“If you’re going to San Francisco, be sure to wear some flowers in your hair,”
Over the past few years we have seen more and more brides opting to wear flower crowns or halos on their wedding day. They are also a hugely popular choice for flower girls. And flower crown parties are a great hens or birthday activity, with many groups doing a workshop before hitting the bars with their gorgeous crowns. But flower crowns aren’t a new thing and have featured throughout history.
In the beginning
Crowns made of flowers or foliage go back as far as ancient Greece, when they were worn on special occasions to honour the Gods. Festivals in honour of Aphrodite, the goddess of love, would see people wearing crowns of roses in their hair. Olive wreaths were given at the first Olympic Games in Olympia.
Flower Crowns Through Time
The Romans adopted many of the Ancient Greeks traditions, one being the awarding of crowns for victories and military achievements. Julius Caesar was often depicted wearing a laurel halo.
Flower crowns became less popular during Medieval times and the rise of Christianity. The crowns were seen as a pagan symbol. However, in the Renaissance era, flower crowns saw a rise in popularity again, with painters depicting gods, Venuses and nymphs with flowers in their hair
In Victorian times the floral wreath was seen as a symbol of femininity and women started wearing them on their wedding day. Similar to the white wedding gown, it was Queen Victoria who brought them into fashion when she wore orange blossoms in her hair when she married Prince Albert.
Hippie culture in the 1960’s saw flower crowns become a fashion symbol synonymous with peace and love. The Hippies associated the crowns with a connection with nature. Later, artists like Frida Khalo used flowers to symbolise sexuality and she was often depicted in her self-portraits with crowns of flowers in her hair, making them a symbol of rebellion and female empowerment.
Flower Crowns Today
Today flower crowns are a must have addition to every festival goers wardrobe, and feature regularly in weddings. They are a great way of injecting some personality and style into an outfit and are becoming more and more popular for hen parties, birthday celebrations and even baby showers. Fun to make, gorgeous to wear, it’s the perfect activity with the girls.
Flower crowns have been around for centuries and will hopefully be around for a long time to come.
For further information on a flower crown party for your event get in touch.
About Yvonne Cassidy
Yvonne Cassidy is a wedding florist and Independent Wedding Celebrant based in Dublin, Ireland. Yvonne works with couples from all over the world, helping them create beautiful floral designs and unique and personalised wedding ceremonies.
