Recap: The Bouquet

For much of our engagement, I was unsure if I was going to carry a bouquet on my wedding day. I didn't know if it was necessary and thought I wanted to carry something more sentimental down the aisle. I had a few things in mind, my grandmother's rosary, my mother's small bible, or the gold necklace that my dad wore everyday for over 20 years (which I inherited after his death).

Mainly, I really wanted to make sure that everything we incorporated into our day was meaningful. Traditions or customs that we didn't feel emotionally connected to, we chose to leave out. One example is that we didn't do a bouquet/garter toss. I eventually chose to carry a bouquet along with my dad's necklace down the aisle and was happy with my choice to combine both options. Now I just love looking at pictures of those pretty flowers wrapped in lace and secured with a pink cameo! My bouquet included English Garden Roses, Ranunculus, Succulents, and Scabiosa Pods.

 

{All photos are by Tina Rowden Photography 

Flowers by Bleu Soiree Productions}

A Few of My Favoite Things {Flowers}

I have flowers on my brain so today I am going to share some of my favorites with you!

{Scabiosa Pods}

I am obsessed with this little round bloom! Also known as the "pincushion flower", scabiosa are in season throughout the spring and summer months! That is good news for me!

Alone, they are not so cute...but check them out in this beautiful bouquet!!!

{Anemones}

Anemones are my absolute favorite! They come in all colors and just look so happy! Sadly, they are in season in the spring and winter...not so much in summer. Good news though, I will have (a few bunches) of these babies at my August wedding because they are one of the few things I am willing to totally splurge on! You can get any flower you want in the off-season for the right price.

Check them out in this lovely bouquet!

{English Roses}

There are over 100 species of roses, and these are just my favorite!

They look amazing in ivory in this bouquet!



So tell me, what is YOUR favorite flower and did you (or will you be) incorporating it into your wedding decor? 

To Bouquet or Not to Bouquet?

Five years ago I read an article in Vogue Magazine which featured the wedding of Donald Trump and Melania Knauss and I remembered something she did not do and also something that she said. She did not carry a bouquet and when questioned about her decision by the interviewer, she asked "why should I, because everyone else is carries one?" I loved the fact that she had this huge lavish reception, but that she kept her church ceremony simple (as far as Trump standards go). She had no bridesmaids (her sister served as her maid of honor), the flowers and decor were minimal compared to what she had at the reception, and she carried a heirloom rosary when she walked down the aisle. She really kept the ceremony focused on the marriage, and I greatly admired that and wanted to do the same.

{Fast forward to today}

The time I most look forward to on August 13th is the 7 o'clock hour. That is when our marriage (and full Mass) will take place and, to me, that will be the more important part of the day. My number one priority when starting to plan our wedding was securing the church, and that was the first thing Mr. CF and I decided on and booked. Like Melania, I do not want to do anything decor wise that is going to compete with the natural beauty of our love. Therefore, there will be minimal decor.

So, here's my dillema. My original plan was to carry my mother's prayer book with my grandmother's rosary around it as I walk down the aisle. But I can't help feeling like "I should" carry a bouquet. After all, that is what every bride does and there are SO many beautiful bouquets out there. I'm thinking about sticking to my original plan for the ceremony and then having a small bouquet to carry for pictures.

What do you think?

This:

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Or this:

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Or both?