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Tossing
the Bouquet: The origin of the bouquet
toss is a little sweeter than that of the garter
toss. There was an ancient belief that certain
herbs contained in the bridal bouquet were good
luck. In order to pass on this luck, the bride
would choose a friend to present the bouquet
to at the end of the wedding. Nowadays, the
person who catches the bouquet is believed to
be the next to marry. If you decide to toss
a bouquet, it is a good idea to have your florist
make a smaller bouquet to toss so that you can
keep the original, which you may want to preserve.
A Carpet of Petals: Flowers
girls, busily scattering petals down the aisle,
is a wedding tradition almost everyone adores.
Tiny children, adorable in their finery, unpredictable
in their nature, add an air of innocence to
a wedding, as well as actively underscore the
importance of family. The tradition of having
young children scatter flora and greenery over
the bride's path began first as a way to pay
homage to the gods of fertility. In ancient
times, flower girl predecessors would throw
harvest grains and fragrant herbs. In Elizabethan
times, these herb and grain bearing children
became flower bearing girls, a tradition, some
believe that stemmed partly from the Elizabethan
custom of using fragrant flowers to mask otherwise
unpleasant odors. Today's flowers girl may carry
a basket of rose or flower petals that she scatters
down the aisle, or a small bouquet. Or if flower
petals are prohibited in your church, she may
carry baby roses to pass out as she walks down
the aisle.
Honoring the Beloved: Gifts
of flower bouquets and garlands are often given
as a gesture of honor. After walking down the
aisle, a bride might present a rose to both
her mother and mother-in-law, in a gesture of
love and respect. Many Catholic brides lay special
bouquets at the feet of the Virgin Mary on their
wedding days.
Colours: In China, red is the
shade of happiness and luck. For this reason,
red blooms are often integrated into wedding
ceremonies. In Japan, the color of love is purple.
In Latin America, some flowers are associated
with unhappy or mournful events; yellow flowers
are blooms of death, and purple and white flowers,
the flora of funerals. Spanish symbolism is
even more specific, with chrysanthemums and
dahlias closely tied to death and funerals.
Cuttings: Long ago, brides
took cuttings of their bouquets and planted
them near the door of their new home. Favorite
cuttings were myrtle and rosemary, hearty plants
that easily took root, reminding brides and
grooms that the roots of marriage are strong.
When deciding what blooms to use in your bridal
bouquet, ask your florist to show you flowers
and small plants that can be planted after the
celebration is over. With one or two hearty
cuttings from your bouquet, you may find yourself
with a lovely symbol of marriage taking root
in the heart and soul.
Symbolic Meanings in your Bouquet
Incorporate any of these wonderful symbolic
meanings into your bridal bouquet. For instance
forget-me-nots symbolize true love. Consider
including the definition in your wedding program
or ask your officiant to note its meaning during
the ceremony. Think about including any of these
symbols as a gift to your guests. Have the significant
meaning of the flower you choose calligraphed
and placed in a beautiful silver frame next
to your guest book as your family and friends
arrive for your ceremony. Give each guest a
special flower as a boutonnière or corsage.
| Apple Blossoms: |
Symbolic of good fortune |
| Baby's Breath: |
Symbolic of a fruitful marriage |
| Blue Violets: |
Symbolic of faithfulness |
| Carnations: |
Symbolic of distinction |
| Forget-Me-Nots: |
Symbolic of true love |
| Four Leaf Clover: |
Symbolic of luck |
| Gardenias: |
Symbolic of joy |
| Ivy: |
Symbolic of marital strength |
| Lilies: |
Symbolic of purity and innocence |
| Lily of the Valley: |
Symbolic of happiness |
| Myrtle: |
Symbolic of the constancy of love |
| Orange Blossoms: |
Symbolic of purity and fertility |
| Orchids: |
Symbolic of beauty |
| Rosemary: |
Symbolic of memory and fidelity |
| Roses: |
Symbolic of love |
| Stephanotis: |
Symbolic of good luck |
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