Crafting A Cascade Wedding Bouquet With Paper: Step-By-Step

A cascade wedding bouquet, also known as a hanging or waterfall bouquet, is a popular choice for brides as it invokes feelings of royalty and luxury. This type of bouquet is designed to flow down from the bride's hands in a long, dramatic floral cascade that is natural and free-formed. While fresh flowers are a traditional choice, paper flowers are a unique alternative that offers several benefits, including longevity, customisability, and cost-effectiveness. Creating a paper cascade bouquet involves choosing and preparing the flowers, arranging them in a cascading shape, and adding finishing touches like ribbon or lace.

Choosing your flowers

Choosing the right flowers for your paper cascade wedding bouquet is an important step in creating a beautiful arrangement. Here are some tips to help you select the perfect blooms:

Number of Flowers

For a full paper flower bouquet, you will typically need at least 12 flowers, but the exact number will depend on the size and fullness of your blooms. If you are making a cascading bouquet, you may need more flowers to create the desired effect.

Types of Flowers

When choosing the types of flowers for your bouquet, consider selecting three different blooms: a statement flower, a supporting flower, and a filler flower. Statement flowers are the main attraction and are usually larger, more ornate, or in a contrasting colour. Supporting flowers complement the statement flowers, while filler flowers add texture and help fill out the bouquet. Examples of statement flowers include roses, peonies, and hydrangeas. Supporting flowers could be buds or baby's breath, while filler flowers might include vines and leaves.

Colour Palette

When choosing the colour of your paper flowers, consider the colour of your wedding dress, the overall theme or colour palette of your wedding, and the emotional impact of different colours. For weddings, white, pastels, and metallics are popular choices. You may decide to have a monochrome bouquet or mix and match colours for a more diverse arrangement.

Size of Stems

Ensure that the stems of your paper flowers are long enough to be arranged in your bouquet. The length will depend on the size and style of your bouquet, but generally, you will need stems that are at least 6 inches (15 cm) long. For cascading bouquets, you may need even longer stems to create the desired effect.

Personalisation

You can add a unique, personal touch to your paper flower bouquet by choosing flowers that have a special significance to you. For example, you could select a flower that reminds you of a loved one or one that was featured in your first bouquet from your partner.

Creating the cascade shape

To create the cascade shape, you'll need to prepare your flowers and greenery, and then arrange them in a teardrop shape.

First, submerge a bouquet holder in warm water to keep your flowers fresh. Then, place the bouquet holder in a heavy vase or stand to keep it secure.

Next, you'll want to start adding your greenery. Insert your two longest greenery stems into the bottom of the holder, with the tips pointing down. Add the rest of your greenery, cutting it if necessary so it's shorter at the top and longer at the bottom. Imagine you're creating an upside-down teardrop shape that's rounded at the top and full on the sides, then comes to a narrow point at the bottom.

Once you've added your greenery, it's time to add your primary blooms. Place your largest, prettiest flowers in the centre of the arrangement, then work the remaining flowers around the bouquet holder. As you do this, alternate between adding flowers to the top and sides of the bouquet. This will help to secure the stems in place. Trim your flower stems as you go, making the stems on the bottom of your bouquet the longest, and those at the middle and top slightly shorter.

Finally, add your accent flowers around your primary blooms, followed by any filler flowers or greenery to cover any remaining gaps.

Adding the flowers

Now that you have your greenery and primary blooms arranged, it's time to start filling in the body of your bouquet with the accent flowers that you chose. You should continue to alternate between adding flowers to the top and sides of the bouquet, criss-crossing the stems to secure them.

Don't worry about making the bouquet look perfectly full just yet; it's more important that you space your accent flowers evenly throughout the bouquet.

Look at the bouquet from the top, front, and sides, and use your filler to completely cover up any gaps that are left. Depending on the size of the blooms you used and how closely they’re arranged, you may only need a few sprigs, or you may need to tuck small sprays throughout the entire bouquet to fill it out.

Baby’s breath is inexpensive and delicate, so buy more than you think you’ll need just in case your bouquet doesn’t look as full as you’d like when you’re finished. Not only will this ensure the bouquet holder isn’t visible in your wedding photographs, but it also helps secure the grid you made that’s holding the larger stems in place.

As you’re arranging the flowers, alternate putting a few on the top, then a few on the sides, and so on. This causes the stems to interlock in a grid pattern, which will help prevent the flowers from falling out of your bouquet.

Space each type of flower evenly throughout the bouquet. If it isn’t symmetrical, it won’t create the effect that the flowers are cascading down.

If you have a flower with a weak stem, push a pin through the head of the bloom, then wrap the stem with wire and floral tape to stabilize it.

Finishing touches

Once you have added all your flowers, fillers, and greenery, it's time for the final steps. Secure your bouquet with some floral tape and a sturdy rubber band or two until it feels stuck in place. You can also use wire to keep the bouquet secure. Then, wrap the stems with some pretty silk ribbon, lace, or burlap ribbon. If you want to add a romantic touch to the cascading shape you've created, leave some long streamers of your ribbon. Silk ribbons with raw edges usually work best for this style.

If you are using real flowers, keep your bouquet in a cool place overnight or until you need it. It's best to assemble your bouquet no more than one day before the wedding. If you have a floral cooler, you can keep your bouquet there. If not, you'll need to find a cool place away from direct sunlight where your flowers won't be disturbed, like a shaded, out-of-the-way corner in a cool bedroom. Don't place your bouquet in a regular refrigerator, as the moisture will cause the flowers to wilt.

If you need to make your bouquet more than one day ahead of time, either choose hardier flowers like posies, lilies, and succulents, or opt for artificial flowers. Be sure to change the water in the vase every day to keep your flowers looking fresh. You can also use a turkey baster to add one drop of bleach to the water to kill any bacteria and slow down the decomposition process.

Caring for your bouquet

Your paper flower bouquet will last a long time, but there are a few things you can do to ensure it stays in good condition. Here are some tips for caring for your paper flower bouquet:

• Keep your bouquet away from direct sunlight and heat sources. Paper is delicate and can fade or discolour if exposed to too much sunlight or heat.
• Handle your bouquet with care. Paper flowers are more delicate than fresh flowers, so avoid tossing or dropping your bouquet.
• Store your bouquet in a cool, dry place when not in use. A closet or cupboard is ideal, as it will keep your bouquet away from sunlight and humidity.
• Avoid getting your bouquet wet. Paper is absorbent and can become damaged if it gets wet. If your bouquet does get wet, gently pat it dry with a soft cloth or tissue.
• Be gentle when transporting your bouquet. Place it in a box or container that is slightly larger than the bouquet to prevent crushing or damaging the flowers.
• Dust your bouquet regularly with a soft, dry cloth. This will help keep it looking fresh and new.
• If your bouquet gets dirty, you can try gently wiping it with a damp cloth. Be careful not to get the paper too wet, and allow it to air dry completely before storing it away.
• If you want to protect your bouquet from dust and dirt, you can place it under a glass dome or cloche. This will also make a beautiful display!
• With proper care, your paper flower bouquet will last for years and can be a cherished keepsake or heirloom.

Frequently asked questions