by Francesca Di Meglio

Flowers are beautiful all over the world, but the Italians seem to know how to put flowers together in a bunch in a way that is both natural and artistic at the same time. As a soon-to-be-bride and daughter of a landscaper, I'm a big fan of flowers, especially when they're part of a bouquet. And I find myself buying people bouquets whenever I'm in Italy just to see what the florist comes up with. Here are a few of the bouquets I encountered while I was in Italy in June and July:

This is the bouquet I gave to my soon-to-be sister-in-law Paola for her name day on June 29. It features the yellow Italian mimosa flower, which is the traditional gift for women on Women's Day in March in Italy. The orange flowers were like large Gerbera daisies. The hand-tied bouquet was wrapped in orange mesh with a twine-like bow. The bouquet was the perfect name day gift because it was like giving a bit of sunshine. I added a few picks with crystals to the bouquet to give it a bit of American bling, which was appreciated.

A Sunny Surprise

For my soon-to-be-niece Laura's first communion, I purchased a mostly white bouquet with a variety of flowers – from roses and lilies to these bell-shaped flowers made up of many tiny florets. I added the feathers for drama. The bouquet was wrapped in white mesh, a popular wrap for gift bouquets because the recipient can place the whole bouquet right into a vase and the flowers will still get the necessary water. What I loved about this arrangement was that there were subtle bits of pink and green within many of the flowers, and the florist was sure to place them in just the right spots, so they would pop against the otherwise white bouquet.

White and Wonderful

When my soon-to-be husband Antonio and I gave "parole" at the municipal building in Ischia Porto, Ischia, an island off the coast of Napoli, my cousins gave me this bouquet. The delightful and unexpected mix of purple, yellow, and white flowers, including roses, gardenias, and spray roses, was perfect for the occasion. Wrapped in burlap with shells and blue stones glued to it, the bouquet was inspired by the island's beaches, which made it just right for the American marrying in Ischia. I was honored to carry such a beautiful bouquet on such an important day in my life.

Beach-Inspired Bouquet

Di Meglio is the guide to Newlyweds for About.com, where you can find information on everything from getting cozy with your husband or wife to cooking together.

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