Your gown is: Intricately detailed, with a long train, intricate beading, lavish lace or other trim.
Your bouquet should be: Favor a cascade or teardrop shape with traditional blooms like roses, orchids or lilies. With a dramatic gown, you can choose a fairly large, dramatic bouquet. Something too small could virtually disappear, so make sure your flowers make a statement.
Your gown is: Sleek and modern — a sheath or other body-hugging style.
Your bouquet should be: A striking statement’s called for here. Consider one large bloom like a calla lily, or a few stems in a bold presentation. Alternately, a structured, monochromatic bouquet in bold colors like fuchsia, tangerine or lime can contrast deliciously with a simple, sleek gown.
Your gown is: Casual and youthful — a tea-length or other informal style.
Your bouquet should be: Actually, many bouquets work well with this type of dress. A small nosegay of delicate blooms would be charming. So would a naturalistic, unstructured bouquet. Weave in seasonal greenery and smaller blooms to set off the sweetness of a casual gown.
Your gown is: Victorian, Renaissance or other historical style.
Your bouquet should be: If your gown harkens back to ages past, so should your bouquet. Consider a biedermeyer, a structured round bouquet popular in the Victorian era, or a posy of roses — or any classic bloom. Pale colors and old-fashioned flowers like lavender or peonies may help create a historical look, especially for theme weddings.
Your gown is: A classic ball gown of silk, satin or tulle, with a full skirt.
Your bouquet should be: Classic gowns call for classic bouquets. Think about a tight, round bouquet of roses, or mini calla lilies in feminine shades. Ribbon-wrapped stems help create a rich, decadent look; you might even incorporate crystals or other bits of sparkle into your bouquet. This is a look that’s particularly fetching for evening weddings.
Now that you’ve got a basic idea of shapes and styles that complement your dress, consider the season, time of day and color scheme to help you pick the blooms that work best for you. Flipping through wedding and floral magazines will help, as well as consulting with your florist. The perfect bouquet is right within reach!