do i have to throw my flowers????

[stuzzy2003]

I'm having a throw away which will be a smaller version of my bridesmaid flowers which my florist includes in her price...

[blossy]

I had my 'throwaway' made as 2 small bouquets, tied together as one posy. When it was time to go, I gave half to each mum. My real bouquet was given to my cousin, as I caught the bouquet at her wedding.

[ozwiccagal]

yeah i'm having a throw bouquet to toss.

[Lilyaust]

Well what my florist did was made mine and then a throw away one which was a smaller version but not much different.

[shazza2007]

My florist has included a smaller throwaway bouquet in the price, so I'm going to throw it, and keep my big one. Don't know what I'm going to do with it yet though!

[Lilyaust]

there are places which press dry and frame your flowers to you. your florist may even do it.

[DJPlus]

Ok - firstly the bouquet does not need to be thrown, it can as Jen did, be presented to a special person (Mum, Nan, Sister, Maid/Matron of Honour).

Secondly in most cases, from my experience, the actual bridal bouquet is not thrown but a smaller "throwaway" bouquet is. This being the case, as mentioned, the bridal bouquet can be kept and preserved or placed on a loved ones final resting place.

Finally, in case you didn't know - here is how this tradition originated;

In medieval Europe, the bride did not typically expect to wear her wedding dress again and the dress was considered good luck by other women, a type of fertility charm. After the wedding, single women would chase the bride and tore pieces off her dress, leaving her in tatters (I can just imagine a exclusive designer wedding dress being ripped to shreds - lol). Over the years, wedding dresses became more expensive and it became traditional for women to keep them, either as a memento or to pass on to a daughter for her wedding day.

To prevent guests from ripping the wedding dress, brides began throwing other objects as a distraction, one of which was the garter. Later, the bouquet became the most traditionally thrown object. The wedding bouquet is particularly suited to this use, as flowers symbolise fertility, and as perishable items, they are not something the bride would normally wish to keep. The bouquet is also a safer item to toss than the garter, as unruly and impatient wedding guests were sometimes known to try to take the garter from the bride while she was still wearing it (imagine girls, all the guests trying to get the garter of your leg!). Of course the woman who catches the bouquet is said to be the next who will marry.

As mentioned above, not all modern brides and grooms like the tradition of throwing the bouquet and either modify it or do away with it altogether.

[Sideways Sally]

I don't know what to do - hate the idea of a toss and never participated when I was single. Was originally stopping at the nursing home to give bouquet to Mark's bedridden Nan but she passed away just before xmas. Was thinking of Bouquet in 4 bit for each Mum, MOH & Emily but MOH lives interstate and her and Emily will have their own flowers to carry anyway and my MIL is not my favourite person - also thought about giving it to my sister who is my MOH but apart from her living in Qld I hate her partner and don't want her to marry him so that's not much better might take it to the hotel with me and enjoy it for a few days before I leave to go on honeymoon!

PJ - show us pics of your framed bouquet

[Bek]

Originally Posted by Lilyaust

there are places which press dry and frame your flowers to you. your florist may even do it.

I dried my bouquet myself and it looks fantastic!!!
All I did was spray the flowers with hairspray, hang the bouquet upside down from a door handle, and in a few weeks it was ready!
i now have it in my display cabinet and it still looks good.
I have put a few of those special sachet things, you know... you find them in some shoe boxes, etc, to keep away the mould.

[Karls]

Thats a good idea Bek!