The bride's bouquet
- Roots of tradition
- When and how do you throw the bridal bouquet?
- If an unmarried girl caught the bride’s bouquet at a wedding, what should she do with it next according to the signs?
- Tips on how to catch the bride's bouquet at a wedding
- Recommendations for the bride who is going to throw the bouquet
- Alternatives to the bouquet toss tradition
The bride's bouquet has always played an important role at the wedding. In ancient times, after marriage, girls dried flowers from a bouquet and stored it along with their wedding dress and other family valuables. The tradition of throwing a bouquet to unmarried bridesmaids came from the West and has firmly lingered in our country, becoming almost the most anticipated wedding ceremony.
Bridesmaids catching the bouquet
Roots of tradition
The handing over of the bride's bouquet was observed back in the days of the ancient Slavs. Then this flower arrangement was filled with deep meaning and special energy . The groom collected a bouquet, only from certain plants that carry the meaning of happiness, strong marriage, love.
While arranging the bouquet, the groom simultaneously uttered a spell so that his union with the bride would be successful and happy. During the wedding, the girl held a bouquet near her chest to feel the love of her new husband.
At the end of the evening, the unmarried bridesmaids danced around the bride, and she remained inside it, blindfolded. When the round dance stopped, the girl standing opposite the bride received the coveted bouquet.
Such a romantic ritual also had a practical meaning: single young people understood which of the girls was ready to get married. This means you can send matchmakers
Throwing the bride's bouquet over the back, rather than passing it in a round dance, was borrowed from Europe. Initially, it was believed that a successful marriage could bring a piece of a wedding dress, so the girls tried to tear off at least a small piece of it.
To keep the dress intact, brides began to attach small flowers to it, but it was not very convenient to pin them, and the outfit was still spoiled. Then the girls began to simply take a small bouquet in their hands - they didn’t mind throwing it to their single girlfriends. To this day, the bride throws a bouquet - this ritual has become an integral part of any wedding celebration.
The bride throws a bouquet into the sky
When and how do you throw the bridal bouquet?
A girl can think through the scenario of throwing a bouquet to the bride herself, because there are no strict rules about exactly when and how to throw a bouquet to her bridesmaids. The ritual can be performed at any time. Several variants:
- after the wedding ceremony in the registry office;
- during a walk and photo shoot;
- at the very beginning of the banquet;
- at the end of the holiday.
It is only important to remember that this event should be bright and memorable.
To ensure that the ritual turns out beautiful, it is better to plan it for the beginning or middle of the holiday, so that guests after strong drinks cannot disturb the solemnity of the moment
Many guests anticipate the intriguing ceremony of throwing a bouquet from the very beginning, so you need to be able to organize it correctly . It is better to entrust this matter to the presenter , who will find the right moment and gather all the unmarried girls so that no one misses the action.
To make the process more interesting, you need to slightly delay the throwing of the bouquet by counting down the time. The host commands the start, and the guests count together: when the number “three” is pronounced, the bride throws flowers.
The ritual can be performed in a completely original way. Place the composition in a transparent box and lock it. After this, each friend will take a key from several prepared in advance and try to open the box. The one with the key will approach the lock and take the bouquet for herself.
Bride's bouquet in a cage
If an unmarried girl caught the bride’s bouquet at a wedding, what should she do with it next according to the signs?
A folk sign says that if a girl catches the bride’s bouquet at a wedding, this means that soon, no more than a year, she will get married . Therefore, at any wedding, unmarried guests eagerly await the traditional throwing of the bouquet.
was left with the treasured flower arrangement in her hands . According to the signs, what should you do with a caught bridal bouquet after the wedding, how to store the trophy? What should the person who caught the flowers do next: put the bouquet in a vase and wait for the betrothed to show up? After all, in reality, not everything is so simple .
Living flowers retain their freshness for only a short time, so sooner or later you will have to decide what to do with them. Even if the flowers have been treated with a special product or placed in a porta bouquet holder with a damp sponge, over time they will still lose their former attractiveness .
According to signs, the caught bouquet should not be thrown away, but kept in dried form. You can only throw it away one day before your own wedding.
Therefore, in order to store a caught bouquet, you need to dry . How to do it right:
- disassemble the composition;
- hang the flowers on a thread with the bud down so that it does not even touch the wall;
- place flowers in a dry, warm room without bright sunny colors.
