Sunflower Wedding Bouquets: Deep Meaning And Tradition

Sunflower wedding bouquets have a certain whimsical charm to it that is hard to match. Sunflowers can be used to make a delightful bridal bouquet, something out of the ordinary and eye catching. But sunflowers are much more than charming, whimsical accessories.

Sunflowers have deep meaning and a long history in a variety of cultures and have long been associated with the most meaningful aspects of love and marriage. There are several varieties of sunflowers that are especially suitable for a sunflower wedding bouquet.

Through the years, sunflowers have come to be associated symbolically with such concepts as devoted admiration, loyal and self-sacrificing love, warmth and nourishment. The myths, legends and history of the sunflower in various cultures offer a clear vision of the development of these associations, making a sunflower wedding bouquet a richly symbolic part of the wedding ensemble.

There is an ancient Greek myth that speaks of the origin of the sunflower. According to myth a young girl fell in love with the sun god, who was drowned by his uncles and placed into the sky to make his daily journey across the heavens. Each day the girl stood with her face raised to the sky, watching her beloved as he traveled his daily path.

Soon, her feet became rooted to the spot from which she watched faithfully, and the sunflower was born, each day turning its face to the sun and following it with patient adoration as it travels the sky. Thus, for thousands of years the sunflower has symbolized the deepest loyalty, making a sunflower wedding bouquet a beautiful symbol of the highest hopes of what marital love can be.

In many cultures the sunflower has been associated with the sun, which brings warmth and thus life itself. In the Americas, the sunflower was an important food, ground into flour. It was also a sacred one, left beside the dead to nourish them in their travels. Food is the foundation of life and the religious customs of the natives of the Americas reflected their gratitude for the gift of food, the gift of life.

Temples, priests and priestesses were adorned with beautifully crafted sunflowers made of gold. Sunflowers have long been associated with the warmth and nourishment that sustains life itself. It is not only the body, however, that needs nourishment, but also the heart and soul. A sunflower wedding bouquet can be a potent symbol of the positive force that marital love can be in our lives.

In modern times, however, the ancient symbolism of the sunflower wedding bouquet is hidden beneath its whimsical charm and down home country appeal. That sunflowers are fun, fanciful and fashionable is undeniable. Perhaps, though, the knowledge of the deeper beauty and symbolism of the sunflower will make these ancient favorites feel like an important part of the wedding.

Sunflower wedding bouquets offer the best of both worlds, representing the deep traditional values associated with the rite of marriage and encompassing the fanciful fun of youth.