A bridal shower is an event in which female friends and family shower the bride with gifts. It’s typically held a week or so before the wedding and usually takes place at someone’s home.
When planning a bridal shower, make sure to invite all of the bride’s friends and relatives. This is because most bridal showers are aimed at the bride’s closest friends and family, and not the groom’s or other guests.
In addition to a hostess’s house, this type of party can be held at restaurants or other venues. If you’re inviting a large group, be sure to book a venue that can accommodate all your attendees.
The main goal of a bridal shower is to celebrate the upcoming wedding and shower the bride with gifts in anticipation. The bride-to-be can also use the event to get ready for the big day by doing a few pampering sessions, such as getting her nails done or getting her hair styled.
Flowers have long played a prominent role in bridal rituals, with bouquets carrying both sentimental and symbolic meaning. For example, the rose symbolizes love and beauty, while a bouquet of lilies is a symbol of happiness and pure love.
It’s also an important part of the ceremony, where the officiant will ask each guest to present their own bouquet to the bride and groom. This is a great opportunity to get creative and personalize your floral arrangements.
There’s a popular rumor that back in the 15th century, brides carried flower bouquets to mask the smell of body odor. But a quick search of Snopes proves that this isn’t the case.
For centuries, brides also carried flower bouquets as a sign of their fidelity and hope for fertility. They were also believed to ward off evil spirits and bring good fortune. In addition to the flowers themselves, brides used herbs and spices to create their bouquets. Garlic was a common choice for the Middle Ages, as it was believed to drive away evil spirits and keep the newlyweds healthy.
Bridal bouquets can have an elaborate and ornate design, or be more simple with a few focal flowers surrounded by greenery and fillers. In either case, a bride’s floral arrangement should be carefully coordinated with her theme and color scheme to avoid clashes that could cause awkward moments at the reception.
A typical bridal bouquet is a cluster of flowers that consists of one to five types, with fillers and greens. If you want to try and match the colors of your bouquet to your wedding theme, a florist will be able to help you do this.
Some brides have incorporated the flower language into their bouquets, which is a way for brides to communicate with the florist about what they’re looking for in their floral arrangements. For example, some brides will tell a florist that they’d like the flowers to represent a certain emotion, such as joy or love. Or they might choose a certain type of flower that represents a specific memory from the bride’s past, such as her first kiss or her wedding day.