After one and a half to two weeks, the flowers will dry out, almost without losing their shape. From them you can assemble a beautiful composition and decorate the interior with it .
Panel of dried flowers
If suddenly a married woman catches the bride’s bouquet, then she should do with it the same way as the bride herself would do with her flowers. They need to be placed in the bedroom , so the bouquet will become a symbol of the unity of hearts and love, a kind of amulet of family happiness.
Tips on how to catch the bride's bouquet at a wedding
The ceremony of throwing a bouquet can be classified as mystical. But it often happens that girls only remember why they should catch the bride’s bouquet, but they forget how to do it. Therefore, often caught bouquets “do not work.”
When the girls, while waiting for the bouquet, start a real fight and snatch it from each other, it looks funny from the outside, but unfortunately, all the magic of the ceremony disappears in this case. For the sign to be effective, the bridesmaids must stand behind her so as not to jostle or interfere with each other.
When the bride throws a bouquet, she does not see what trajectory it is flying along, so the flowers fall into the power of the Higher Powers. Only the girl into whose hands the bouquet flies itself can catch it.
Throwing a bouquet is not the easiest task, but catching it is even more difficult. There are several tricks that you can follow to increase your chances:
- stand in the first row in the center, approximately opposite the bride;
- when the countdown starts, start raising your hands;
- think not only about the treasured bouquet, but also about the girls standing nearby, so as not to hit them with your elbows.
Girls catch a bouquet from the hands of the bride
Signs and superstitions associated with a wedding bouquet
Superstitions and traditions regarding the wedding bouquet come from antiquity, some are unfounded, but still girls in most cases trust the signs, try to adhere to them, observe them. Other brides openly ignore superstitions, doing as their heart tells them or adhering to only some traditions. Popular signs and superstitions:
- Flowers in a wedding composition must be fresh and ideally match the bride’s outfit and her image. According to tradition, it is undesirable to use bright, provocative shades in a floral arrangement; preference should be given to light tones - white, cream, soft pink.
- Particular attention was paid to the flowers from which the composition was made, because if you know the “language of flowers” it is not difficult to guess what feelings the groom has for his future life partner. Thus, roses symbolize sincere, passionate love; orchids - affection; tulips - love, hope for a happy life together; lilies are a symbol of gratitude, an expression of sincerity of feelings.
- Once upon a time, grooms made bouquets or wreaths on their own, collecting for this purpose certain wild flowers, herbs - field daisies, bells, cornflowers, lilies of the valley according to the season, and used greenery for decoration, for example, ferns. It was believed that such a composition would protect the newlyweds from the evil eye during the wedding ceremony, as well as protect their family happiness from damage throughout their lives.
- During the wedding day, the bride should always keep the bouquet with her and not let go of it. During the banquet, it is placed in a vase on the table of the newlyweds, and in the evening the newlyweds take it with them. According to another tradition, the bride, at the end of the festivities, throws a bouquet to her unmarried bridesmaids. The one who catches him, according to legend, will be the next to go down the aisle. Many brides manage to combine two traditions by using a duplicate bouquet toss. This allows you to save the bouquet and thereby not offend the bridesmaids.
Recommendations for the bride who is going to throw the bouquet
It would seem that it’s so difficult to go out to your girlfriends and throw a bouquet over your back - but in fact this is not an entirely ordinary task. There are several nuances that you should familiarize yourself with in advance so that the ceremony goes smoothly.
Recommendations on how to throw a wedding bouquet correctly:
- The bride should stand at a distance of 2-3 meters from her bridesmaids, no more.
- The bouquet should not be too massive. A heavy composition may injure one of your girlfriends.
- If the bouquet is decorated with ribbons or brooches, then these elements must be removed before throwing it. The brooch can scratch the skin, and the ribbons can get tangled and interfere during the flight.
- If during the holiday the bouquet intended for the ceremony was in a vase, then before the competition its stems need to be dried with napkins.
For the ceremony, you need to choose a wide place, not crowded with tables or other furniture.
A dance area is perfect, but you need to pay attention so that the bouquet cannot get on the DJ equipment
You should also be wary of low-hanging chandeliers , since the bouquet can catch them while flying and break them. You also need to take care of vases with flowers and dishes. In addition, a bouquet landing on someone's dish will not be the most pleasant surprise.
