What to do with the wedding bouquet

The bridal bouquet tradition used to see it being tossed to the single female guests, who would fight to receive it and become the next bride-to-be. But it is now increasingly popular to forego the whole bouquet toss or to use an alternative tossing bouquet. This leaves the bride with a question – what to do with the wedding bouquet?

So, what do you do with your intact bouquet? The significance of the bouquet together with its cost means that most brides don’t want to see it wasted or thrown away.

Here are four ideas on what to do with the wedding bouquet:

Organise a modern bouquet dance

A bouquet dance is becoming a popular alternative to throwing the bouquet and is a celebration of marriage. During a specific song the DJ asks all the married couples to come to the floor for a slow dance. After a few moments the DJ should ask all couple who have been married less than five years to evacuate the floor, then ten years, fifteen years, and so on. In the end, you should be left with the couple that has been married the longest and you can give them your bridal bouquet.

Preserve your bridal bouquet

Drying your bouquet and holding onto it is a great way to turn your flowers into a wedding keepsake. If you get your bouquet professionally preserved it can either be dried with silica gel and organised in a glass case or freeze dried and presented in an open vase. You could also have a few of the flowers of your bouquet pressed and framed.

Keep it for a special person who couldn’t make it

Perhaps a close member of your family that you would have wanted to be at your wedding has passed away. Preserving your bouquet to place on their grave is one way to include them in your special occasion.

It is often the case that there is a special person such as your grandparent, who should have been at your wedding, but couldn’t come because of ill health. Going to see them the day after the big day and giving them with your bouquet will be a touching gesture and may make up a little for their sadness of missing your wedding.

Say thank you with your bouquet

Has one individual been extra supportive and helpful to you in planning the wedding? If your mum, your sister, or your best friend has been a particular support during the wedding planning, find a quiet moment to thank them with your bridal bouquet and give it as a token of your appreciation. You could also present one flower from your bouquet to each of your female guests and tell them it symbolises love and good fortune.

Whatever you end up doing with your bouquet, if you want to hold onto it you should place it in a cool dark place as soon as possible after the wedding. See whether your caterer has space for it in the refrigerator, or if you have cut flowers place the bouquet in water. If you want to present it to someone a couple of days after the big day, or take it to be preserved on the Monday after a Saturday event, store it in the refrigerator and transport it in a cooler lined with wax paper.