Bridal bouquet traditions: where they come from

Almost every bouquet tradition has a far less romantic origin than people assume. It is worth knowing, if only to decide which ones to keep.

The origin of the bouquet

The first bridal "bouquets" weren't made of flowers: they were bundles of aromatic herbs such as garlic, rosemary, dill and chives. They served two very practical purposes in medieval Europe: they were believed to ward off evil spirits and disease, and they masked odors at a time when bathing was infrequent.

Flowers came later, and the floral bouquet as we know it became popular in the Victorian era, with the rise of the language of flowers.

Why the bouquet is tossed

The origin is awkward: in medieval Europe it was believed that touching the bride brought good luck, and guests would crowd around her and tear off pieces of her dress. Throwing the bouquet, and sometimes the garter, was a diversion so she could get away.

Over time it turned into what it is today: whoever catches it is the next to marry. In Argentina it is almost always kept, often in the ribbon version.

The ribbon bouquet

It is the most common version here, and a good deal more elegant than the toss: several ribbons hang from the bouquet and only one has a ring tied to the end. The single friends all pull at the same time, and whoever gets the ring is the one who's "next."

It has a practical advantage: nothing gets thrown, the bouquet isn't ruined, and nobody ends up diving to the floor at a formal party.

Other customs

• Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue. It is a 19th-century English saying. Blue stood for fidelity, and many brides handle it with a blue flower tucked into the bouquet or a ribbon on the handle.
• The groom's boutonnière. Traditionally it carries a flower from the bride's bouquet, as a sign that they belong together. It is a small detail that often gets lost, and it looks lovely.
• Petals at the exit. They replaced rice, which was a symbol of fertility and abundance. Many venues and parishes no longer allow rice, so petals won by default.
• Leaving the bouquet at an altar or on a family grave. It is a custom of Catholic origin that survives mainly in Argentina's provinces, outside Buenos Aires.

Which ones are worth keeping

None of them is mandatory, and plenty of couples choose to skip them. The ones usually worth it are those that create a photo or include someone: the ribbon bouquet, the boutonnière with a flower from the bouquet, or handing the bouquet to a particular family member at the end of the party. The ones that do none of that are just a formality.

And if you want to keep it

That is decided before the wedding, not after. The options are in how to preserve your bridal bouquet.