Medieval brides carried garlic against evil spirits: how the bouquet went from amulet to fashion statement, and why white stayed

Today's bridal bouquet is a carefully chosen accessory: matched to the dress, photographed from every angle and posted on social media before the cake is cut. But its origins are far less romantic. The first bouquets were not supposed to be pretty - they were supposed to protect.

In ancient Greece and Rome, brides carried aromatic herbs, laurel and rosemary, believing they protected the marriage and attracted luck. In the Middle Ages these were replaced by garlic, strong-smelling herbs and spices - anything that smelled strong enough to drive away evil spirits and the evil eye. The bouquet was an amulet, not a decoration. Anyone who grew up in the Balkans, where garlic has long been seen as a guard against the evil eye, will recognise the logic straight away.

The change came in the Victorian era. Flowers got their own language - floriography - and every bloom carried a message. The bouquet became softer and more aesthetic, with fresh flowers matched to the dress. That was also when the white wedding dress spread, after the wedding of Britain's Queen Victoria in 1840.

The twentieth century changed the bouquet the way it changed hairstyles. At first bouquets were small, structured and white, then they became loose and colourful, and in the early nineties simplicity came back again.

Today the rule is that there is no rule. A personal touch is key, shaped by social media and the pandemic. This season one of the most sought-after plants is ornamental asparagus fern, and side by side stand minimalist single-stem bouquets, green and rustic arrangements and huge cascading compositions with unusual varieties.

But one thing stubbornly stays. Princess Diana, Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle, Nicky Hilton, Cindy Crawford and Isabeli Fontana all carried white bouquets. "White is the only colour that never goes out of fashion," say Lindsay and Alex of the Madrid florist Savia Bruta. White is timeless, works with every cut of dress and calms down bolder looks.

Maybe that is why today's bride, when she reaches for white flowers, is not just choosing a colour. She is choosing something that has outlasted every trend.