Wedding Bouquet Alternatives For The Non-Traditional Bride

When I walked down the aisle, I wanted an alternative to a traditional floral bouquet. I wanted it to look stunning, but I also wanted my wedding guests to say, "Wow, I would have never thought of that, but isn't that beautiful?" More and more brides are moving toward flower alternatives for their bridal bouquet. Sometimes it is just simply to be different, but other times, brides want to be able to keep their bouquet for years to come looking just as it did when they said "I do."

Brooches and Buttons

A brooch bouquet is a wonderful and vintage-looking thing to carry as you walk down the aisle. There are tons of vintage brooches that can be made into a bouquet that will allow you to carry a wonderful bundle as your guests see you for the first time on your wedding day. If you have a collection of brooches that belonged to loved ones, what better way to make something meaningful?

The same goes for buttons. A vintage button bouquet can be a beautiful thing as well. Whether you collect them or you can get your hands on some wonderful buttons, a button bouquet can be a stunning piece of art.

Living Things (But Not Flowers)

Forget flowers when it comes to your bouquet, but still use living things for a beautiful bouquet for your aisle walk. Fresh herbs are beautiful and quaint and smell amazing. A bouquet of fresh herbs is a great idea for an outdoor or more casual ceremony. A bouquet made of succulents can be incredibly beautiful as well. A thick jade plant surrounded by aloe vera, panda plant, and a flowering Christmas cactus to give it some color would make a breathtaking non-traditional wedding bouquet. A veggie bouquet can be stunning as well. There are so many different colors of lettuce and cabbage leaves that can surround artichokes and tomato buds for color. For a wintery bouquet, try combining pine cones, small pine branches, and cotton burs for a rustic look.

Seashells

If you are planning a beach wedding or simply a beach-themed ceremony and reception, a seashell bouquet would be quite nice. Go hunting for some perfect ones along your local shores, or you can purchase shells as well as starfish and sand dollars from your local craft store in order to create a wonderful bridal bouquet.

Christmas Ornaments

Whether you are planning to say "I do" in December or you are just looking to create something different, try carrying a Christmas bulb bouquet down the aisle. There are so many different ornaments that can be made into a beautiful wedding day bouquet. Gold and silver plain bulbs or even colorful ones will allow you to have something special to carry on your big day.

Butterflies

There is no better way to have a fantastical and whimsical bouquet than to carry a butterfly or a whole bunch. These natural wonders can inspire a beautiful bridal bouquet that can be created with a few craft items and be carried to add a dash of nature to your wedding day ensemble.

Paper

There are a million different cool ideas for a non-traditional wedding bouquet using paper. Try taking pages (the real thing or copies) of your favorite romance story and making them into paper flowers. Your favorite song's sheet music could also be great material out of which to create your flowers. If you can find colorful ones, maps can be a great idea for creating your bridal day bouquet. Maybe you can use maps of your favorite vacation spots.

Another fun project is to have your bridesmaids make origami flowers for your bouquet. You could also get your girls involved by having them create flowers out of the tissue paper used at your bridal shower for your bouquet. This is a great way to symbolically bring many loved ones and friends into your wedding day. A mini-pinwheel bouquet can also be a fun and colorful option to carry down the aisle. For more flair, try adding a large pinwheel to your bridesmaids' flowers as well.

Fabric

There are so many cool ways to use fabric for a nontraditional bridal bouquet. For a casual ceremony or an outdoor reception, try making burlap flowers. You can also use ribbon to make rosettes and create a bouquet out of those. There are so many different items you can use as accents for these fabric flowers, such as pearls, buttons, or brooches.

Another way to use fabric is to have crochet flowers made and collect them together for your bouquet. A cool way to pay homage to your crafty side is to put an actual yarn ball on the end of a small branch for a sort of "yarn flower" and make several of these into a bouquet.

Paper Fans

If you are getting married on one of the hottest days of the summer, a fan is a great item to carry down the aisle. Choose one with an Asian influence or one that can be added to other décor to build a beautiful bouquet. These will look great in pictures and will give your bridesmaids a beautiful take-away from your big day.

Paper Parasols

Another great idea instead of the typical bouquet for an outdoor wedding on a hot summer day is to have parasols for you and your girls to carry. This is a wonderfully feminine way to stroll down the aisle and will give you some relief from the sun on your special summer day.

Sweets

A sweet idea for a bridal bouquet is to carry something sweet. Candied flowers crafted into a bouquet would be a treat that you won't soon forget. A cute bouquet of colorful lollipops would be a cute twist on plain old flowers. If you have a circus or carnival theme, a bouquet of cotton candy on a stick can be cute and delicious at the same time.