These statement-making flowers come in many shapes and sizes

Wedding Bouquet Glossary
Her bouquet is perhaps a bride’s most contemplated accessory—after all, she will be walking down the aisle with it, posing for photos with it, complementing it with bridesmaids’ flowers and tossing it in a much anticipated and watched moment. So it has to be absolutely special. And it’s not just the flowers that matter. They, of course, are of utmost importance, but equally impactful is the shape of the bouquet.

There are a bevvy of styles of wedding bouquets that can be DIYed or shared with floral designers: we explain 8 of the most popular and our favorites here.

Round
The most traditional style bouquets are round arrangements. They are versatile as well. Round bouquets may be full or wispy, colorful or muted, mixed with greens or packed with blooms. While they are classic, depending on the design, these round bouquets work well for modern brides too, especially if she shakes it up with flower selection.

Pomander
This popular wedding bouquet shape mixes up the typical handheld arrangement. Meaning, a dense round ball of flowers—created with floral foam or styrofoam—is suspended from a wide ribbon loop that bridesmaids, flower girls or even the bride herself can slip over her wrist. Most pomanders use rounded blooms like roses and peonies as bases and tuck in smaller blooms and touches of greens or steer clear of the smaller blooms and greens and just pack it full of lush blossoms. Brides may also use pomanders as floral decor at a ceremony or reception.

Cascading or Waterfall
The shape of a cascading or waterfall bouquet is just as the name suggests: typically a round bouquet that trails romantically down from its base. This flowing floral design is typically more formal and works well for a bride with a longer veil that’s floor, chapel or cathedral in length.

Pageant
A modern bride might consider a pageant bouquet, with long stems that are meant to be rested along the length of her arm. The lengthy stems mixed with greenery make for a stunning site.

Composite
This bouquet is strictly for only the talented floral DIYer or skilled florists with experience in composites to attempt. But the results are so worth it. Composites consist of wiring the petals and buds of smaller flowers to create one refined, elegant oversized bloom.

Nosegay
These diminutive bouquets are equally romantic as they are statement making. Nosegays are known to be tightly bunched flowers, with stems trimmed to the same size. Stems are typically tied tightly and can be wrapped in ribbon or fabric and secured with trailing ends of a bow.

Posy
Like the nosegay, posy bouquets are small in stature. Traditionally, posy’s are flowers only, no greenery, tied with decorative ribbon and made to be held in one hand. Perfect for brides, bridesmaids and flower girls.

Hand-tied
A more casual bouquet that is a popular option today is the hand-tied arrangement. These bunch of flowers—starting with a central flower and adding other blooms and greenery around until it’s filled out to the desired look or size—are secured with floral tape then tied together with ribbon. Perfect for the DIY or less formal bride.