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What We Know About The Rose Bridal Bouquet

The Rose Bridal Bouquet has a long tradition in weddings. Because roses are so beautiful, so fragrant, and available year round, they are a favorite of brides everywhere. In addition, roses come in almost all colors. The bridal bouquet itself used to be made up of fragrant herbs that were used to discourage evil spirits from getting close to the bride.

With the Greeks and Romans, wedding flowers were made in the form of a garland of herbs that the bride wore in her hair. Victorian brides' flowers carried a whole communique of messages because of each flower having its own meaning.

Roses remain extremely popular despite their thorns because of their beauty and meaning. And florists remove thorns before making a bridal bouquet. They make wonderful bouquets because of their strong, straight stems and dense blossoms. The most popular roses used in bridal bouquets include the following:

* Black Baccara, roses that look almost black before they open, but whose blooms are deep, rich red

* Avant Garde, a hybrid tea rose in a lovely, velvety mauve

* Milano, a deep pink rose

* Aqua, a rose whose shade of pink is darker than avant garde, and lighter than Milano

* Sweet Akito, a creamy white rose with just a tiny hint of pink

* Bianca, white roses with fairly large blooms

* Avalanche, white roses with a hint of pink

The different colors of roses also carry different meanings. However, brides are free to choose any color or type of rose for her wedding. It is ultimately a matter of personal taste.

Red roses are very straightforward. They mean "I love you," and stand for eternal love. The color symbolizes love that is very intense and passionate.

White roses reflect purity and innocence. They are often symbolic of the beginning of something new, which makes them very appropriate for weddings.

Yellow roses are representative of friendship. Their bright color can be quite beautiful in a wedding ceremony.

Orange roses are full of energy and high spirits. Though rarely used in weddings, their rich color is exceptionally beautiful.

Pink roses symbolize admiration or appreciation. Very light pink can also stand for sympathy. Pink roses, while beautiful, are not as symbolic of passion as red ones.

Lavender roses stand for enchantment and love at first sight. Their symbolism is quite appropriate for a wedding.

Mixed red and white roses stand for unity, the ideal statement for weddings. The look of a red and white rose bouquet goes very well in Christian ceremonies that are held near Christmas.

In addition to coming in a wide variety of colors, bridal bouquets are made in a variety of different shapes that may be chosen to complement the shape of the bride's dress or a shape particularly chosen by the bride.

A rose cone bouquet is made up of roses in a cone made of greenery.

A rose bouquet made into a heart shape is a popular bouquet for Valentine's Day weddings.

A nosegay is a round bouquet that includes quite a bit of greenery with the flowers.

Cascade bouquets are full, trailing bouquets that are most often seen in formal weddings.

A pomander is an alternative to a traditional bouquet. It is a "ball" of flower blooms held by a ribbon instead of by the flower stems.

The arm bouquet is similar to the bouquets presented to pageant winners. The roses have long stems and are left in their natural state, bundled together with a large ribbon. This type of bouquet is cradled on the arm, up to the bend of the elbow. This type of bouquet goes best with a simple or slim wedding dress.

The custom of a bride tossing her bouquet to the single women at the wedding is believed to have started in the 14th century. At that time, having a small piece of the bride's clothing was considered good luck. Therefore, guests would grab at the bride's dress to tear off pieces of it. Of course, brides didn't expect to be wearing their wedding gown again, but they certainly didn't like having it torn to pieces while they were still wearing it.

As an alternative, brides began throwing a personal item, such as the garter and the bouquet to the assembled guests. To this day, the girl or woman who catches the bridal bouquet is said to be the next to be married, as is the young man that catches the garter belt.

Roses for Rose Bridal Bouquets are grown in greenhouses, where it takes anywhere from 45 to 55 days to produce a bloom suitable for cutting. The time it takes varies with the rose variety, light conditions, and time of year. Most greenhouse rose growers install high pressure sodium lights in their greenhouses to supplement the scarce sunlight of a dark December or January. These lights let growers control the amount of light the rose crop receives, improving production and quality.

Additionally, some rose growers add extra carbon dioxide, which increases the growth rates. Under ideal greenhouse conditions, roses can be cut two times a day, year round. Many growers raise roses hydroponically for maximum control over water and nutrient uptake. It is very technologically sophisticated.

The rose bushes are grown in a medium of ground coconut husks that are free from disease. One pot holds three rose bushes, and water and fertilizer are applied based on computerized monitoring systems. In growing roses hydroponically, very little water is wasted, because almost all of it is used up with very little water runoff.

Rose Bridal Bouquets are among the most popular bridal bouquets, and for good reason. Beautiful roses can be grown all year round, and besides their gorgeous, fragrant blooms, roses have sturdy stems that make the florist's job easier when making a bouquet. Available in most any color except blue, roses have different symbolic meanings based on color. But there's nothing wrong with a bride choosing a particular color rose for her wedding just because she finds it beautiful.

Ribbons ~ Custom Wedding Garters By Victoria Joanne ~ HCCGarters