Fun Bouquet Alternatives for Bridesmaids

The classic image of bridesmaids is a line of lovely ladies walking gown the aisle in matching dresses carrying identical bouquets of flowers. While bridesmaid bouquets are certainly pretty, they are not particularly original or unique. If you are the type of bride who wants to include some interesting details in her wedding, consider choosing a fun alternative to the standard bouquet. These charming ideas will get you started.

I recently saw pictures from a wedding in which the bridesmaids carried wreaths instead of bouquets. It looked fantastic! They carried simple small green wreaths suspended from satin ribbons, which were both unexpected yet still utterly classic. It would be great to have your attendants carry small square boxwood wreaths for a holiday wedding. Imagine how pretty they would look if your bridesmaids were wearing deep red satin dresses and crystal bridesmaid jewelry. A silver or gold ribbon wreath hanger would complete the effect. You could do something similar for a spring wedding with floral wreaths or create a French inspired effect by making little lavender bouquets. Ooh la la!

If you are having a Winter Wonderland wedding, fur muffs are a delightful alternative to bridesmaid bouquets. Choose a bridesmaid dress with a plain skirt so that the muffs do not have to compete with voluminous ruffles or ruching. It will look best if the muffs contrast with the color of the bridesmaid dresses, so choose white muffs to pair with deep jewel tones like emerald or deep brown muffs with a champagne colored dress. You can add a bit of character to the muffs by adorning them with either a crystal brooch or a sprig of holly.

One of my favorite bouquet alternatives is the floral pomander. They are round balls of flowers which hang from ribbons, and they add a wonderful pop of color to any bridesmaid ensemble. Pomanders are most often made with flowers like roses, mums, and daisies, because the round shape of the blossoms gives the best coverage to the foam form below. They are a fairly easy DIY project, if you are a crafty bride. Pomanders can be embellished with special touches to make them even more beautiful. If your attendants will be wearing pearl bridesmaid jewelry, it looks great to push a pearl tipped pin through the center of each flower (this works particularly well with mums) or to use a strand of faux pearls for the pomander handle instead of a ribbon. A simple way to dress up pomanders is by choosing a special ribbon for the handle. Ideas include velvet for winter weddings, gingham for spring, or striped grosgrain for a preppy wedding.

If you are having a very whimsical wedding, why not extend that treatment to your bridesmaids? Instead of carrying traditional flowers, give them large paper pinwheels to carry. It is a really fun idea for an outdoor wedding, because the pinwheels will spin in the breeze. They are best suited to a wedding in which each bridesmaid will wear a slightly different dress. Pair the eclectic assortment of dresses with paper pinwheels in a few different colors.

Everyone will be pleasantly surprised when your bridesmaids walk down the aisle carrying such a fun bouquet alternative!

Bridget Mora writes about wedding planning ideas, wedding style, and etiquette for Silverland Jewelry. If you are looking for unique and affordable bridesmaid jewelry for your wedding, visit Silverland Jewelry today. Be sure to sign up for our free newsletter to receive exclusive discounts on our fabulous wedding jewelry!