Who Says You Need Flowers at Your Wedding?
- 9 hours ago
- 2 min read
Long before florists, Pinterest boards, and peonies that cost more than a decent bottle of wine, brides carried bouquets for practical reasons. In medieval Europe, flowers and herbs were believed to ward off evil spirits, mask unpleasant smells, and symbolize fertility, prosperity, or devotion. Rosemary, lavender, dill, and garlic were just as likely to accompany a bride as roses.
In today’s weddings, flowers can fill a room, frame a ceremony, and transform an ordinary space into something memorable. They can also represent one of the largest expenses in a wedding budget.
Then, after the tables are cleared, the cake is gone, and the guests have returned home, the flowers that took months to select and cost thousands of dollars are often left behind in a hotel ballroom or packed into the back seat of a car. That reality has always struck me as a little bittersweet.
Some of the most beautiful weddings I have photographed were filled with extraordinary floral design. But I am also happy to see that couples are beginning to rethink the tradition.
When I got married in Napa, I used hops and grape leaves in and amongst the arrangements not only for the beauty and connection to wine country, but also because it cut down on the budget. I see this shift is happening in weddings everywhere.
I have photographed couples exchanging leis beneath Hawaiian palms, or incorporating olive branches, herbs, citrus, flowering plants, fall vegetables and fruits, mountain stones, succulents, family heirlooms, candles, and objects that reflected a shared passion or meaningful place. Some couples have chosen potted lavender, orchids, or small trees that could be planted afterward rather than discarded a day later. Others have donated arrangements to hospitals or care facilities, extending their life beyond the celebration.
Historically, flowers were local. Brides carried what was available nearby, what reflected the season, the landscape, and the community around them. In some ways, modern couples are returning to that idea. The tradition survives, but the interpretation is evolving.
Jody's Wedding & Elopement Portfolio &
Jody Holman is a Bay Area photographer specializing in inclusive, natural-light photography for weddings, proposals, families, and portraits across San Francisco, Napa, Sonoma, and the California coast.
