Anatomy of a Bouquet (and Why it is Important)

Caroline Lima Photography

Bridal bouquets are truly one of my favorite parts of creating for weddings. They are one of the most important aspects of your florals, and there are countless ways to make this part of your wedding special and unique.

Today, I’m sharing the anatomy of a bouquet with you, and why it’s important to know how they come together!

Caroline Lima Photography

Focal Flowers

Focal flowers are in just about every single floral product you get for your wedding, and are a great way to create a cohesive design throughout your wedding day. These are one of the first flowers chosen by you and your florist.

Why are they important? Focal flowers are important because they are a really great way to make a meaningful impact in your bouquet. Some ideas for making this a meaningful focal point include: choosing a flower that your fiance proposed with, a flower that was in your parents garden growing up, your grandmother’s favorite flower that she always had freshly cut on her kitchen table, or a flower that represents your cultural background.

Secondary Flowers

Secondary flowers don’t pack quite the punch of the primary flowers, but they provide a great place for your eye to rest when moving throughout the lines, colors, and intricacies of the bouquet. Keep in mind, you could have several different secondary flowers!

Why are they important? Secondary flowers are a great place to make a meaningful impact if you don’t want a specific flower to be the star of the show. For instance, say it’s important to have your grandmother’s favorite flower, a white calla lily, in your bouquet, but you want your favorite (peonies) to be the focal point. The white calla lilies will provide a beautiful secondary flower and backdrop for your focal flowers, in this instance.

Textural Flowers

Textural flowers add interest to your bouquet, without taking away from the focal or secondary flowers. This textural filler is particularly important for garden-style bouquets because it helps make your bouquet feel more organic and natural, and draws a line between the larger focal and secondary flowers. It’s also one of the items you can have more varieties of, just like your secondary flowers.

Why are they important? Textural flowers can make your bouquet feel like a field of wildflowers, or a carefully managed garden, depending on the type of textural filler. The color of your texture can also provide added interest, or create more cohesion between your larger flowers.

Foliage

Foliage is one of the last pieces of the bouquet puzzle. Similar to the secondary and textural flowers, you could potentially have several varieties of foliage in your bouquet, depending on the style you’re going for. Foliage helps to tie your whole bouquet together and give it a really natural look and feel.

Why is it important? There are so many varieties of foliage to choose from, and some will make your bouquet feel more formal and traditional while some will make it feel more wild and organic. Foliage also comes in a wide range of colors, not just a standard green, so the color can also play an important role in your bouquet. This could be a great way to tie in a meaningful piece without it taking over the whole style of your bouquet. For instance, perhaps you love the olive trees that surrounded your community when you were a child - incorporating olive branches into your bouquet would be a beautiful way to tie this in!

Complementary Ribbon

Ribbon is such a great way to finish off your bouquet! The colors and styles are literally endless. It can be bold or a softer color that stays in the background. It can have long, flowing streamers that add a pop of color in photos, or it can be wrapped tight with little ribbon even showing.

Why is it important? This is also a really wonderful place to attach a family handkerchief, brooch, or piece of jewelry! You can easily attach any of these items directly to the ribbon on your bouquet for a meaningful addition that you are quite literally touching throughout your entire day.

While some bouquets may be more complex, with several secondary and textural flowers, and some may be more classic and simplified, these are the basics of your bouquet and areas where you can add personal touch and meaning to one of the most important floral elements of your day.