Bridesmaids without bouquets?

Bouquets aren't a requirement. You could also look on amazon and find cheap ones though. For our minimony I got a fake, inexpensive bouquet from Amazon for like $13 and everyone thought it was so pretty. This is the bouquet:

A lot of people do lanterns or other similar nontraditional bouquets. I think foregoing bouquets is also fine, it's not really necessary. Though I will say as a bridesmaid I liked having something to hold down the aisle and for pictures

It's nice to hold something to keep your hands busy. Especially if anyone is nervous in front of strangers.

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Thanks for the insight. I've never been a bridesmaid and the two girls I'm thinking of are not at all the type to be nervous in front of strangers. Would it be weird if they each just had a single flower stem or a less formal bouquet to hold?

View Quoted Comment No that wouldn't be weird at all. They would appreciate it.

As you said, it’s completely up to you and what you want. I like flowers and think bouquets can be pretty, but I didn’t have a bridal party, so this point was moot for me.

But it’s kind of funny, when you think about it, that people put so much focus on what the bridesmaids hold. Whether that is a bouquet, a single flower, a hoop, a lantern, or any number of other “alternative bouquets”, all in the effort to “give them something to do with their hands”, when no-one ever expresses that the groomsman need something to do with their hands.

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I love this sentiment. I think it's because groomsmen have pockets.

Who the heck is focusing on bridesmaids hands anyway? They can simply hold their hands in front of them (which is what most groomsmen do) or they can buy a dress with pockets if they want (I love mismatched bridesmaids and think maids should pick their own dresses that fit within some basic guidelines). I had a bouquet for our elopement and it certainly was pretty but absolutely wasn't necessary at all.

Did your husband have groomsmen? I don't care so much about having a bridal party at all, but I want my husband to have his groomsmen there and not worry about me at all. I don't want his groom experience to be compromised (any more than it already has) because I'm not doing a traditional bride thing.

I'm fine with just asking a few girls to come early and get ready with me without them being "official" bridesmaids or anything. Fewer people to manage actually sounds wonderful to me. I've also thought about just getting ready with my husband (since he's seen the dress and everything at this point), but I can't exactly get dressed in front of his groomsmen (I mean I could but, there would be boobies).

You don’t have to do a full bouquet. I e seen bridesmaids carry single flowers.

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Neither of us had attendants. I got ready with my sisters, a friend, and my step-mom; he got ready with his friends. We had a small wedding (less than 20 guests) in a courthouse, and by choice eschewed a lot of common and/or traditional things. So I can't advise you about your side vs. your future spouse's side. But I am a HUGE proponent of figuring exactly what you do and don't want, and not adding any extras you don't really care about.

Single flowers are totally fine, they can even look more elegant depending on the choice. I would however definitely give them something to hold, being a bridesmaid (especially if they are walking in/out unescorted) is a little uncomfortable and it gives a good outlet to prevent fidgeting. Honestly, if it didn’t look weird, groomsmen could use something too- they always seem to be slouching with hands in pockets!
Maybe you could swap some of boutonnière money to bouquets? They are such a small feature that isn’t super noticeable in pictures, I’ve been at weddings where they were mangled by groomsmen who couldn’t figure out the pin situation, and honestly I’ve never seen an officiant have one!

I got my bridesmaids bouquets off of Something Borrowed Blooms. They are fake flowers, delivered to me and sent back the day after the wedding. I bought posies instead of full bouquets (got the bridesmaid size for my sister & MOH) which was cheaper and they looked cute and real!