While long considered a wedding tradition, many new brides are looking for alternatives to the bridal bouquet toss at their reception. The reasons for this can vary from the size of the wedding to having safety concerns. Or, perhaps you just want to do something unique to set your day apart from the rest. Regardless of what your reason is to find a different way to handout your bridal bouquet to a lucky guest, there are some really fun ways to go about the process including games and other methods. I will go over a few of the most popular ways below to help give you ideas. Alternatives to the bridal bouquet toss at your wedding reception can be a great option. And, for some people, avoiding having flowers in your hand in the first place is the best choice.
Use Sparklers Instead
There are a lot of great ways to use sparklers at a wedding, and this is one of them. Instead of tossing your bouquet, consider handing out sparklers instead. You can have everyone huddle together for some really cool pictures. Conversely, you can spread everyone apart to create a cool backdrop. Whichever you choose, it can be a really great alternative.
However, some couples prefer to still do something with their bouquet. Another option would be to attach it to a sky lantern and release it into the night sky. There are a lot of cool ways to switch out sparklers for sky lanterns, so keep your options open. In the end, it’s about finding the right fit for your celebration.
Count the Marbles
The first alternative is a new take on an old classic. First, fill a jar with marbles (or other small items that fit nicely) that match your wedding colors and decorations. Make sure you count the number of marbles you place in the jar, because this will be important later. When it comes time to hand out the bouquet, have each unmarried girl in attendance guess the number of marbles in the jar, and write it on a slip of paper with their name. Whoever gets closest to the correct umber gets to take the bridal bouquet home with them, and also gets the benefit of bragging rights.
Obviously, this idea works with other items, too. Consider using gumballs or jelly beans as an additional prize for the winner. To really up the stakes, consider putting a $5 bill in the jar as well! That will really entice your guests to play in the game.
Play Favorites
Another choice many new brides are making is to play favorites instead doing a bridal bouquet toss. This is totally an individual choice, but the most common selections are typically to the maid of honor or the mother of the bride. Some brides even choose to keep the bridal bouquet for themselves and skip the exercise all together. In the end, if you choose this route, who and how you give out the bridal bouquet is entirely up to you.
Personally, I think that giving the bouquet to the flower girl is an elegant choice. However, these days people are finding alternatives to having flower girls, too; so that option may not be possible in your scenario.
Give Everyone a Flower
One of the most popular alternatives to the bridal bouquet toss at your wedding reception is to simply hand out a single flower to each single girl at the reception. Depending on the size of your guest list, this practice to can get rather expensive. This has led many brides to go with wooden roses rather than traditional flowers. By handing out a flower to each guest, you can save the bridal bouquet for yourself, or skip having one entirely if it suits your taste.
While there used to be certain traditions that were “set in stone”, that simply isn’t the case anymore. The modern bride is creating new standards in wedding practice. There’s nothing wrong with changing things up and skipping the old “traditions”. However, it’s important that you find an elegant alternative. After all, you want to keep the day special and meaningful.
