Maybe it’s blogs, I don’t know… but I’ve seen more statement bouquets over the last six months than ever before. Gone are the tidy teardrops and perfect circles, now English brides are choosing gloriously messy, cascading, multicoloured and rustic armfuls of flowers… and it’s one of my favourite wedding trends.

Statement bouquet by Katie Laura Flowers | Tiree Dawson Photography
I wanted to show you a handful of examples, some favourite bouquets and ideas to set your Pinterest boards on fire! I asked florists and photographers on Facebook to share their very best – an excuse to share lots and lots of insanely pretty flowers on the English Wedding Blog. And the suggestions came flooding in…
Statement bouquets: big, bold and beautiful

Bouquet by Katie Laura Flowers | Tiree Dawson Photography | Typical Type
Make a statement with the size and style of your bouquet! For flower lovers, this is all the excuse you’ll ever need to hold the most amazing flowers you can imagine! I adore Katie Laura Flowers‘ style and approach to floral design: creative and carefree, with the loveliest colour combinations and lots and lots of fabulous foliage.

Bouquet by Katie Laura Flowers | Tiree Dawson Photography
… be different if you dare and carry a basket of flowers – perfect for a rustic wedding, this arrangement in a wicker basket has everything: gorgeous summer flowers, bright pinks and daisies, fruits, grasses and oodles of wonderful foliage! By The Vintage Floral Design Co.

Alternative bouquet in a basket by The Vintage Floral Design Co. | Image Heline Bekker Photography
Simple, muted and earthy bouquets

Bouquet by The Vintage Floral Design Co. | Image Shell de Mar
Greens are in – rustic styling is big for 2015 and very ‘natural’ bouquet colours are in. Think green and white hydrangeas, ferns and grasses, and the palest daisies and blooms for a big, impactful bouquet. Tie with hessian, muslin or linen for a classy, rustic finish. I adore this arrangement by Gwenda at The Vintage Floral Design Co.

Real bride Sophie | Paul Fuller Kent Photography
A smaller bouquet can be beautiful too! Sophie’s bouquet combines roses and statement blooms with daisies and little green buds – and the shape is creative, exciting and just that little bit messy – LOVE!

Sophie’s simple, natural bouquet | Paul Fuller Kent Photography
At the opposite end of the scale, neutral and natural colours can be breathtaking – just go overboard with the size of your bouquet! Adding foliage is such a dreamy way to create beautiful, big bouquets for creative brides.

The Vintage Floral Design Co. | Heline Bekker Photography
Sweet summer wedding bouquets

Image credit Paul Fuller Kent Photography
Sweet summer flowers can work well with just a dash of messy, creative styling. If you don’t want to carry a huge bouquet but still love your flowers, the secret is in combining colours. Never stick to one or two contrasting colours, but mix tones and shades as you would in a garden… and suddenly you have your dream ‘English country garden’ bouquet! The shape is important too… add sprigs and twigs and grasses and foliage for an interesting bridal bouquet.

Image credit Paul Fuller Kent Photography

Pretty spring bouquet | image credit Lumiere Photography

Image credit Paul Fuller Kent Photography
Roses are our favourite wedding flower, and have been for many years – but a straightforward rose bouquet looks dull when you see how brides are combining so many flowers in modern bouquets. Add peonies and ranunculus, lisianthus and gypsophila – and again, lots of leaves and ferns and grasses – and those roses will really stand out and look beautiful!
English country garden flowers

Sarah’s summer bridal bouquet | Paul Fuller Kent Photography
Oh, and did I mention hydrangeas? They’re gorgeous – but mix n match is the secret to making your hydrangeas look amazing… for a true English country garden look you need to pick from the whole border – imagine a cottage garden, where the secret is the wide range of bright, colourful flowers in different shapes and heights.

real bride Louisa’s English country garden messy bouquet | Paul Fuller Kent Photography

Daisies and sunflowers for a summer bouquet | image credit Lumiere Photography
The ‘just picked’ look for messy bridal flowers

Bright summer colours | image credit Lumiere Photography
So many of the brides I feature on the English Wedding Blog are making their own bouquets, or enlisting their mums, aunties and best girls to do it. The secret to getting it right? Learn from an expert – go to a class or attend a course with a creative florist whose style will inspire you. (If any of you are coming to The Handmade Fair this year you should seek out Kitten Grayson – her sessions are just amazing!) That ‘just picked’ look for homemade bouquets is gorgeous… but it’s important to make sure your bouquet won’t wilt or fall apart!

That ‘just picked’ look | image credit Lumiere Photography

Photo credit Caroline Nicholson Photography

Photo credit Caroline Nicholson Photography
Wild and exotic summer flowers

Wild and exotic bouquet by Pumpkin & Pye | Image credit Evolve Photography
The statement flower of 2015 will be the protea – just one or two in a mixed, colourful bouquet is divine. They’re different, new and exotic, and I adore their fabulous colours and textures. Mix and match with berries and bright, exciting shades for a ridiculously beautiful statement bouquet! Natasha’s protea bouquets (Pumpkin & Pye) are just gorgeous – I’d love to carry one of these.

Wild and exotic bouquet by Pumpkin & Pye | Image credit Evolve Photography

Bouquet by Tebbey and Co. | image Melissa Beattie Photography
My lovely friend Emma from Tebbey and Co. has a talent for foraging… and her imagination should inspire us all to create exciting wedding flowers. Emma built this protea bouquet around the statement flower, adding shape, colour and texture with leaves, flowers and berries from gardens and hedgerows… incredible, isn’t it?!

Bouquet by Tebbey and Co. | image Melissa Beattie Photography
Tone it down for autumn and winter messy bouquets

Bold and striking autumn berry bouquet | Image credit Amanda Karen Photography
Autumn colours are so much fun to play with – choose russets and oranges, rich red dahlias or berries, and add textures with heather, catkins and ivy for a creatively styled bouquet. When winter arrives your flower choices will be more limited, but think foliage and texture: silver ferns, blue-tinged berries and lots of blue-green foliage will complement classic English roses and make your bouquet so much more than just a bunch of flowers!

Bold and striking autumn berry bouquet | Image credit Amanda Karen Photography

Exciting winter bouquet | Image credit Amanda Karen Photography
With huge thanks to all of the florists and photographers who shared their images for this feature:
- Katie Laura Flowers
- Tiree Dawson Photography
- The Vintage Floral Design Co.
- Heline Bekker Photography
- Shell de Mar
- Paul Fuller Kent Photography
- Lumiere Photography
- Caroline Nicholson Photography
- Pumpkin & Pye
- Evolve Photography
- Tebbey & Co.
- Melissa Beattie Photography
- Amanda Karen Photography
For more messy, informal and creative wedding bouquets follow me on Pinterest and check out my 17 boards of wedding flowers (all organised in alphabetical order under F), especially Flowers – messy bouquets!
what do you think?