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Shapes and Styles

When you visit your florist, have an idea of what kind of flowers you are interested in purchasing. Below you will find descriptions of different shapes and styles of bouquets.

Shapes

Bouquet: Cluster of flowers either hand-tied at the neck of the stems or anchored in a bouquet holder

Nosegay: A round, densely packed burst of hand-held blossoms. Round showy flowers (roses, hydrangeas, peonies) work best in this shape.

Posies: Smaller version of nosegays. Works well with tiny buds.

Cascade: Nosegays that gracefully extend tendrils of greenery and blooms from their base.

Clutch: Simple or casual gathering of flowers tied with ribbon, raffia, or string, for a natural garden-picked appearance.

Styles
Formal: Formal bouquets are always all white with one to three different elegant flowers. The best shapes for a formal bouquet is the cascade and a nosegay. Some popular flower choices include roses, calla lilies, orchids, gardenias, stephanotis, and lilies of the valley.

Semi-formal: Semi-formal bouquets are colorful mixes of muted pastels or crisp, bright colors. They can also be a combination of colors of the same tone or white accented with a color. The best shapes for a semi-formal bouquet are the nosegay and an arm bouquet.

Informal: Informal bouquets are often smaller or posies. Their designs tend to be lively and unexpected like a handful of daffodils tied with a ribbon. But remember that informal does not have to mean unsophisticated.

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