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

Creating a fake flower bouquet for your wedding is a fun and easy DIY project. You can make your own bouquet with artificial flowers, choosing the exact flowers and colours you want and saving money on an expensive florist. Fake flowers are also easier to maintain than real flowers and are perfect for those with allergies. You can follow a simple process to create your own bouquet, from gathering your supplies to assembling and embellishing your bouquet.

Choosing the right flowers

Start by deciding on the colour scheme you want for your bouquet. This could be based on the wedding colours, your favourite colours, or simply what you think will look good together. You can choose a neutral, romantic palette, or go for something more vibrant and bold.

Next, think about the types of flowers you want to include. You can go for a mix of different flowers, such as roses, peonies, lilacs, succulents, garden roses, spray roses, and poppy pods. Or, you can choose to use only one type of flower for a uniform look. Consider the size of the flowers too—you'll want a mix of larger blooms and smaller flowers to add interest and texture.

When selecting your flowers, try to choose high-quality artificial flowers. These will look more realistic than cheaper alternatives. Look for flowers with a matte finish and single stems, as these will be easier to work with. Read reviews online to find reputable faux flower designers.

Don't forget to also choose some greenery to add to your bouquet. Eucalyptus, ivy, and olive branches are great options to give your bouquet a natural, trailing look.

Finally, consider any non-floral elements you might want to include. This could include ribbons, fabric, berries, beads, or even something more unique like LEGO or coloured pencils.

Lay out all your chosen flowers and separate them by bloom. This will make it easier to build your bouquet and ensure a balanced arrangement.

Remember, this is your wedding bouquet, so choose flowers and colours that you love and that reflect your personality.

Preparing the stems

Step 1: Cut the Stems

Using wire cutters, cut the stems of each flower to create single stems that can be easily arranged. This will give you more flexibility in designing your bouquet. If your flowers are already single stems, you can skip this step.

Step 2: Remove Excess Leaves

Trim off any excess leaves from the stems, leaving only one or two close to the flower. This step will help create a cleaner look for your bouquet and make it easier to work with the flowers.

Step 3: Choose Your Base Flowers

Select 2-4 flowers to serve as the base of your bouquet. These flowers will be the foundation of your arrangement, so choose ones that complement each other and fit your desired colour scheme. You can also add some greenery at this stage if you wish.

Step 4: Tape the Stems

Use floral tape to secure the stems of your base flowers together. Start taping from the top of the stems, just below the blooms, and work your way down. This will help to stabilise your bouquet and make it easier to handle.

Step 5: Extend the Stems (Optional)

If you want to make your bouquet longer, you can extend the stems by taping or wiring them together. This is a good option if you need to adjust the length of your bouquet to fit the height of your vase or to suit the bride's height.

Step 6: Finalise the Bouquet Size

At this point, you can add more flowers around your base to create a fuller bouquet. Keep adding stems until you are happy with the size and overall look of your bouquet. Remember to turn the bouquet as you work to ensure a balanced arrangement.

By following these steps, you will have prepared stems that are ready to be arranged and secured into a beautiful fake flower wedding bouquet. Now, you can move on to the next steps, such as wrapping the stems with ribbon or adding any final embellishments.

Building the bouquet

Step 1:

Gather your supplies. You will need your choice of artificial flowers, floral tape, wire cutters, a glue gun, glue sticks, flower wire, twine, and ribbon. You can also add in some eucalyptus or other greenery, and a vintage pin or brooch for a personalised touch.

Step 2:

Prepare your stems by cutting them into usable pieces with the wire cutters. Remove any excess leaves, leaving only one or two close to the flower. You can always add more greenery later, so don't worry about saving the trimmings.

Step 3:

Choose 2-4 flowers to start the base of your bouquet. You can use a single type of flower or a mix of a few different ones. Secure them together with floral tape.

Step 4:

Start building your bouquet by adding flowers around your base flowers. Keep adding stems until your bouquet is the desired size. This part is personal preference, so go with what looks best to you.

Step 5:

Wrap your bouquet in floral tape, starting at the top and travelling down the stems. This will give your bouquet a little added support. Cut the excess stems down until you have reached your desired length.

Step 6:

Add in some greenery. You can use different types of eucalyptus or other foliage to add texture and shape to your bouquet. Secure the stems with floral tape.

Step 7:

Once your bouquet is looking full, establish the "front" side. This is where you can add in some draping flowers, like lilacs, to create a cascading effect.

Step 8:

Secure the last stems with floral tape and trim the stems down to a comfortable height. You want to be able to grip the stems easily, but they shouldn't be too short.

Step 9:

Finish off your bouquet by wrapping a ribbon around the floral tape. Tie it off with a bow, and your bouquet is ready!

Securing the bouquet

Floral Tape

Floral tape is a versatile tool that serves multiple purposes. Firstly, it helps secure the flowers together, creating a sturdy base for your bouquet. Start by wrapping the tape around the stems of your base flowers. As you add more flowers, continue wrapping the tape down the stems to incorporate the new additions. Floral tape not only holds the flowers in place but also adds support to the bouquet, especially when combined with wire.

Wire

Wire is another essential component for securing your bouquet. Cut a piece of wire, approximately 6-8 inches (15-20 cm) long, and wrap it tightly around the stems just below the blooms. Twist the ends of the wire together and trim any excess, leaving about an inch (2.5 cm) of twisted wire. This will ensure the stems remain fixed in place. You can also use wire to extend the length of your flowers by taping and wrapping it around the stems.

Ribbon

Ribbon adds a decorative touch to your bouquet while also helping to secure it. After wrapping the stems with floral tape, take your ribbon and start wrapping it around the stems from the top, moving downwards. Continue wrapping until you've covered the stems to your desired length. You can finish it off with a bow or simply tie off the ribbon neatly. Ribbon gives your bouquet a polished look and can be chosen to match your wedding colour scheme.

Birch Bark

Birch bark is an optional but unique way to secure and enhance your bouquet. Cut a piece of birch bark to size—it will serve as the handle. Glue the underside of the birch bark to the stems, and then cut a long piece of twine. Secure one end of the twine to the back of the stems with a dot of hot glue, just above the birch bark. Carefully wrap the twine around the stems, slightly covering the edge of the bark. This adds a natural, rustic touch to your bouquet.

Final Steps

Once you've secured your bouquet with the methods above, it's important to cut the stems to an even length. Use wire cutters or sharp scissors to trim the stems, ensuring they are comfortable to hold but not too long. You can also add embellishments like vintage pins or brooches with a hot glue gun. Finally, a light spray of glitter or floral scent can be the perfect finishing touch to your artificial bouquet.

Adding the finishing touches

Now that you've assembled your bouquet, it's time to add the finishing touches.

If you want to add some sparkle to your bouquet, a glitter spray can be used to lightly dust over the flowers and give them a magical look. You can also add a floral scent, such as lavender mist or your favourite perfume.

If you want to cover the stems, you can wrap the bouquet with a decorative ribbon or fabric. This is a good idea if the stems don't look very realistic. Secure the ribbon or fabric with a dab of hot glue, and then wind it around the stems, moving upwards. Cover the stems until you reach the base of the blooms, then cut the ribbon and attach it with more glue or a decorative pin. You can also add lace, pins, or beading to the stems for a personalised look.

Finally, think creatively about any final additions. You can add non-floral elements such as greenery, feathers, ribbons, beads, or even unique items like Lego, tiny gears, paintbrushes, or coloured pencils.

Frequently asked questions