The Very Best Bridesmaid Bouquets

One of the best bridesmaid gifts you can give to your girls is the option of a nice bridesmaid dress they can re-wear. Going with a simple solid-colored gown - preferably cocktail-length - means they can dress it up with a sash or pretty heels for the ceremony but still wear it out afterwards with a cardigan for day or jewelry for a fancy dinner. Still, when you're getting married, it's fair to want your bridesmaids to look like bridesmaids, not just slightly dressed-up girls. Luckily, you can easily accomplish this with the right bridesmaid bouquet!

It's best to go with a contrasting color for bridesmaid bouquets so the flowers don't disappear against the fabric of the dress. If you've chosen jewel-toned bridesmaid dresses for your girls, consider bridesmaid bouquets of white flowers like roses, honeysuckle, or spider lilies. Then, if you're wearing a white wedding dress, match your bouquet to their bridesmaid dresses! This creates a picture-perfect effect that'll look lovely in your wedding photos. Extend this pretty look with Fresh Water Pearl Bracelets for your girls as bridesmaid gifts for a gorgeous altar look that shimmers softly rather than sparkles.

Pastel bridesmaid dresses mean you have room to get a bit more daring in your flower selection. Stargazer lilies stand out well against pale blues and yellows, while rosy pinks and mint greens do well paired with bluebells or foxgloves. Match the softness of pastel colors with contrasting but still pale flowers in unique shapes like amaranthus or bleeding hearts. While their bridesmaid bouquets are catching attention, draw the eye upwards with bridesmaid gifts of the Ivory 3-Strand Pearl Necklace or Floral Elegance Jewelry Set so your bridesmaids can share the spotlight.

Beach weddings demand something slightly different than the standard roses or carnations: consider tropical flowers like plumerias, orchids, anthuriums, and red ginger. Though you might be tempted to pass out leis, those are best saved for the reception when everyone's had a pina colada or two - after all, you don't want your wedding pictures to look like a luau. If you're looking for a real statement flower, go with a small cluster of three bird of paradise flowers, with their striking spiky orange petals. And if your beach wedding is also a destination wedding, consider paying for part of the flights for your bridesmaids as bridesmaid gifts.

Want to try something completely different for your wedding? If you're having a night ceremony, especially outdoors, consider the dramatic statement of dressing your bridesmaids in ethereal white and having them carry Luminous Mini-Lanterns down the aisle instead of bridesmaid bouquets. String your surroundings with fairy lights and make your ceremony positively magical with additional mini-lanterns in clusters whenever you need light - you can even buy them in bulk and give them out afterwards as late bridesmaid gifts or wedding favors.