A guide to choosing your bouquet shape

Choosing your bridal bouquet is one of the most important decisions you’ll make in the lead up to your big day. So it pays to understand what your options are and how to choose a bouquet shape that will work best for you.

The bridal bouquet is a tradition dating back centuries to a time where brides were adorned with flowers, herbs and spices to welcome new beginnings with hopes of fertility, happiness, and fidelity.

It wasn’t until more recent times that wedding bouquets started to take on a more elaborate and decorative purpose, identifying the bride and reflecting the couple’s individual taste and style.

While the options are plenty, there are no right or wrong bouquet styles or shapes. It’s all about choosing a shape and size that suits your personality and the broader aesthetic you have chosen for your wedding.

Bouquet shapes and sizes

Some of the most popular types of bouquet shape are free form/whimsical, cascade, rounded, long stemmed and picked from the garden style.

It’s important to let your wedding florist know the bouquet shape you desire, as well as how large or small you wish your bouquet to be. We can advise you on all the important stuff like what flowers will work best for your selected shape, how far your budget will stretch and the appropriate size and scale of your bouquet.

Getting hitched? We’d love to help you design the bridal bouquet of your dreams. Please reach out for a customised quote.

Let’s take a closer look at some of the most popular bouquet shapes SHAF brides have chosen.

Free Form/whimsical bouquet style

A popular whimsical option for modern brides, natural shaped wedding bouquets are arranged loosely with varying stem heights to give the arrangement a sense of movement and body. This pretty, laid-back bohemian style oozes effortless chic.

Free Form/Whimsical Dani Drury Photography

Cascade bouquet style

The cascade is a classic yet show stopping bouquet shape popularised by Princess Di’s marriage to Charles. This romantic shape is characterised by its trailing blooms which are sure to make a big statement on your big day.

Cascading Elk and Fir Photography

Rounded bouquet style

Timeless for a reason, the round bouquet transcends bridal trends and has been the go-to bouquet shape for decades. Offering a compact traditional design aesthetic and 360 degrees of floral viewing pleasure, the round shape is a classic choice for the discerning bride.

Rounded by slightly freeform (sprigs of interest) Mill And The Sea Photography

Long-Stemmed Bouquet Shape

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 with long silk ribbon.

Long Stemmed House Of Lucie Photography

Picked From The Garden

If you’re after something a little more understated, consider a picked from the garden style bouquet. This vintage-inspired sweetie pie gives off understated retro vibes and offers a welcome alternative to oversized bouquets. With simplicity in mind, the humble picked from the garden bouquet gives centre stage to the bride and her dress. Great for cottage and vintage feel weddings.

Picked From The Garden Mill and The Sea Photography

What to Consider When Choosing Your Wedding Bouquet:

Dress Style: Complement rather than overshadow 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.

We hope this guide to bouquet shapes has inspired you to start planning your own dream bridal bouquet. Please reach out if you have any questions or would like to request a customised quote.

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