Not every girl is a fan of flowers! If you’re looking for something a little more unique for your big day bouquet, or you’re a DIY bride who wants to put her own stamp on her flowers, then check out these quirky alternatives to traditional wedding bouquets!
Brooches
One of our very favourite bouquet alternatives is the brooch bouquet – these stunning creations are perfect for romantic vintage-inspired wedding days, and can be completely customised to suit your wedding day theme. They’re also a fantastic way to add a touch of elegant sparkle to your wedding day outfit, so if you love a bit of a bling, the brooch bouquet may be for you!
Brooch bouquets are a great option for DIY brides too, as making your own can be significantly cheaper than buying them readymade – just make sure you stick to cheap costume jewellery rather than shelling out for actual antique pieces! You can also add in brooches or jewellery that has sentimental value for you, such as items owned by your mother or grandmother. This is perfect for adding your own personal touch to your stunning bouquet. Take a look at our DIY brooch bouquet tutorial here!
Buttons
The brooch bouquet’s fun, colourful sister, the button bouquet is great for weddings with a bright fun theme! As buttons come in all colours of the rainbow and are incredibly cheap to buy, opting for a button bouquet is a great way to make sure that your wedding flowers are unique as you are without breaking the bank!
Even if you’re not having a bright theme, using pearl and ivory buttons makes for a stunning bridal bouquet that’s subtler than some of the brighter options available. Mixing your buttons with jewels, feathers and artificial flowers can also make for some gorgeous bouquets – we love the designs at Beachcombers Bridal Boutique!
Fabric
If you love the idea of having a cheap and colorful alternative to real flowers, but hate the hard structure of a button or brooch bouquet, then fabric flowers could be for you! They have a softer feel and more natural look while still being just as easily customised to match the theme of your wedding day. You can even use materials to match the coloured elements of your groom’s suit such as the lining, tie or pocket square!
We think that fabric bouquets make the perfect option for flowergirls or young bridesmaids, as real flowers often get damaged by overzealous children and brooches or buttons may pose a swallowing hazard if broken.
Beaded
A beaded bouquet may take a little more time if you’re considering making this one yourself, but it’s also a skill that you can learn and use for creating gifts in the future! Our real bride Kelly made this bouquet out of tiny glass beads using a technique called French Beading – there are plenty of tutorials online if you’re interested in learning. We think that homemade beaded bouquets would not only look fantastic on the day, but they would also make lovely presents for your bridesmaids to keep.
Paper
Another easy-peasy DIY option that will cost you pennies, paper flowers are becoming more and more popular with our real brides. The options with paper really are endless – if you and your h2b are bookworms, then why not create a wedding bouquet out of your favourite romance novel or poetry? Or if you both bonded over your love of music, then you could use vintage sheet music to create your flowers. Plus, after the wedding is over, you can always just recycle your flowers!
Wheat sheaves
We’re seriously in love with the look of wheat sheaves as bouquets! It makes the perfect alternative to wedding flowers for a bohemian summer wedding, as they look more natural than artificial flowers and they won’t wilt in the heat. We love the wheat sheaves at Shropshire Petals – you can buy their raffia-tied bunches with dried roses and lavender too, which would look stunning at an English country garden theme wedding.
Pomanders
Okay, this one is cheating a little as these pretty pomanders technically ARE made with real flowers, but they’re definitely a more interesting alternative to the traditional bridesmaid bouquet! This is a great option for brides who want to make their own bouquet stand out more, or who have young bridesmaids or flowergirls. Top tip: pomanders also make fantastic pew ends!
Are you a crafty bride who’s thinking of making her own bouquet? Check out our articles on DIY wedding flowers here – or take a look at some of our quirkier real-life weddings to see how they did it!
