Creating A Beautiful Bridesmaid Bouquet: A Step-By-Step Guide

Making your own bridesmaids' bouquets is a great way to save money on your wedding. While it may seem like a daunting task, creating your own bouquets is simple and easy to do. With a few simple steps, you can create beautiful bouquets that will complement your wedding party. In this article, we will guide you through the process of choosing the right flowers, assembling them into a stunning bouquet, and finishing them with a stylish ribbon.

Mix and match suppliers

When it comes to creating a beautiful bouquet for your bridesmaids, there are endless possibilities for mixing and matching suppliers. Here are some tips to help you get started:

Choose Your Flowers:

The first step is to decide on the types of flowers you want to include in the bouquet. You can mix and match different flowers to create a unique and personalised arrangement. Consider the colour scheme, the size of the flowers, and the overall style you want to achieve. You can source flowers from various suppliers, including online wholesalers, local florists, or even your local grocery store. By mixing suppliers, you can take advantage of the best deals and the freshest blooms.

Mix and Match Greenery:

In addition to flowers, don't be afraid to mix and match greenery. Greenery adds texture and volume to your bouquet and can be sourced from various places. For example, you might want to include eucalyptus, baby's breath, or even some foliage from your garden. Mixing and matching greenery is a great way to create a natural, organic feel to your bouquet.

Choose a Colour Scheme:

While you can definitely mix and match colours, it's essential to have a cohesive colour palette. Decide on two or three main colours that complement each other and then source flowers in those shades. For example, if you choose a pastel colour scheme, you might mix light pink roses, lilac, and ivory flowers. Or, if you prefer bolder colours, you could create a vibrant bouquet with shades of purple, orange, and yellow.

Vary the Flower Sizes:

Another way to add interest to your bouquet is to vary the sizes of the flowers. Mix larger blooms, such as peonies or hydrangeas, with smaller flowers, like spray roses or wax flowers. This creates a visually appealing arrangement and gives your bouquet depth and dimension.

Consider Seasonal Availability:

When choosing your flowers, it's important to keep seasonality in mind. Some flowers are more readily available during certain seasons, which can impact cost and availability. For example, peonies may be more expensive during certain times of the year, while hydrangeas, grown in greenhouses, are available year-round and may be more budget-friendly.

Don't Forget the Fillers:

In addition to flowers, you can also mix and match suppliers for fillers and accent pieces. Fillers like baby's breath, greenery, or even non-floral elements like feathers or dried flowers can add interest and texture to your bouquet. These additional elements can often be sourced from craft stores or online suppliers.

Keep seasonality in mind

When creating a DIY bridesmaid bouquet, it's important to keep seasonality in mind. This is because certain flowers have very seasonal growing patterns, which can affect their quality, availability, and price. For example, peonies have a sporadic growing season, which makes them expensive at certain times of the year and unavailable during the hot summer months. In contrast, hydrangeas are grown in greenhouses all year round, making them more affordable due to their consistent availability.

When planning a wedding, consider which flowers are in season during that particular time of year. This will ensure that the flowers used in the bridesmaid bouquets are of the best quality and reasonably priced. For instance, if you're having a late summer or fall wedding, amaranthus is a great choice as it peaks from August to November and creates a stunning trailing effect. Similarly, for a spring wedding, consider using pastel-coloured flowers such as muted roses, wildflowers, and king protea.

If you're looking for a more budget-friendly option, opt for seasonal flowers that are readily available. This will help you save money on your wedding flowers without compromising on style or quality. For a winter wedding, consider using ferns, deep red dahlias, and leafy eucalyptus for a beautiful and elegant look. Alternatively, for a summer wedding, you could choose a single monstera leaf with a pop of colourful blooms for a unique and eye-catching bouquet.

By taking seasonality into account, you can create beautiful, affordable, and seasonally appropriate bridesmaid bouquets that complement your wedding theme and colour palette.

