KOCHER'S FLOWERS

Wedding Bouquet Trends

Today's wedding bouquets are more personal than ever, running the gamut from classic all-white formal arrangements to unique designs featuring brightly colored flowers. The following are four popular bouquet styles:

Nosegays - round clusters of flowers - are a very trendy style of bridal bouquet. Also called a tussie mussie, this style of bouquet dates back to the 14^th century, when it was used to mask unpleasant odors - thus the term "nosegay." Nosegays can vary in sophistication and are therefore a good choice for any wedding.

Cascade bouquets feature flowers that descend below the main portion of the bouquet design. The voluptuousness of the bouquet is often the main feature of the wedding costume. Cascade bouquets are most often used in formal and traditional weddings.

Florists create hand-tied bouquets by placing the stems of the flowers, foliage and accessories in their hand and wrapping them around the center of the design until they are securely fastened. These arrangements are designed to show the natural growth of the stems, which are often wrapped in ribbon or french braided together. Hand-tied bouquets have a more casual air and are particularly nice for garden weddings and brides who like the feeling of an unarranged gathering of flowers.

Contemporary bouquets are inspired by unconventional ideas, styles and patterns and are designed with no specific geometric form. They are usually created with flowers that have definite form and add character to a bouquet (such as calla lilies, orchids and anthuriums). Contemporary bouquets represent the individuality of the bride and are perfect for a sophisticated, cosmopolitan style wedding. They're simplistic but have the added grace of asymmetrical design.