The bride is preparing to throw a bouquet
How to make a wedding bouquet-understudy for the bride with your own hands from foamiran?
If the question of the presence of a duplicate bridal bouquet at the wedding celebration has been resolved positively, then it’s time to think about purchasing it. Of course, professional designers will be able to create a bouquet of any complexity, but, probably, do-it-yourself backups . It will probably take a lot of time to create an effective composition, but in this way you can significantly save money allocated for the celebration.
Photo of a wedding bouquet made of foamiran
Modern unique materials technologies make it possible to create a wedding bouquet that, even up close, cannot be distinguished from the real thing. Foamiran (also called revelour) , used for artificial flowers, is a material similar to artificial suede, but has properties useful for designers: it is plastic and easily changes shape when heated (even the warmth of your hands is enough), and at normal temperatures it retains its given shape. form. From foamiran you can create magnificent flowers of any shape and color: roses and gypsophila, majestic peonies and delicate orchids, bright or, conversely, muted tones of asters, carnations, lilies. This interesting, easy-to-work material can be easily painted with acrylic paints or pastels.
Photo of twigs for a wedding bouquet made of foamiran
With some skills, even a beginner can create a simple duplicate bouquet from foamiran, but complex bouquets will require some practice, patience and perseverance. A working set of tools for creating such a bouquet looks something like this:
- foamiran sold in any handicraft store or on specialized online sites in sheets of the desired shades;
- scissors;
- glue gun;
- iron;
- spherical base for forming a flower bud;
- decorative elements - ribbons, beads, rhinestones, etc.
Detailed technologies for creating a certain type of flower can be found in master classes, of which there are many on the Internet. But in general terms, such work consists of cutting out blanks of petals and leaves from foamiran, tinting them with acrylic or pastel, shaping the petals, assembling a bud and arranging a bouquet of ready-made flowers and twigs.
Photos of examples of flowers made from foamiran
Alternatives to the bouquet toss tradition
The classic throwing of a wedding bouquet, when the bride stands with her back to her unmarried friends, is the most popular and widespread option . But some brides seek to diversify their celebration, looking for an original alternative to the traditional ceremony.
Some ideas for a fun wedding bouquet toss:
- Play a bouquet using ribbons . A long ribbon (at least 1.5 meters) is tied to the flowers. The bride holds a few more ribbons with the hand in which she holds the bouquet. The girls choose ribbons for themselves and, on command, pull them towards themselves. The lucky owner of the bouquet will be the friend who chooses a strip of fabric attached to its base.
- If there are many unmarried girls at the wedding, then the bride can prepare not one bouquet, but several small ones . Throw them up as one, and in flight the bouquets will separate like fireworks, delighting many girlfriends.
- You don’t have to throw the bouquet, but give it the role of a prize for some fun competition for unmarried girlfriends . Together with the guests, determine the winner and personally present her with a bouquet with wishes of happiness.
- An original idea is to organize an auction of a wedding bouquet. The newlyweds can keep the funds raised during the process as a gift.
Throwing a bouquet using ribbons
Not a single wedding celebration scenario can be imagined without such an element as the traditional handing over of the bride's bouquet to one of the unmarried girls.
To make the wedding original and unforgettable, this ceremony can be performed not only in a traditional way, but also in an unusual, special way. You can show your imagination and come up with your own way to throw a bouquet.
Bridal bouquet in Western Europe
In Western Europe, this ritual arose as a result of a modification of the wedding ceremony. For a long time, there was a custom of tearing pieces of material from a young wife’s wedding dress: they say this should bring good luck in all matters. You can easily imagine what the newlywed’s dress and veil turned into by the end of the ceremony! If we take into account that the outfits could not be cheap, then the dissatisfaction of the young wife and her relatives becomes understandable. Therefore, over time, the custom was modified: flower buds were attached to the hem of the wedding dress, and they were supposed to be torn off. Thus, it was possible to maintain traditions and protect the newlywed from unnecessary grief and expense. And several centuries later, the custom changed again: now the newlywed threw her wedding bouquet into the crowd of guests without looking! And here unmarried girls who wanted to change their status were not supposed to yawn...
