Most people simply cannot imagine a wedding without flowers, but these days many brides and grooms are forgoing the flora in favor of unexpected or handmade decor elements.  One example of this trend is the growing popularity of non-floral bridal bouquets. I pointed out one great example on our twitter - the utterly delightful butterfly bouquet - and found many more worth sharing.  Some incorporate other items into a floral bouquet, while others break the mold entirely.

I love these feather bouquets (just two of an incredible selection) from Emplume - they are dramatic, soft, and so delicate:

Emplume's Bebe bouquet (l) and Fluffy White bouquet (r)

Once you get started, its hard to stop thinking of all the great things you could do…

What if you stayed natural, but different - perhaps simpler, or just simply unexpected. How about a bundle of marsh grass tied with a simple ribbon? Or an inspired bouquet made entirely of pine cones like this creation by artist Laurie Cinotto?

Pine cone bouquet by Laurie Cinotto

If you are crafty, the sky is the limit. Even natural elements like maple leaves can be transformed into delicate buds.  What about a bouquet made of felt or other fabrics? What about paper? Newspaper, origami flowers, crinkled candy wrappers from your favorite sweets…what about a bouquet made entirely of lollipops? Yum. A sweet treat for a sweet bride.

Crafter Kris has a great tutorial on making flowers from vintage lace - imagine combining those in a bouquet with real Queen Anne’s Lace and Baby’s Breath…

Handmade lace flower and Queen Anne's Lace

One inspired bride took the idea of crafting a non-floral bouquet to the limit, artfully combining vibrant blue tulle and monochromatic Christmas ornaments with spectacular results.

Don’t get me wrong, I swoon at gorgeous blooms - but the innovation and creativity of non-floral bouquet design is too interesting and too much fun to ignore.