A Guide to Wedding Bouquet Shapes and Styles

Choosing your florals and wedding bouquet is without a doubt one of the most fun elements of styling your bridal look. From choosing the blooms for their special meaning, to the colours and textures, there’s a lot going on to ensure it complements your gown, and the individual aesthetic of your wedding. But what people often forget to include in their wedding bouquet moodboard is shape, even though it’s just as important to consider this when tdesigning your look with your florist. So if you don’t know your nosegays from your shower bouquets, here we’re sharing the many wedding bouquet shapes and styles you can choose from.

Bouquet Shapes

Image by M&M Photography via One Fab Day

Round Bouquet

Full and voluptuous, the rounded bouquet form is a timeless shape that goes with classic bridal style. Think a princess ball gown or a classic, formal wedding party aesthetic. The are usually made up of a variety of floral types, but also work beautifully with a single flower variety, such as roses. Stems are kept short, and flowers are tightly arranged together with no gaps and bound with a ribbon.

posy bouquets

Image by Olga Hogan via One Fab Day

Posy & Nosegay Bouquets

Posy bouquets, are similar to nosegay bouquets, as they are both small handtied bunches, but there is one difference – a posy will usually focus on all flowers, a nosegay will often have greenery peeking through. These can be held in one hand, so they are the perfect size and style for bridesmaids and flower girls as a little sister of the main bridal bouquet, or are a great choice if you have a wedding dress that’s difficult to manage. Tiny blooms like gypsophila (baby’s breath), lavender and most Irish wildflowers are ideal for this type of bouquet, but petite posies can be created with almost any flower if the ratio is correct.

Hand-Tied Bouquets

The vibe of a hand-tied bouquet is relaxed – as if they’ve just been freshly picked. These can be quite wide, and flowers are arranged at different heights, with lots of greenery adding to that wildflower feel. This wedding bouquet shape works really well when tied off with trailing ribbons or twine, and is perfect if you’re looking to create a laid-back aesthetic, especially with boho or rustic themes.

Garden-Style Bouquets

Just like the hand-tied bouquet there is a looseness to this type of bouquet that is free-form and romantic vibe. It often centres around a larger style of flower like peonies, dahlias or garden roses and paired with smaller flowers, leafy foliage and branches, that you might naturally find sitting alongside it in your garden, just as nature intended.

long stemmed bouquet

Image by Janneke Storm

Long-Stemmed Bouquets

Long-stemmed bouquets work exquisitely well with roses. Instead of shortening stems, wedding florists keep them extra long to create a bouquet that is chic and sleek, but carefree and with a touch of drama. This style complements the minimalist bride to perfection! For an extra touch of glam, ask your florist to wrap the handle in a satin ribbon!

cascade bouquets

Image by Stephen Walker Photography via One Fab Day

Image by Louise Scott Photography via One Fab Day

Image by Elizabeth Grant Photography

Image by Greg Finck via Style Me Pretty

Cascading Bouquets

Cascading bouquets are also referred to as shower, overflowing, or waterfall wedding bouquets are the ideal style if you want something that makes a statement. It gets its name as the blooms are meant to appear as if they are flowing over and down a bride’s hands. This wedding bouquet shape can really tie everything together if you’re using a lot of vines and foliage in your other flower arrangements. Mermaid and trumpet gowns complement this style bouquet as they accentuate the distinctive flow of these dress designs. A word of warning – these bouquets can become rather heavy simply because so many stems are required to make the shape.

BOUQUET BY DREAMS & HONEY | IMAGE BY OLGA PLAKITINA VIA ONCE WED

Free-Form Bouquet

Oversized bridal bouquets also known as free-form bouquets are large in size and arranged in an airy and whimsical style. The beauty of these bouquets is that the shape can cascade in every direction, upwards, downwards and outwards! We have lots more inspiration here!

Image by Brittany Mahood

pageant bouquet

Image by Tamara Gruner

Pageant & Presentation Bouquets

For the bride who adores the appearance of long stems and wants a bouquet that is especially romantic, pageant bouquets are wonderful. Due to the arrangement’s delicate form and long lines, these lovely bouquets have a classic, vintage mood and, when held properly, over the arm, add a bit of drama.

What to Consider When Choosing Your Wedding Bouquet:

  • Dress Style: Complement rather than overshadown your dress with your bouquet style.
  • Season: Choosing flowers that are in season is more economical and sustainable.
  • Theme: Style, location, venue and season all feed into aesthetic details like textures, colours and size of your wedding florals.
  • Weight: You’ll want to be able to carry your bouquet comfortably for the day.
  • Allergies: Mention to your florist if you have allergies!

If you enjoyed diving into the style and shape of wedding bouquets, there’s more floral inspiration below!

Now all you need to do is choose who will make your ideal bouquet come to life! Check out the best wedding florists in Ireland right here!