Not your mother's cascade

Cascade bouquet styles have diversified since Princess Di's over-the-top bouquet inspired thousands. Variations include the "teardrop" - a smaller, more compact cascade; the "waterfall", modern twists that use foliage, vines, or beargrass to form the trailing cascade. Sizes range from Princess Di, to the industry-standard "hip to hip (width), navel to knee (length)" scale, to tiny handheld cascadelets (yes, I did just make that up. It's my party, and I'll make up words if I want to!)  There's even the hand-tied cascade, using the natural shape of flowers and foliage to form the trailing cascade rather than a foam-filled bouquet holder keeping things rigidly in line.
My rule of thumb to keep bouquets from looking like they belong with big hair and shoulder pads? Use no more than two of the following together: cascade style, babies breath, leatherleaf fern, carnations/roses. Careful color scheme selection can be really helpful as well!

Let's start out with a few that stick close to their traditional roots...

wedding-flowers-guide.com, unknown, wedding-flowers-guide.com

Calla lilies and roses are both very classic cascade flowers, and all these bouquets are the most traditional cascade shape. Using interesting foliages and limiting the color scheme keeps these looking more modern.

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I looove when callas are used without much excess filler - their curving lines are stunning! A monochrome yellow bouquet keeps from looking busy despite a mixture of 4 different types of orchids, callas, and pincushion protea. The last bouquet ALMOST breaks my "no more than two" rule, but that filler isn't babies' breath! It's white trachellium, and its "clumpiness" (vs babies' breath's sprawl) saves the day.

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  Lilies are another very traditional choice, but additions of peacock feathers, coiled beargrass, ti leaves, and careful color choices keep these bouquets fresh.

unknown, wedding-flowers-guide.com, stop one photography

Orchids are a dream to use in cascade bouquets - since they are so long-lasting, even without a water source, wire can be used as the "scaffolding" for a modern look. Omitting the usual water-soaked foam bouquet holder means these bouquets are literally pounds lighter, and so much easier to hold! These bouquets also show the wide variety in size possible with cascades - even just a few blooms can look natural and stunning.

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Vines are soon to become one of my favorite bouquet ingredients, I think! These use vines to help create the cascade shape, as well as add some glorious texture.

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A modern take on the tulip cascade - both these bouquets use tropical foliage, mokara orchids, freesia, and beargrass.

all images jagstudios.net

Who said flowers need to stay attached to their stems? These bouquets all create movement by removing orchids and other hardy flowers from their stems, and attaching them to wire, ribbon, grasses, or vines.

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Amaranthus, beads, or even individual blooms strung on ribbon make the most lovely natural trailing lines.

Last but not least, these three depart so far from the usual cascade I'm not entirely certain they belong in this post! I think they're all wonderful examples of what can be done with the cascade form when you think outside the box.

For another take on modern cascades, check out this post from last year on Ruffled.

While Princess Di's taste was impeccable, I'm so glad the cascade has continued to evolve!