Creating Artificial Wedding Bouquets: A Step-By-Step Guide

Bridal bouquets can be expensive, and fresh flowers don't last very long. If you want to save money and create a long-lasting memento, you can make your own bouquet using artificial flowers. You can buy high-quality, synthetic flowers in a variety of types and assemble them into beautiful arrangements. You can also add your own embellishments to create a personalised bouquet.

Picking flowers and greenery

Firstly, decide on the colour scheme you want for your bouquet. Choose flowers and greenery that fit within this colour palette to create a cohesive look. You can select flowers of varying sizes and shapes to add visual interest to your bouquet. For a dramatic arrangement, go for a hand-tied cascade bouquet with loosely bunched flowers and trailing greenery. Select 1-3 large blooms such as roses, peonies, or calla lilies, and pair them with 4-6 smaller flowers like baby's breath or jasmine. Add 4-6 pieces of greenery, such as eucalyptus, trailing ivy, or olive branches, to create a cascading effect.

Alternatively, for a more formal look, you can opt for a round bouquet. This style features similarly shaped and coloured blooms tightly arranged in a globe shape. Choose 1-2 large blooms, such as roses, tulips, hydrangeas, or peonies, and add 4-6 smaller flowers to complement them. You can also include 4-6 pieces of greenery or other accents, such as baby's breath, to add texture and interest.

When selecting your artificial flowers, look for high-quality options that look realistic. Go for flowers with single stems, wire running through the stem and into the leaves, and a matte finish. Polyester or rayon flowers are usually more affordable, while silk or cotton flowers tend to be more expensive and realistic-looking. Read reviews online to find the best faux flower designers, and consider ordering a few different flowers to test them out before committing to a large purchase.

Arranging flowers

Selecting the Right Flowers

Before you begin, it's important to choose the right artificial flowers for your bouquet. Opt for flowers that complement your wedding palette and theme. Consider the season of your wedding and select flowers accordingly. For example, choose peonies or hydrangeas for spring and dahlias or sunflowers for autumn. Mix and match different sizes and shapes to add depth and texture to your bouquet. Larger blooms can serve as the focal point, while smaller flowers fill in the gaps. Remember to select high-quality artificial flowers for a more natural and elegant look.

Shaping Your Bouquet

Start by selecting your main flowers, choosing a mix of large and small blooms. Add greenery for volume and texture. Begin with the largest flower as your focal point and gradually layer the smaller flowers around it, allowing them to cascade naturally. Intersperse greenery to create fullness and dimension. You can also add in other elements like berries or ribbons as you build your bouquet.

Securing the Stems

Once you are satisfied with the arrangement, it's time to secure the stems. Use flower wire to tie the bottoms of the stems together. Cover the wire with floral tape for a neat finish. This will help stabilise the bouquet and provide a nice handle.

Creating Different Bouquet Styles

You can create different styles of bouquets, such as a round bouquet or a pomander bouquet. For a round bouquet, focus on symmetry and uniformity in flower placement. Select 1-2 large blooms and 4-6 smaller flowers, and cut them into individual stems. Build circular layers from the centre outwards, taping each stem to the main stems as you go. For a pomander bouquet, you'll need a spherical foam base. Arrange your flowers in the foam base, ensuring even coverage all around.

Personalising Your Bouquet

Feel free to add personal touches to your bouquet. You can weave in family heirlooms, such as a vintage brooch or a piece of lace from your mother's wedding dress. Incorporate elements that resonate with your wedding theme, like seashells for a beach wedding or autumn leaves for a fall celebration. Don't be afraid to express your personality through bold colours, unconventional shapes, or quirky charms.

Adding embellishments

Ribbons, Fabric, and Twine

Wrapping the stems of your bouquet with ribbon, fabric, or twine can give it a polished look. You can use a dab of hot glue to secure one end of the ribbon or fabric to the bottom of the stems and then wind it upwards, covering the stems until you reach the base of the blooms. Cut the ribbon and attach it with another dab of glue or a decorative pin. You can also add decorative lace, pins, or beading to the wrapped stems for a personalised look.

Berries, Twigs, Beads, and Feathers

In addition to flowers and greenery, you can add non-floral elements such as berries, twigs, beads, or feathers to your bouquet. For example, you can attach a frame of greenery around the outside of a round or cascade bouquet by taping the additional stems to the existing bouquet. You can also insert these elements directly into the tied stem of the bouquet.

Glitter and Floral Scents

You can add a finishing touch to your bouquet with a spray that adds some sparkle or a floral scent. Place the bouquet on a flat surface and hold the spray about 10-12 inches (25-30 cm) away from it, dusting it lightly. You can use floral glitter spray or a scent such as lavender mist or your favourite perfume.

Personal and Sentimental Touches

You can also add special elements that are meaningful to you. Consider incorporating a family heirloom, such as a vintage brooch or a piece of lace from your mother's wedding dress. You can also add elements that resonate with your wedding theme, such as seashells for a beach wedding or autumn leaves for a fall celebration. Don't be afraid to express your personality through bold colours, unconventional shapes, or quirky charms.

Securing the bouquet

To secure the bouquet, you will need floral wire and wire cutters. Cut 6–8 inches (15–20 cm) of floral wire with your wire cutters and wrap it several times around the stems just below the blooms. Pull the wire tightly and twist the ends together. Trim the twisted ends of the wire to 1 inch (2.5 cm) in length and then tuck them into the stems. This will keep the stems fixed in place.

Next, cut your stems to an even length. Use your wire cutters to trim the stems to the desired length, erring on the side of leaving them too long. A good length for most brides is around 7–8 inches (18–20 cm). You can always go back and remove more of the stems later if needed.

Now, wrap the stems together with floral tape. Take one end of the floral tape and begin wrapping it around the stems at the base of the flowers, covering the wire and stems completely. Work your way down the stems, tearing or cutting the tape when you reach a length of about 2–3 inches (5.1–7.6 cm). Tuck the loose end of the tape into itself to hide the edges.

The floral tape provides a nice handle, stabilises the bouquet, and hides the stems. You can continue wrapping all the way down to cover the ends of the stems if you prefer.

Finishing touches

Once you have assembled your bouquet, you can add some final flourishes to make it truly unique. Wrapping the stems with ribbon or fabric will give a polished look and hide any unrealistic-looking stems. Secure the ribbon with a dab of hot glue at the bottom of the stems, then wind it around, moving upwards, until you reach the base of the blooms. Cut the ribbon and attach it with another dab of glue or a decorative pin.

You can decorate the wrapped stems with lace, pins, or beading. You could also add non-floral elements, such as feathers, beads, or dried berries. If you want to add a frame of greenery to your bouquet, simply tape the stems to the existing bouquet. Feathers, ribbons, or beads can be inserted into the tied stems of a round or cascade bouquet.

For a pomander bouquet, fill in any gaps by sticking in additional flowers, sprigs of berries, or greenery. You can also add glitter or floral scents to your bouquet. Place the bouquet on a flat surface and, holding the spray 10–12 inches (25–30 cm) away, lightly dust it with floral glitter spray. You can also add a floral scent, such as lavender mist or perfume.

Frequently asked questions