The tradition of including an elopement bouquet and flowers in your wedding comes from an outdated need to hide the brides body odor (since people didn’t have as much of a hygiene routine as they do now).
Thankfully we don’t have that problem anymore, but the tradition remains. This is likely because florals are a beautiful addition to any celebration!
When it comes to elopements, you have tons of different options for your day and how to include florals. There are also a few factors that you will need to consider to choose the perfect bouquet for you.
Things to Consider for Picking an Elopement Bouquet or Flowers
1. Some locations don’t allow live flowers to avoid the introduction of invasive species to the are they are protecting. You will learn this when you apply for or research permits to whichever location you choose!
2. Lots of couples don’t want to carry around a heavy bouquet when they are adventuring in the outdoors. It is more of a nuisance at times if you are wanting your hands free to hold your partners hand and interact with nature around you.
Below you will find a long list of ideas for your own elopement florals to help you choose your ideal set up!
Traditional Elopement Bouquet
This isn’t a new idea, but it of course had to be added in the list just in case someone thought you couldn’t have a traditional bouquet for an elopement. You can! Sometimes you just want to include a few regular traditions and have a real live bouquet – that’s great!
There is truly something timeless about real florals and there are SO MANY incredibly talented florists all over the world to choose from.
Floral wristlet
If you don’t want to carry around a heavy bouquet all day (I totally get it, lots of my couples have chosen not to) but still want to incorporate florals somehow you have two other popular options. The first being a floral wristlet.
Wristlets have been known to be for mothers and family members in traditional weddings, but I’m on a mission to make them more mainstream for my couples eloping. They are a perfect way to have something a little fancy, but also have your hands totally free throughout the day to hold your vow books and your partners hand.
Floral Crown
The second option if you don’t want to have a big bouquet is to wear a floral crown. Floral crowns are a gorgeous and etherial way to wear your flowers instead of having to hold them. You can also choose to use live florals or non- real flowers. Some people keep it small and simple and some have massive crowns. I’d keep it more on the simple side unless you have a foolproof way to keep it tightened down on your head. I’ve seen people have trouble with it getting loose, flopping around, or falling off. If you’re adventuring in the outdoors on your elopement day you don’t want to have to worry about any of that happening!
Floral Hairpiece
If you want something a bit smaller than a big floral crown, a little comb or headpiece is perfect! There are some gorgeous creations that you can find. Some florists will glue succulents and dried flowers onto these little accessories to bring a little bit of glam to whatever hairstyle you chose for your big day. Again, make sure you know how to pin it down nice and tight so you don’t have to worry about it falling out all day.
Silk Floral or Bouquet
When you are having an elopement in a location that doesn’t require live florals, silk bouquets are the next best bet! It might surprise you to find out that there are actually plenty of bouquets that are made from “fake” flowers. Thankfully they can still look very real and beautiful! Another plus about these kinds of florals are that they won’t die. If you are wanting to keep your bouquet as a keepsake, this is a great option.
Wooden Bouquet
Did you know there are flowers made from paper or wood? I didn’t until one of my brides showed up with a gorgeous wooden floral elopement bouquet for her day. I thought this was such a cool way to have something a little more unique for your day than silk flowers. They add a bit of a softer, more natural look in my opinion as well.
Dried Florals or Bouquet
Choosing dried flowers is a really cool way to add something a bit more unique to your elopement day decor.
One of my brides took all the dried flowers she had saved over the years that her husband and kids had given her. She then created a floral wristlet, and boutonnieres from those flowers. It was a personalized and unique way to incorporate something meaningful into their special day (and super eco-friendly!)
Pick or create your own elopement bouquet
Did you know you can actually buy a bucket of different types of flowers from local floral vendors? You could also go to a flower farm to pick your own florals! This bride bought a bucket of flowers and pieced her bouquet together the night before. She loved being a more active part of the process in the creation of her elopement bouquet. I always thought it would be fun for a couple to go to a flower farm to pick their flowers and greenery as an actual part of their elopement day! Wouldn’t that be fun? You could also scavenge some greenery from your own land, but don’t do that on any other private or public land! We always want to follow Leave No Trace Principles.
No Bouquet or Florals
Have you ever thought about not having any florals at all? Not many people have but when it comes to elopements. Keeping things simple is usually at the top of the list for goals for the day. I’ve had plenty of couples choose to forego the florals all together and keep things more focused on the celebration itself. One less thing to worry about and carry around with you!
Rental Elopement Bouquets
I’ve recently discovered the idea of a rental bouquet! There are actually quite a few silk bouquets that you can find on Etsy that you rent for your elopement day. Then, when your done, you return back to the maker to be re-used by someone else! I LOVE this idea because it is a super eco-friendly choice. It keeps things nice and simple for you. If you don’t plan on doing something special with your bouquet afterwards (and will be happy with just the photos/video) this is an awesome option!
Elopement Flower Venues
What if you just get married in a field of flowers instead of bringing them along with you? Choose a private flower farm or a trail somewhere with abundant wildflowers! You can’t go wrong with your wedding florals surrounding you. It allows you to keep the planning even more simplified and just enjoy the beauty of nature as it is.
