Planning a wedding? In the old days, back when the mothers of today's brides were tying the knot, bouquets tended to have a similar look: a lot of roses, a bit of baby's breath and a few stephanotis.

Their daughters have a lot more options — and are taking advantage of them, opting for unique bouquets and arrangements that reflect their personal sense of style.

"There are more different looks," said Leah Schmidt, wedding and events manager at Bachman's. "People are getting creative, putting things in bouquets" — meaningful mementos such as paper flowers made from pages of a Bible or Grandma's old brooches.

In general, bridal bouquets are getting larger, fuller and looser, with more texture and draping, said Schmidt, who identified four currently popular looks for bridal flowers.

Geometric

This look features clean lines and bold, confetti colors, such as bright orange or yellow roses or lilies paired with vivid blue delphinium and chartreuse dianthus. "The brides using this look are not afraid of color," Schmidt said. They're often "artistic types" with defined tastes, perhaps fans of anime, ComicCon or TV's "Mad Men." It's a look that works best with a simple, A-line gown — "nothing with a lot of lace, maybe not even a veil," Schmidt said. A contemporary look for a modern bride.

Refined Woodland

This is the most popular look right now, according to Schmidt. Think rustic chic, and a woodsy outdoor wedding. "Anything natural goes; brides are getting gutsy," she said, putting mushroom accents on cakes, moss on table linens and wearing floral crowns or head wreaths, and long lace gowns with floral accents. The palette tends to be dominated by fern green and sharkskin gray, and plant materials include hosta leaves, fern fronds and weedy flowers and greenery. "We did one bouquet of all sticks, another of all pine cones," Schmidt said.

Old World Opulence

It's "Great Gatsby" meets Grecian in this look, which often features elegant halter-topped gowns with draping, one-shouldered looks, gloves and long layers of draping pearls. Brides who like this look generally opt for neutral monochromatic flowers, with different shades of white, cream and blush, accented with emerald green, curly willow, metallics, rhinestones or glitter. The silhouette is long and trailing, and popular flowers include roses, lilies, stephanotis and gardenias — which deliver "that perfect ivory," Schmidt said.

Watercolor

Soft colors and soft lines define this look, which is like an impressionist painting come to life. "It's the look of cascading, draping and falling," Schmidt said. "There's not a lot of sparkle." The bride who likes this look is likely to choose a gown with ruching, ruffles or gathered bunches near the hem, a long train and a long, cathedral-length veil. Blues, purples and pinks are popular colors, and peonies and lisianthus are popular flowers. This aesthetic lends itself to brides who want to add a DIY touch to their table, such as tie-dyeing napkins, hand-painting votives or tinting the water in centerpieces.

Kim Palmer • 612-673-4784