The History and Tradition of the Bridal Bouquet and the Boutineer: Since I did that article last week on the incorporation of blue flowers and the tradition of having something blue from that old saying I have been very into this whole wedding traditions idea. I am definitely a history channel addict so I suppose delving into the history of what I do shouldn’t seem so far off for me. I just find it interesting that I have never bothered to find out why these things are part of wedding days and just accepted like a lot of people do, that they were necessary elements. Some of the stuff I have been finding out is kind of weird, like why the ancient Egyptians started putting the ring on the third finger on the left hand and some of it (okay most if it) is really kind of sweet, like the origins of why brides carry bouquets and grooms wear boutonnieres. So instead of dragging this out and continuously posting on this subject for the next few weeks I thought I would get it all out in one post! So here are some of the more popular traditions and the history behind them: Why do bride’s carry a bouquet? “Before the use of flowers in the bridal bouquet, women carried aromatic bunches of garlic, herbs, and grains to drive evil spirits away as they walked down the aisle. Over time, these were replaced with flowers, symbolizing fertility and everlasting love. Specific flowers have special meanings in many cultures; the bride would use these specific flowers and meanings in a collection to visually articulate her feelings for the groom.”  Bridal Bouquet So normally I am not a big fan of “flower meanings,” (you wouldn’t be either if at least once a week a 13 yr old boy came in and quizzed you on the meaning of the particular flower they were picking) I am much more of a if you think it’s pretty and you like the person enough to get it for them then that says more than a fairly loosely interpreted meaning. And I am definitely not suggesting that anyone design their décor around the possible meanings of particular flowers, it might just be a fun thing to tell your bridesmaids or a little thing for you to know. And since I am feeling the romanticism of these traditions here are a few of the most popular wedding flowers and their meanings: Alstromeria: friendship & devotion Baby's breath:pure heart, constancy Calla Lily:magnificent beauty Carnation:pride, beauty, deep love Chrysanthemum, white:truth Daffodil:chivalry, regard, devotion, unrequited love Dahlia:elegance & dignity Daisy:innocence, youth, gentleness Freesia: innocence Gerbera Daisy:beauty, thoughts of absent friends Iris:my compliments Ivy:friendship, dependence, eternal fidelity, and matrimony, conjugal affection Lilac: first emotions of love, fastidious Lily of the valley:return of happiness, purity and humility Lisianthus:thoughts, outgoing Orchid:rare beauty Peony:bashfulness, healing Queen Anne's lace:magic, trust, and healing, steadfast love Ranunculus: I am dazzled by your charm Rose:A single rose of any color in full bloom means "I love you." Two roses put together to form a single stem means an engagement. Stem leaves are a symbol of hope. Rosebuds: beauty of love and friendship, youth, and hope Stephanotis: good-luck, happiness in marriage Sunflower:adoration, pure thoughts Sweet Pea:delicate, blissful pleasure Tulip:declaration of love, passion What about the groom’s boutonniere? “The wedding tradition of the groom wearing a boutineer originates in medieval times when a knight wore his lady's colors (through flowers) as a statement of his love.” (Can do the collective “awww” yet?)  Groom's Boutineer Why the "ring" finger? “Placing the wedding ring on the third finger of the left hand has two possible origins; ancient Egypt or 17th century Europe. The Egyptians believed the "vein of love" ran directly from the ring finger to the heart, therefore the ring was placed there to denote eternal love. During a 17th century wedding ceremony the groom would slide the wedding ring part way up the bride's thumb, index finger and middle finger as the priest said "In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit". As the ring finger was the first free finger, the ring was placed there.” Ok I know that last bit has little to nothing to do with wedding and event design (which is what I am supposed to be writing about) but that whole Egyptian thing was a little creepy romantic (creemantic?) and I thought it was interesting enough to be included in the “wedding history” article. So I hope that this was at least something for you to read while trying to procrastinate getting back to your hectic wedding planning schedules, and at most maybe some of you feel a little bit more connected to the tradition and the meanings of what you are doing instead of just feeling like it is “one more thing” to figure out on that never ending list. Best Wishes! Erin Rose Matkowski |
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