Few details of a wedding are chosen as deliberately as the bridal bouquet. It accompanies the bride down the aisle, is captured in countless photographs, and at the end of the evening is tossed to the next lucky guest. But what lies behind this ritual? The meaning of the wedding bouquet stretches far back into history and remains deeply rooted in wedding culture to this day.
The tradition of the bridal bouquet dates back to the Middle Ages. At that time, brides did not carry flowers at all — they carried herbs such as garlic, thyme and dill, which were believed to ward off evil spirits and bring good luck. It was not until the Victorian era, from the mid-19th century onwards, that the language of flowers — known as floriography — developed into an art form. Each flower and each colour acquired a fixed meaning, and the bridal bouquet became a symbol of love, fidelity and hope.
Queen Victoria herself carried a bouquet of snowdrops and myrtle at her wedding to Prince Albert in 1840 — and myrtle has been considered a classic bridal herb ever since. It stands for love and marriage, and is still used in wedding bouquets across many European countries today.
The choice of colour is not simply a matter of taste — it carries a message. A thoughtfully chosen bouquet can tell a deeply personal story.
Individual flower varieties also carry fixed meanings: roses stand for love, lily of the valley for happiness, peonies for prosperity, lilies for purity, and lavender for fidelity. Anyone who wants to send a particular message therefore chooses not just the colour, but the variety too.
Not every flower works equally well in a bridal bouquet. Alongside symbolism, durability, season and appearance all play a role. These varieties are especially popular:
The season affects not only availability but also the symbolism of the bridal bouquet. Seasonal flowers are fresher, longer-lasting and often more affordable — because they do not need to travel long distances.
A bridal bouquet should be planned at least four to six weeks before the wedding — even earlier if you have special requests or need rare varieties. If you want to order a bridal bouquet online, pay attention to delivery times and aim to receive the bouquet one to two days before the wedding. That gives you enough time to freshen it up.
If you want to order a bridal bouquet online, regflorist.live offers fresh flowers sourced directly from Dutch growers — with no middlemen and guaranteed freshness. After you place your order, the flowers are dispatched straight from the greenhouses in the Netherlands, which significantly improves quality and longevity compared with flowers bought from a local supermarket.
Care tips for your bridal bouquet:
The bridal bouquet is of course the centrepiece of every wedding. But the romantic, lush style of a wedding bouquet can also inspire other celebratory occasions.
The Netherlands is the world's largest flower exporter — around 52 per cent of all cut flowers traded globally come from Dutch greenhouses or the auction market in Aalsmeer. regflorist.live works directly with growers in this region, which means the flowers for your bridal bouquet are not stored for days in warehouses or flower shops. They are dispatched fresh after your order is placed.
This makes a noticeable difference to longevity. While flowers from a supermarket are often already three to five days old when you buy them, flowers from Regionsflorist typically reach you within one to two days of being harvested. For a bridal bouquet that needs to look fresh throughout an entire wedding day, that matters.
Traditionally, lily of the valley, myrtle and lavender are considered lucky flowers in a bridal bouquet. Lily of the valley stands for happiness and purity, while myrtle represents love and fidelity. For those who want to follow tradition, adding a small sprig of myrtle to the bouquet is a custom that remains very much alive across many European countries.
The bouquet toss is a custom from the 19th century. According to tradition, the person who catches the bouquet will be the next to marry. Originally, guests would try to grab pieces of the bride's dress to claim a share of her good fortune — the bouquet toss emerged as a more elegant alternative. Today it is above all a joyful ritual, enjoyed without any serious expectation.
A well-cared-for bridal bouquet made from fresh cut flowers typically lasts five to ten days. Roses and lisianthus are among the longest-lasting varieties, while lily of the valley and wildflowers are somewhat more delicate. Anyone who wants to dry or press the bouquet after the wedding should take it out of the water as soon as possible and hang it upside down in a dry, dark place.
Yes — and it is very popular at bohemian weddings. Ordering flowers directly from a grower gives you fresh individual varieties that combine well. The key steps are: cut the stems to the same length, arrange the flowers in a spiral, and bind the bouquet with florist wire or satin ribbon. For beginners, a compact, round bouquet using three to five varieties works well — for example roses, eucalyptus and gypsophila.
Whether classic white, romantic pink or wild and natural — the bridal bouquet is the most personal accessory a bride carries. Knowing the meaning behind individual flowers and colours turns the choice into something that goes far beyond aesthetics. If you would like to order a bridal bouquet online, regflorist.live offers a wide selection of fresh flowers direct from the grower — for a bouquet that makes the big day truly unforgettable.
