The oval bouquet is arranged into a tight posy style and is very similar to the round posy, but oval in shape. It is usually held vertically to the body, though it can be held horizontally for a different effect. This style tends to look its best when made with two colours of flower and foliage.
Above: Flowers by Eve – roses and scenecio
The Wedding Dress for the Oval Bouquet
The oval bouquet suits most bridal gowns and looks especially stunning with ornate or ballgown-style gowns and is more flattering to voluptuous plus-size brides than the round posy bouquet as when held vertically to draw the eye up and down, giving the illusion of taller, longer, narrower lines as a round posy will accentuate a rounder bridal gown shape.
Styling an Oval Bouquet
The oval bouquet has always been a popular choice and typically includes small delicate flowers arranged tightly into a hand-held posy style.
Just like the round posy bouquet, there are larger and more intricate variations of the oval bouquet – some made all of one flower type such as roses or peonies and others with a variety of different blooms. They tend not to have much foliage and instead feature long cut stems tied, most usually, with ribbon. Stems can be hidden completely by ribbons or left natural with just a ribbon tied around the top into a bow. Oversized ribbons are the latest trend with different colours of silky ribbons tied into an oversized bow and then trailing down from the tied flower stems.
The flowers and colours you choose for your bouquet will depend on your wedding colour scheme and overall theme. You could have one colour for a simply classic look or a mix of contrasting or complementary colours to add interest.
To add interest to an oval bouquet a florist can position leaves at regular intervals to each flower to create a pattern. Twigs and grasses can also be used to great effect to create shape across the bouquet.
Bride and Bridesmaid bouquets
As the bride, you may want to have a slightly larger bouquet to your bridesmaids to ensure yours stands out. You could have different flowers packed into yours and just one flower in theirs or have yours in a vibrant colour such as red with theirs in white. This works beautifully against a white or ivory wedding dress and red bridesmaids dresses.
Working with your Florist
Your florist is the wedding flower expert so discuss your options with them and don’t be afraid to ask for what you want even if they haven’t yet suggested it. Look through their portfolios for inspiration and discuss all the different flower, colour and style options open to you and the finishing touches such as ribbons, bows and tiny gem stones on petals for added sparkle.
An example
If you’re planning a blush pink and sage green wedding with gold accents and a hint of sparkle, you could discuss with your florist the possibility of creating a posy bouquet of blush pink roses, tied with a sage green ribbon, finished with a dab of golden glitter to the petals.
