Don't forget the Bridesmaids and Flowergirls

The bridesmaids usually carry a bridesmaids posy which are smaller than the brides bouquet. The colour and style should match their dresses and the overall scheme of the wedding. If the bridesmaids are very young they may damage flowers by over-handling or grow tired of holding a posy. An alternative may be allow them to carry a small basket, hoop, Dorothy bag or cuddly toy which is easier to handle.
 
The posy itself had it's heyday in Victorian times, being a popular way to send a messag with your flower choices (see our article on the secret language of flowers, although these days, we tend to choose our flowers based on colour rather than the message. And it did result is some lovely flowers being associated with less pleasant messages such as declarations of war, hardly appropriate for a wedding!

There are two main methods to create posies. These are 'natural stems' (also called hand-tied posies) and 'fully-wired', where the stems of the flowers are removed and replaced with florists' wire. They are then made into a lighter posy with an easy to hold handle. If you prefer something more relaxed, natural and informal, then 'natural stems' posies would suit you better then 'fully wired' which offers a very clean, neat, elegant effect.

Corsages

Corsages may be worn by the bridesmaids, couple's mothers, grandmothers and other female relatives. They are small floral arrangements worn as buttonholes, as a fascinator, as a wrist corsage and can also be appliquéd to handbags or hats to complete your outfit.