luxury feel for your wedding, an exquisite bejeweled bouquet is a way to go.
Create a cascade of luminous pearls to catch the light. For a more modern approach, turn a vintage brooch collection into a whimsical masterpiece.
It should be easy to find pieces that match your wedding colors, and you can make it as monochromatic or riotously colorful as you like.
If you have any jewelry pieces from a loved one, you could always incorporate them into a bedazzled bouquet. As a result, this will carry a little memory of that person down the aisle. You could even mix some fabric flowers or jewelry for an eclectic look.
Photo of balloons at a wedding – Photo by One Wedding
Balloon Bouquets
Nothing says a fun party like balloons. Consider a small (or a large) balloon bouquet! They’re great for an economic alternative to a traditional flower bouquet, and you can easily order some to color-coordinate with the rest of your gathering.
If there are a lot of children in your wedding party, it might also be a great way to excite their attention. Be advised, however, a balloon release is not a great idea for wildlife who might try to eat them. As a result, you should dispose of them properly when the day is over.
Beach Themed Bouquets
Seashells are a perfect match for a beach wedding. However, an ocean-themed arrangement doesn’t have to be just seashells. A bouquet made from seashells can be intertwined with pearls, small starfish, coral, or netting in the color of your choice. As a result, this will give a special look to match a seaside theme. Furthermore, if the ocean breeze is particularly strong on your wedding day, a sturdy seashell bouquet will last through the ceremony and long afterward as well.
Do you even need a bouquet?
If you’re getting married outdoors in warm summer weather, hand fans are already something you might want to have on hand for your guests. Why not have fun or fancy ones for your wedding party? Simply carved sandalwood fans look graceful and smell nice when waved.
Fun brightly colored paper fans can match your color scheme nicely. In addition, fancy lace fans can add a luxe look. No matter which style you choose, a fan can be both an elegant and practical alternative wedding bouquet.
Whatever the style of your wedding, there are so many modern bouquet options to make your perfect day even more so. These wedding bouquet alternatives are just a fraction of the non-floral arrangements out there to choose from.
If you’re doing the throw-the-bouquet tradition, make sure whatever you’re throwing is not going to injure anyone (no holly, jewelry, or seashells in a toss bouquet, please). Most of all, think about what aesthetic you’re going for overall, and your bouquet style can reflect any old or new traditions you want on your big day.
As wedding planners, we are well forced in finding the absolute perfect floral arrangement for your wedding day. Whether that’s real floral or perfect alternative bouquets, we are there to help.
