Creating Your Own Wedding Bouquet: Easy Or Not?

Making your own wedding bouquet is a great way to save money and express your creativity. While it may sound intimidating, it's not as challenging as it seems and can be done in a few simple steps. You'll need to choose your flowers, source them, prepare them, assemble the bouquet, and then finish it with ribbon. You can also add personal touches, such as including your birth flower or a sentimental colour. This process can be done the day before the wedding, and it's a fun way to involve loved ones in your special day.

Choosing your flowers

Set a Budget:

The first step is to determine how much you are comfortable spending on your wedding flowers. The amount you allocate for flowers will influence the types and quantity of blooms you can choose. A bigger budget will allow for more elaborate designs and pricier flowers, while a tighter budget may require you to prioritise certain types of flowers or greenery.

Find a Florist:

Hiring the right wedding florist is crucial. Look for a florist who understands your vision and can guide you through the process. Research their previous work, read reviews, and don't be afraid to ask questions to ensure they are the right fit for you.

Gather Inspiration:

Start by familiarising yourself with popular wedding flowers and floral trends. Browse real wedding photos, Pinterest, or wedding-themed movies for inspiration. Consider the colours, shapes, textures, and styles that appeal to you. You can also draw inspiration from your wedding dress, colour palette, and the season of your wedding.

Know the Basics:

It's helpful to have some knowledge of basic blooms and flower lingo before meeting with your florist. Familiarise yourself with popular wedding flowers such as roses, peonies, hydrangeas, lilies, and ranunculuses. Decide if you want fragrant blooms like lilacs, freesias, peonies, or jasmine, and whether you prefer a classic or whimsical bouquet style.

Consider Your Colour Palette:

Think about the colours used in your wedding invitations, attire, table linens, and other decor. Choose flowers that complement your colour palette, even if they don't match exactly. Provide specific colour references, such as paint chips or fabric swatches, to ensure your florist can find the closest possible match.

Start with Your Wedding Bouquet:

Your bridal bouquet is a statement piece, so it's a great place to start when choosing your flowers. Work with your florist to design an arrangement that captures your style, and then use similar flowers and colours for the bridesmaid bouquets, boutonnieres, and other floral arrangements.

Pick Flowers in Season:

Selecting flowers that are in season can help ensure availability and keep costs down. For example, spring is the season for peonies, hydrangeas, tulips, and anemones, while summer brings colourful blooms like orchids, proteas, and garden roses. Autumn is filled with rich hues of sunflowers, dahlias, and ranunculus, and winter offers amaryllis, anemones, paperwhites, and poinsettias.

Match the Flowers to Your Wedding Style:

The flowers you choose should reflect the style and aesthetic of your wedding. For a formal black-tie wedding, opt for traditional and elegant flowers like white calla lilies. If your wedding is more relaxed and informal, you can be creative with mix-and-match flowers and loose, garden-style arrangements.

Remember, choosing your wedding flowers should be an enjoyable part of the planning process. By following these tips and working with a florist, you can create beautiful floral arrangements that complement your special day.

Gathering supplies

• Flowers of your choice: When selecting flowers, consider the style of your wedding dress and your colour palette. Choose flowers that complement your wedding theme and personal aesthetic. You can buy flowers from an online wholesaler, a grocery store, a local farm, or a flower market.
• Ribbon: Choose a ribbon that complements the colour of your flowers. You will need approximately 1.5 meters of ribbon for tying the flowers together and adding a finishing touch to your bouquet.
• Floral tape: This is used to bind the stems of the flowers and add extra support to your bouquet. It is available in most gardening stores or online.
• Shears or scissors: You will need a sharp pair of floral snips or scissors for trimming the stems.
• Stem cutter or sharp knife: This is useful for cutting the stems at an angle.
• Pins: Straight pins or pearl-tipped corsage pins can be used to secure the ribbon to the stems.
• Bucket: Fill a bucket halfway with cool water to place the stems in while you work.
• Flower food: Add flower food to the bucket of water to keep the flowers fresh and hydrated.
• Wire and wire cutters: You will need wire to tie the stems together, and wire cutters to trim any excess wire.
• Green floral tubing: This is used to encase the stems and protect your hands while holding the bouquet.

Once you have gathered all the necessary supplies, you can start preparing your flowers by removing any leaves and trimming the stems to the desired length.

