We love a wedding at Oleander, and as the season is well and truly upon us, we thought we’d give you a little bit of history on some of those well-known flower-related traditions.
Probably the most important part of the celebrations when it comes to flowers, is the bridal bouquet. Brides put a lot of thought into what style and type of flowers they want, but we’d like to bet that not many brides spend any time thinking about why they’re carrying a bouquet in the first place!
Dating back to ancient Rome, bouquets of herbs, grains and spices were carried by brides. Sometimes these items were attached to the bride’s dress or woven into her hair. As you can imagine, there were some rather strong scents, supposedly to banish evil spirits. The Romans also held the belief that grain symbolised fertility.
In the Middle Ages, pungent herbs took centre stage in the bridal bouquet, with dill and garlic being most prominent. People again believed that these herbs kept evil spirits and bad luck at bay, and, considered to be an aphrodisiac, dill made a second appearance later on at the wedding feast.
By the Victorian era, the first floral bridal bouquets as we know them appeared and flowers became an increasingly popular way to express love. At that time, the Victorians were obsessed with floriography (the art of communicating through different flower types) and all things botany. Orange blossom became a popular feature because of its symbolic meaning of chastity. In her marriage to Prince Albert, Queen Victoria wore a headdress containing Orange blossom which further popularized the bloom.
Nowadays, bridal bouquets feature a wide range of flowers and can be whatever you want them to be. With the year and a half we’ve had, floral trends for weddings are being thrown out of the window; if you’re planning a wedding, ignore what everyone else is doing and focus instead on what makes you happy. So, whether that’s an 80s-inspired cascading bouquet, or a pretty and petite posy, you can rely on us to work with you to find the best fit for your big day. And, if you have no idea what you want and are in need of some inspiration, take a look at our website or reach out to us on (416) 236 8273.