The bridal bouquet is just one of the many things involved when planning a wedding and as a bride just 9 months ago myself, the buzz of choosing the style and flowers is still very fresh. Did my flowers suit my theme, was the style traditional enough but still ooze my personality?

The origin of the bridal bouquet tradition is a little hazy, but it was initially thought that women carried a bouquet for the scent; masking any possible odour so they smelt beautiful on their special day. Another possible reason was to scare off evil spirits, these bouquets made up of strong smelling herbs and sometimes even garlic for the vampires!

The custom has evolved over the years with many brides straying from tradition and creating a more personal, alternate bouquet for their wedding day. Check out some of these ideas, they’re clever, have character and are simply stunning. Not to mention they can save you a huge chunk of your wedding budget!

DIY Paper Flowers
Flower bouquets can be costly so what better way to cut costs then by making your bouquet yourself! Whether you choose newspaper, crepe paper, plain paper, they can look as good, if not better than the real thing. You don’t have to wait for flowers to be in season, you won’t risk allergic reactions, and there are heaps of tutorials online to assist you in getting them matrimonially perfect. They look stunning and last, almost, forever.

Buttons
These can be quite time consuming but with a little love and a lot of patience, button bouquets look amazingly clever and quirky. So many relatives have buckets of buttons (my nanna did!) so express your interest early and get collecting. If you don’t have the time, pre-made bouquets are available online for purchase.

Brooches
Oh. My. Gosh. Talk about stunning! For the vintage beauties out there, brooch bouquets ooze elegance. They can however be costly unless you’re already a brooch collector so get the family involved and search far and wide for beautiful pieces. This would work perfectly for your something old and something blue”¦

Feathers
Always a wedding decoration favourite, feathers are cheap, fluffy and come in many colours and sizes. Feathers are a wonderful thrifty alternative with DIY places like Lincraft and Spotlight carrying a great range of materials. Adding things like diamantes and ribbon can add a bit of extra elegance if that’s more your style, otherwise, feather it up for some photo fun!

Lollipops
What a way to make your day sweet and tasty! A bundle of large, swirly lollipops creates a colourful and quirky feeling for guests. Most distributors can make these to order so the colours can tie in with your theme or bridesmaids dresses. Best part about this idea? You can eat your bouquet afterwards!

Honouralbe mentions go to”¦

Shells
For the beach babes, bouquets of shells, starfish, coral and raffia look absolutely stunning whilst walking down the sand to your groom. A bit fiddly to make but with a bit of love, turn out totally rad man.

Windmills
A little further ‘out there’, large paper windmills add a bit of fun, especially for bridesmaids and flower girls. They look great on a breezy day and if you’re feeling crafty, are relatively easy to make yourself.

Fabric
Dressed up with pearls and lace, fabric bouquets give a vintage country twist to tradition. Another cost saving alternative to flowers, tulle and ribbon can add soft touches to an already stunning creation. Just make sure you have a little patience!

Did you go for the traditional flower bouquet? Or did you have something different?