Rosemary, Garlic & Orange Blossoms

Brides in ancient Rome wore little bundles of herbs under their veils to enhance fertility and fidelity while her entourage of bridesmaids carried, not floral bouquets, but bunches of aromatic rosemary and garlic to ward off evil spirits that may have been attracted to the bridal party.

No Greek wedding would be complete without plenty of ivy, especially as headpieces entwined with colorful blossoms, symbolizing everlasting and unbreakable love. To this day, orange blossoms are a popular inclusion for bouquets, because they represent happiness and fulfillment. Thank the ancient Saracens who made this association because of the orange tree’s unique property of both blossoming and bearing fruit simultaneously.

Today,hawaiian wedding flower tradition often includes an exchange of the wedding lei between bride and groom, and bride’s often wear flowers in their hair.

Wedding Flower Tradition

Not all wedding flower traditions are so ancient or esoteric. Louisiana weddings often include a procession from the church to the reception led by jazz musicians followed by bridesmaids twirling umbrellas bedecked with magnolias and other flowers.

No Hawaiian wedding could be complete without flower lei for the bride and groom and guests.

Austrian brides crown their veils with myrtle, the flower of life.

In India the brother of the groom spreads petals on the heads of the bride and groom for fertility and good fortune.

Swedish bridesmaids traditionally carry bunches of pungent herbs and aromatic flowers to keep any ill intended trolls at bay, while the groom must have a sprig of thyme stitched into his clothes.

Roses all say “I Love You”, but each color actually has a more subtle meaning of its own. Red is for passion, burgundy – unconscious beauty, orange/coral – desire, pink – grace and gentility, red and white together – two lovers unified, white – innocence and worthiness, and yellow for joy.

Some other wedding flowers have hidden meanings as well. Lilies convey majesty while Cala Lilies represent splendid beauty. Carnation – distinction, white Chrysanthemum – truth, Lilac – first love, Iris – warm affection, Forget Me Not – true love and remembrance, Honeysuckle – devoted and generous affection, Daisy – beauty and innocence, Magnolia – perseverance, Jasmine – amiability, and all types of fern represent fascination and sincerity.

The world of wedding flowers is wonderfully steeped in tradition and symbolism. Add some of this mystery to your own special day for a truly memorable celebration.

The Meaning of Flowers

These well meaning gift givers would select seasonal blossoms from their apple trees to suggest good fortune and hope, daisies for beauty and innocence, blue periwinkle for friendship, or the lily to acknowledge a majestic presence.

Perhaps these floral arrangements, well intentioned as they were, at some point became too numerous and bulky to actually be carried, so the bride with the help of her maid or matron of honor, chose blossoms from each of the bunches to make up a more portable bouquet.

Fashions change like the seasons. The wedding bouquet of today evolved from a Victorian era cluster of flowers, ribbons and often feathers known as a posy. In their Victorian heyday, the flowers and colors conveyed secret messages of love and romance to inflame passions and feed the ever present rumor spreaders and gossipers; for instance, the button size tansy blossom, a perennial aromatic herb, actually signals a declaration of personal war against someone.

The New Age of Bridal Bouquets

Today’s bride is much more prone to simply choose colors and flowers according to the style of her dress (and those of the bridesmaids) and the theme of the wedding decorations in general. The posy has evolved into what is known as a wrapped stem style which utilizes the natural stems of the flowers wrapped with a colorful trailing ribbon. Arm Sheaf’s were inspired by the type of presentation bouquet given to famous actresses of the day. They were once known as ‘Bernhardt’ bouquets after the legendary turn of the century actress.

A fan or crescent wedding bouquet may be more appropriate for today’s fashion. Both are constructed on a frame onto which are fastened baby’s breath, leaves, ribbons and flowers, often roses. Shower bouquets are definitely an over the top choice for the extravagant wedding day. Usually tear drop or waterfall shaped and trailing blossom laden vines with fluttering ribbons, they reached their peak of popularity, and were subsequently renamed the princess, with the royal wedding of princess Diana.

Wedding bouquets, like many other traditions, evolve over time, so ultimately the decision as to the look and degree of symbolism are happily up to the bride for her special day.

Page after page of the oldest books of early Britain and Europe, cuneiform tablets from the Fertile Crescent where the Tigris and Euphrates meander, legends of ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome, plus numerous oral histories and practices of indigenous societies illustrate how close a connection societies make between the abundance of crops, fecundity of a bride, and offerings of cake or bread. Baking breads and cakes is fundamental to a society, a way of measuring real affluence when prosperity is a function of grain stores, the size of the livestock herd, and the strength of the army.