Set up your workspace

Setting up your workspace is a crucial step in the process of creating a beautiful bridesmaid's bouquet. Here are some detailed instructions to ensure your workspace is efficient and organised:

Select an appropriate work area: Choose a spacious and clean area to work on, such as a kitchen countertop. Kitchens are ideal because they offer easy cleanup, and if you have ample counter space, arranging your flowers will be more convenient. Alternatively, you could opt for an outdoor space, especially if you're working with particularly large arrangements or a significant quantity of flowers.

Gather your flowers and tools: Before you begin, ensure you have all the flowers you need, as well as the necessary tools. Keep your flowers in large buckets, and have stem strippers, floral tape, and ribbon close at hand. If you plan to mix and match flowers from various suppliers, ensure you have sourced them beforehand and that they are within your budget.

Prepare your workspace: Ensure your workspace is tidy and organised. Have one area dedicated to flower preparation, where you can strip the stems and trim them to uniform lengths. Keep another section for assembling the bouquet, where you can lay out your chosen flowers and begin the arrangement process.

Consider the seasonality of flowers: When choosing flowers, be mindful of their seasonal availability. For example, peonies have an unpredictable growing season, making them expensive at certain times of the year and unavailable during the hot summer months. In contrast, hydrangeas are grown in greenhouses all year round, making them a more affordable and consistent option. Opt for seasonal flowers when they are in bloom, as they will be of better quality and more affordable.

By following these steps, you'll be well on your way to creating a stunning bouquet for your bridesmaids.

Prep your flowers

To prep your flowers, you'll first want to set up your workspace. Kitchens are ideal for preparing flowers because they make cleanup easy, and if you have a lot of counter space, that's even better. An outdoor space would also work. Keep all flowers in big buckets.

Use your hands or a stem stripper to remove all foliage from the stems. Make sure all stem lengths are approximately the same—you can also trim as you go. If you're buying flowers from a grocery store or wholesale, figure out your budget, the kinds of flowers you want, and how many you'll need, then do some research. If your local grocery store has great quality blooms at a good price, go for that option. If an online wholesaler is a better bet, you can go that route as well.

When choosing flowers, keep seasonality in mind. Some flowers, like peonies, have sporadic growing seasons, which is why they are very expensive at certain times of the year and unavailable in the summer. On the other hand, hydrangeas are grown in greenhouses all year, making them less costly because they are readily available. When seasonal flowers are in season, they are the best quality and most affordable.

Wrap your bouquet

Wrapping your bouquet is a crucial step in creating a beautiful and cohesive arrangement. Here is a detailed guide to help you achieve a professionally wrapped bouquet:

Begin by selecting your ribbon. You can choose a colour that complements your flowers or opt for a neutral shade like white or ivory. The ribbon should be wide enough to cover the stems adequately. Once you have your ribbon, cut a length that is long enough to wrap around the stems comfortably. It is better to cut a longer piece to be safe, as you can always trim the excess later.

Now, take your floral tape and start wrapping the stems. Begin wrapping at a point 1 to 1 1/2 inches from the flower heads, leaving some stem exposed. The amount of stem you leave exposed is up to your preference, ranging from 0 to 4 inches. Wrap the floral tape tightly and neatly around the stems, ensuring that it covers the entire area where the stems are visible.

Next, take your ribbon and place it horizontally, pinning it so that it is parallel to the floral tape. Start wrapping the ribbon around the stems, using the floral tape as a guide. Make sure you wrap tightly and smoothly, creating a neat and seamless look. Continue wrapping until you have covered all the floral tape.

Finally, secure the end of the ribbon with a pin. You can use a small, discreet pin that matches the colour of your ribbon to ensure it blends in. Now, admire your handiwork! You have a beautifully wrapped bridesmaid's bouquet. If there is any excess ribbon or stem visible, you can carefully trim it to ensure a neat finish.

By following these steps, you will achieve a professionally wrapped bouquet that looks like it was crafted by a florist. The wrapping adds the perfect finishing touch to your DIY bridesmaid's bouquet, bringing the arrangement together and giving it a polished look.

Frequently asked questions