I have been seeking an answer to a question. What is the point of the bridal bouquet? Ok, I'm certain the origin of the bouquet lies in freshening the air around a bride who believed bathing to be life-threatening. The tradition continued as a means to show off one's wealth by carrying around your lovely selection of hot house flowers - and later really emphasized when you had so much money you could literally throw the flowers at people.
Oh, wait, it's not that I have so much money I can throw around. It's that I'm lucky and so I have to beat back the frothing guests back with my flowers. Riiiiight. A bat or a sword would be more effective. A blunt, defensive object would be useful to a bride who selects really hideous bridesmaids' dresses.
Ok, yes, they're pretty, but pretty for how long and at what cost? Flowers wilt and don't last very long. The bride only carts around the bouquet for so long before it's foisted upon some bridesmaid, stuck in a corner (smarter: stuck in a vase on display), or thrown at a group of single women. The prettiness usually only draws the eye away from the happy couple (except with expert floral design and expert photography). I don't know that pretty is worth the cash. (At least not when a pretty pair of earrings might last for years whereas a pretty bouquet only lasts for days.)
Still the question returns - regardless of archaic traditions and likely pagan beliefs - what is the point of the modern bridal bouquet?
There is probably none. When it comes down to the whole wedding thing, I say certain traditions should be thrown to the wind and you and Wm should do your own thing. Whatever is significant to you.
ReplyDeleteShoot, as far as preservation goes: check out 'origami flower bouquet' or 'tissue flower bouquet' on google images. Some of them are amazing.
I asked myself the same question. I had one made though, just a small simple boquet put together by a friend, and it was very pretty, but I had to carry it around all night in case anyone shot a picture of me, and I got really sick of holding it! (and you don't know me, so if you want me to go away, just say so. But I love the way you write!)
ReplyDeleteI was asking myself the same question, decided to google it and got here. I guess there is NO POINT AT ALL TO IT really other than trying to act like everybody else...
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