A wedding is not only a formal marriage, but also an ancient sacred ritual associated with an abundance of rituals and will be fanned by the mass of signs. The newlyweds attach importance to everything: the number of guests, the place of the ceremony, details of decoration, flowers.
Flowers have their own language; even the Greeks said that you need to give flowers wisely and take them with caution. Man has awarded almost every flowering plant with meaning and symbolism. So, the majestic elongated irises and tall dahlias with a large head are a symbol of mourning, they were brought to the burial ceremony. In Soviet times, the place of dahlias in Russia was taken by carnations, which often looked lonely and especially touching at a winter funeral.
The "Flower Story" has folklore roots, some of the modern signs are associated with the legends of their ancestors, some with observations.
Lilies have always been a sign of hope and unfulfilled or unrequited desire. They are given to former lovers or to those who can never share feelings. A red lily bloomed in the Garden of Gethsemane on the night before Christ's crucifixion. Needless to say, lilies are inappropriate at a wedding.
Burgundy roses have always been a symbol of will and won victory; they, like funeral flowers, are not accepted to be presented at a wedding. Ivy flowers at a wedding are also considered inappropriate today, it is believed that ivy drives a man out of the house, although in ancient times it was he who was the basis for the bride's wreath and her ceremonial bouquet. Ivy lost the symbolism of fertility and eternal love in the Middle Ages, when the wreath was replaced by a dense woven veil, which symbolized the purity and inaccessibility of the bride in Christianity and Catholicism.
The bride's bouquet
When composing a bouquet for a modern bride, one way or another, you should be guided by the taste of the newlyweds and the general floral design of the wedding. Avoid flowers that exude rich, bright aromas, do not take tall flowers and those with thorns or pointed leaves.
The widespread and tenacious chrysanthemums today are favorites in flower wedding arrangements, but from the point of view of acceptance and belief, this is not the best choice. Chrysanthemum is a symbol of patience, and patience, as you know, comes from trials. What young family would like to start life by testing their own patience?
Small decorative tulips, which have the richest color palette and the symbolism of pure sincere love, can be advised to compose the bride's bouquet. To give a tulip, in fact, means to confess your love. Oddly enough, the orchid serves as the eastern analogue of the tulip, although in Russian reality it is partly associated with eroticism and passion.
Flowers for newlyweds
It is not accepted to present live potted plants to newlyweds, there is no explanation for this, rather, the tradition of congratulating a couple with cut flowers has a purely practical significance. There are two requirements for a wedding bouquet: it should not be bulky (and therefore you can refuse packages and wrappers), it should not smell too much.
By the way, toys and decorative items, as well as artificial flowers, along with living ones, are more than appropriate today in a wedding bouquet.
Gerbera is a gift flower, an excellent symbol for a bouquet that the groom presents to his future wife. This is a sign of a smile, tender feelings, love relationships.
Callas represent unity and spiritual closeness, they protect from quarrels and omissions. It is customary to give them only to the relatives of the groom or bride, calla lilies from witnesses are not accepted.
Alstroemeria or "Peruvian lilies" is a talisman for a young family, a sign of protection. The delicate flower is in perfect harmony with amaryllis and a variety of herbs, which are customary to make part of the bouquet since ancient times. Among the Slavs, for example, herbs were part of the ritual, they covered the floor in the upper room, they were woven into the bride's wreath.
