Most brides simply would not have had access or even the notion of gathering flowers together in a bouquet for their wedding day- that was reserved for the wealthy. As we know, before Queen Victoria, most brides simply wore their best Sunday church dress to marry in and their 'bouquets' were sprigs of herbs.
The idea of herbs having emotional and symbolic and spiritual value was indeed a strong one and at the time, certain herbs were of course valued for their medicinal benefits too.
This made herbs the ideal carry along in such a symbolic and superstitious age. I'll be covering herbs and flowers in more detail right here in future posts. But here are just a few of the most popular tried and true favourites:
Lavender: for devotion. I think everyone adores lavender (or it is just me?). I know it's done to death sometimes, especially in the body, bath and laundry aisle. But even so, the allure of real lavender is all enduring and nothing like its synthetic foes in the room freshener and fragrance market. You can't go wrong with the pink to purple heads and sophisticated scent, be it fresh or dried.
Parsley: for festivity. Did you know that? This perky herb encourages everyone to really get into your wedding and looks wonderful when combined with classic roses. I've seen its popularity soar in the last few years, overtaking mint (which is equally lovely in bouquets). The lush foliage is a definite can do for any bouquet and won't ruin or overpower your fragrance or the scent of other flowers- parsley won't smell unless crushed or cut.
Rosemary: for remembrance. We all know the brittle bushy sprigs that flavour our food, but blooming rosemary is a lilac to deep purple flowering head when flowering, which can be added to any wedding bouquet without interrupting your style. It's also nice in a wreath or posey if you'd like to set a place for someone in remembrance who has passed away. Herbs are so versatile. You have the option of using them fresh, when flowering or as dried sprigs. Today we have the best of both worlds and it's always nice to add a sprig of a symbolic herb to your own bouquet as a nod to the past and a connection to our forbears.
Feel like some herby DIY? I've seen herbs used as spectacular table pieces - they really come into their own when you want to go earthy and look fabulous in barns and locations that are close to nature or have earthy elements. One bride I know made over 200 white lavender 'favours' by personally potting lavender into individual terracotta pots 14 months before the wedding. She added raffia to each pot for the day along with a small laminated 'thank you' notecard with plant care directions. The pots were put out on the tables the day before the wedding and as well as looking fabulous as table decor, the next day the room was very subtly filled with a gentle fragrance. It was a unique and gorgeous idea that really paid off. And the guests were delighted - who wouldn't want a fresh plant to take home?
