Creating A Wedding Floral Swag: A Step-By-Step Guide

Floral swags are a popular decoration for weddings, often used to adorn archways, tables, and walls. They can be made using fresh or artificial flowers and greenery, and are a great way to save money on your wedding. In this article, we'll teach you how to make a floral swag for your wedding in just four easy steps. So, get your craft on and let's get started!

Pick your theme

Picking a theme for your floral swag is an important step in the process of making one for your wedding. The flowers you choose will create a completely different vibe, so it's crucial to select colours and styles that complement your overall wedding theme and aesthetic.

For example, the flowers for a forest/natural-themed wedding will differ greatly from a traditional white wedding. If you're going for a natural theme, you might want to use foliage such as amaranths, flowering eucalyptus, and kumquat branches. You could also add some purple limonium and white ribbon to tie it all together.

On the other hand, if you're going for a traditional white wedding, you might want to use flowers such as orchids and roses. You can also add some baby blue eucalyptus for a pop of colour.

If you're feeling creative, you can experiment with different shapes, such as a symmetrical or asymmetrical design. You can also choose from various forms, such as circular, triangular, or even hexagonal arches. The great thing about floral arch swags is that you can pick them based on your wedding theme.

Remember, your floral swag should complement the look and feel of your wedding venue, creating a seamless and elegant event design.

Start with your greens

Every floral swag needs greens. This usually comes in the form of leaves, but can also be various flowers that are predominantly green. Think ferns, for example.

You should start with these green pieces as they form the framework for your design. Make sure to place them in your oasis tub at different lengths to create a natural look. We recommend that you shorten the greens at the top and bottom, keeping them relatively long on the sides. Angle the greens forward as you work your way to the middle of the foam. You should also add greens to the centre, but make them shorter. Remember to add different shades and types of green for a more varied look.

To begin, create the top, bottom, and side boundaries with your green pieces. This will help guide you into the desired shape. For example, if you want a loose diamond shape, add in green pieces along the sides of the foam block.

When creating your shape, alternate the point of entry for the stems to create a grid pattern within the foam block that will help hold everything in place. You don't need to use glue to secure the greenery stems if you use this method.

For a 24" long swag piece, you will need around 6 ficus stems.

Add flowers

Now it's time to add your flowers! This will depend on the type of flowers you've chosen, of course, but there are some general rules to follow. If you're using roses, make sure you de-thorn them first—this will save your foam and prevent injuries.

If your flowers have shorter stems, you'll need to tape and wire them in place. Angle your flowers to face forward and keep them shorter in the centre, just like with the greenery. You don't want your flowers to be too concentrated in the middle, so try to keep a natural flow and leave space for smaller blooms to fill in.

Add your largest flowers first, placing them mostly in the middle but also sprinkling some towards the edges. Then, add your medium-sized flowers, again keeping them mainly in the centre but with some towards the outer areas. Finally, add your smallest flowers, placing many of these towards the edges of your swag shape but also scattering some throughout the entire piece.

Complete your design

Now for the fun part: it's time to complete your design! This is where you get to be creative and experiment with different colours and styles to see what works best for your floral swag. Remember, you want everything to be perfect, so take your time and don't be afraid to try out different things.

If you're happy with your framework of greens and filler flowers, it's now time to add your larger flowers. Try not to concentrate these in the centre of the swag; instead, aim for a natural, open look by leaving space for smaller blooms to fill in. Add in 3-5 medium flowers in each of your chosen colours, keeping them mainly in the centre but sprinkling some towards the outer areas.

Finally, add your smallest flowers. Many of these can go towards the edges of your swag, but scatter some in the centre and throughout the entire piece.

If you want to finish your floral swag with some extra texture, try adding sprigs of dried baby's breath. This can help to spread a single colour throughout the swag and create a cohesive look.

Now, take a step back and assess your handiwork. You might want to make some changes, cut some things back, or add some extra flowers or greenery. Play around with it until you're happy with the final result. Remember, this might take a few tries to perfect, so don't be discouraged if it doesn't look exactly right the first time!

Finishing touches

The final steps to making your floral swag are crucial to ensuring that it stands the test of time and looks perfect for your big day.

Firstly, you'll want to apply a finishing touch flower sealant to your design. This will ensure that your flowers remain vibrant and fresh-looking.

Now is also the time to add any extra decorations, such as glitter or ribbons, to make your floral swag unique and personalised.

Finally, you'll need to attach your floral swag to your wedding arch, or another display. Floral swag works best in the corners of wedding arches, but you can also display them on walls, tables, or doorways. To attach your swag, you can use zip ties, wire, or nails, depending on the surface and material of your display.

And there you have it! Your very own floral swag, ready for your wedding day.

Frequently asked questions