Today it's the most photographed detail of any wedding, but the bridal bouquet didn't start as decoration - it started as a charm against evil spirits. The story of how a sprig of flowers went from protection to fashion icon says a lot about how our beliefs change while the rituals stay.

In ancient Greece and Rome, brides carried aromatic herbs - laurel and rosemary - believed to protect the union and attract good fortune. In the Middle Ages the protective function grew even stronger: instead of delicate blooms, the bouquet held garlic, pungent herbs and spices, meant to ward off evil spirits and the evil eye. The bouquet then wasn't decor, but a magical talisman.

The turning point came in the Victorian era. That's when the bouquet first shifted from function to aesthetics. The so-called "language of flowers" developed - the practice of conveying messages through specific blooms - and arrangements became carefully composed pieces that complemented the dress and expressed feelings. Through the 20th century the bouquet became an essential part of the bridal look: early designs with white flowers in smaller sizes, later looser styles with vivid colours, and in the nineties a return to refined simplicity.

Today it's all about personalisation. The options range from minimalist single-flower bouquets, through nature-inspired greenery, to dramatic cascading arrangements with unusual blooms. "White is the only colour that never goes out of style - it's classic, elegant and stands the test of time," florists say. Despite all the trends, something old endures: the bouquet is still an object into which the bride invests meaning, even when she no longer believes it protects her from evil spirits. Maybe that's the most beautiful thing about traditions - they survive even when we forget why they began.