Bride's bouquets are available in many styles. Three of the most common varieties are colonial, arm and cascade. A hand-tied arm bouquet requires only a spray of long-stemmed flowers; the stems are then tied with a single wide ribbon. Colonial and cascade bouquets use a holder with an oasis as a base; flowers and greenery cover the whole design. Other styles include the hand-tied nosegay, where six to eight blooms with about six inches of stalk are tied with a pair of ribbons. As long as the size works with the design, you can use any flowers you wish. However, an elaborate bride's bouquet can run from $100 - $250, so if you're on a strict budget, you may want to consider some alternatives. One idea is to create the bouquet yourself, using flowers from friends' or neighbors' gardens. You can find the other items needed at a craft store. Another option is to use silk flowers instead of fresh, or to mix silk flowers with real greenery. And if you're having a theme wedding, you might to use something other than flowers for your bride's bouquet. In Greco-Roman and Medieval times, for example, the bride carried a sheaf of white, bound with a ribbon.