Preparing flowers

Step 1: Remove Excess Foliage and Thorns

Use your hands or a stem stripper to gently remove any excess leaves, thorns, and damaged or unattractive outer petals from the stems. Be careful not to damage the stems during this process. This step will make your bouquet look neater and help the flowers drink water more effectively.

Step 2: Cut the Stems

Fill a sink or bucket with water. Holding the stems underwater, use a sharp knife, stem cutter, or floral snips to cut the stems at an angle, approximately 2 inches from the bottom. Cutting at an angle will ensure that each flower has a clear straw to pull water from. This will help the flowers stay hydrated and fresh.

Step 3: Hydrate the Flowers

Allow the flowers to rest in the bucket of water for a few seconds to drink, then place them in a bucket filled halfway with cool water. If you're using roses and want to force the blooms open, submerge the stems in hot water for a couple of minutes, but be careful not to leave them in for too long. Keep the stems long while you work on the bouquet, and only trim them to the desired length when you're finished with the arrangement.

Step 4: Timing and Storage

Ideally, you should have your flowers delivered or sourced two days before your wedding. This will give them time to rehydrate and reach their full bloom. If your wedding is on a Saturday, source your flowers on Thursday, create the bouquet on Friday, and add any final touches, like ribbons, on the wedding day. Store the flowers in a cool place, away from direct sunlight or heating vents. A basement, garage, or air-conditioned room is ideal.

Step 5: Final Preparations

Before you begin constructing your bouquet, ensure that the flower stems and greenery are fully prepped. Remove all leaves from the floral stems and the bottom halves of the greenery stems. Cut the stems at a 45-degree angle, and keep the flowers in a bucket of water as you work. This will ensure that your flowers stay fresh and vibrant during the assembly process.

Assembling flowers

Now that you've sourced your flowers and prepared them by removing leaves and cutting the stems, it's time to assemble your bouquet. Here are some general steps to follow:

• Choose a focal flower: Select a flower that you want to be the centrepiece of your bouquet. This will be the flower that stands out and draws attention.
• Build the shape: Start by creating the framework of your bouquet, keeping in mind the overall shape and dimension. Stand in front of a mirror as you work so you can see exactly what it looks like.
• Add flowers: Begin adding flowers one by one around the focal flower to create the desired shape. For a classic dome shape, assemble four flowers at an even height in a square shape as the centrepiece, and then arrange the other flowers around them. For a more natural, globe-like shape, insert flowers in a circular direction, with larger flowers towards the centre and smaller accent flowers around the edges.
• Add filler flowers: Once you have the bulk of your bouquet ready, insert smaller filler flowers to add a natural look and fill any gaps.
• Secure the bouquet: Use rubber bands, floral wire, or floral tape to bind the stems together. Leave about 2-4 inches of exposed stem at the bottom, which can be trimmed later.
• Finish the handle: Cut the stems to the desired length, making sure it's comfortable to hold. Then, wrap a ribbon around the stems to create a handle. You can also add a bow for a more elegant look.

Remember, it's important to enjoy the process and be creative. Don't be afraid to experiment with different flower placements and arrangements. If you don't like how a certain flower is placed, you can always move it or try something different.

Finishing touches

You've selected your flowers, removed the leaves, and assembled your bouquet. Now, it's time for the finishing touches!

Secure the Bouquet

Use a rubber band or floral tape to bind the stems at the spot where they naturally join (about 3 to 4 inches below the flower heads). Repeat the binding towards the end of the stems, leaving about 2 inches of excess stem beneath the bind to trim later.

Finish the Handle

Cut the stem ends so they are all the same length—about 7 to 8 inches long. Dry off the stems with a paper towel, then cut a length of ribbon about three times as long as the length of the stems.

Wrap the Ribbon

Tuck the end of the ribbon inside the top bind and start wrapping it in a spiral down the length of the stem. When you reach the bottom, wrap it in a spiral back up the stem. At the top, tuck the cut end of the ribbon underneath and secure it with a couple of pins pushed through the ribbon and into the stems. If you'd like to add a bow, cut a separate length of ribbon and tie it just beneath the flower heads.

Trim and Hydrate Your Bouquet

Finally, trim the stems of your bouquet, leaving a few inches below the ribbon. Place your finished arrangement in a vase with 1 to 2 inches of cool water to keep it fresh and hydrated.

Add a Sentimental Touch

Your bridal bouquet is a unique opportunity for self-expression. To make your bouquet even more special, consider adding a sentimental touch. You could include your birth flower, a charm, or a ribbon in a colour that holds a special meaning for you.

Frequently asked questions