History of Wedding Prayers

A groom in ancient Rome would take a bite of a special barley loaf then break the rest over the top of the head of his new bride, symbolizing the breaking of the hymen, and scatter the pieces to the guests who considered the pieces good luck. Eighteenth century custom held that small pieces of wedding cake passed through the wedding ring nine times were given to maiden and bachelor guests to put under their pillows after saying a prayer in hopes that a vision of their future marriage partner would visit them in their dreams.

These prayers seem more like magical spells than prayers:

Madam, as a present take
This little paper of bride-cake;
Fast any Friday in the year,
When Venus mounts the starry sphere,
Thrust this at night in pillow beer:
In morning slumber you will seem
T’ enjoy your lover in a dream.

Old Wedding Traditions

An Old English tradition holds that the bride supplies a bride’s pie into which the baker has hidden a small glass ring. At the maiden’s party, whichever lucky maiden finds the ring is sure to be the next to wed. Medieval Scottish tradition holds that little cakes of mince, mutton, or fruit supplied by guests would be stacked in front of the bride and groom. They would be challenged to kiss leaning across the top of the pile without tipping the cakes onto the floor, symbolic of a successful wedding night consummation.

Decorating wedding cakes with frosting is believed to originate from a distraught baker hurrying to a big wedding with a cart full of cakes stacked one upon the other. There were so many and the road was so bumpy, the cakes would not remain stacked.

Exasperated and probably running late, the baker mixed a sticky paste of sugar, water and flour, spread the concoction between layers and poured the rest evenly over the top effectively cementing the first layer cake together. Creative bakers from that time on were free to design frostings with color and flowers and elaborate toppings.

Today’s bride and groom may not know the rich history and tradition behind that first slice of shared wedding cake, but the symbolism is certainly still vibrant and, perhaps, still weaves it’s magic in the honeymoon chamber.

There are many routes you can take in order to save money for your wedding. Many of these money-saving tips will still provide sufficient flowers and wedding cakes without sacrificing quality and adequacy.

Tips on Wedding Cakes and Flowers

Pricing: As you will start to find out, for wedding cakes most bakeries will charge on a per slice basis. Some of these bakeries may charge anywhere from three to fifteen dollars a slice. In order to avoid any surprises in the form of hidden costs, inquire about any possible delivery costs or accessory rentals.

Saving Money: There are other routes to getting your wedding cake than just a caterer or bakery. Many caterers and bakeries require deposits and setup fees. To avoid such hassles, you can always ask a friend that is a good baker to bake a wonderful cake for you.  This will save a considerable amount of money and perhaps be your friends pleasure.

Communicating What You Want: Flower bouquets amongst other types of flower arrangements can be very difficult to communicate to your florist. In order to avoid receiving a bouquet that looks nothing like what you originally asked for, do your best to tell your flower professional exactly what you want. Ask for examples, and show some pictures of what you want if possible.

Save Money on Flowers: There are many ways to cut the overall costs of your wedding. One such method involves saving a considerable amount of money on your flower expenditures. Budget carefully and be up-front with your florist in regard to your price range. Also, purchase flowers that are in-season.

Once you have realized your significant savings, you now know that the money you have saved can go towards your honeymoon or other necessities such as all the things you’ll need to decorate your new home together.

Here are four examples of opportunities to use rose petals for your engagement, wedding, and reception.

For the Proposal

When you’re getting ready to ask the big question, consider hiding the engagement ring in a box of rose petals. When you give your fiance the box, watch as she digs through beautiful, fragrant rose petals to find the engagement ring.

Roses as Wedding Favors

Inside an organza bag or sachet, rose petals make romantic, great smelling potpourri gifts that your guests can take home as wedding favors. Include rose petals in a sachet and include a tag with the name of the bride and groom and the wedding date.

Rose Petal Bouquets

An assortment of colorful roses can make one of the most romantic and memorable floral bouquets. The traditional rose can grace an more informal beach wedding to an elegant church wedding. You can’t go wrong with roses!

Rose Petal Wedding Walkway

When the flower girl walks down the aisle, have her sprinkle rose petals down the aisle for the wedding party to walk down. This is said to pave the way for a new beginning of happiness in the marriage, and what better way to do it than with beautiful rose petals.

Romantic Decorations

Roses are a great choice as a wedding reception flower, to sprinkle in the limo, or add a bouquet to the honeymoon suite. Use scattered rose petals to decorate the tables at the reception. When the bride and groom leave the wedding location, toss some rose petals inside the limo for added romance. Add even more romance by decorating the inside of the wedding night suite with rose petals.

Use the above suggestions or use your imagination to add romance and elegance to your engagement, wedding, reception, and any other special occasion. Using rose petals will help to create a classic and romantic occasion that will be a long-lasting, treasured memory.