Creating A Wedding Arch Flower Swag For Your Big Day

Creating a flower swag for your wedding arch is a great way to save money and add a personal touch to your special day. This DIY project is a fun way to get crafty and ensure your flowers match your wedding's theme and colour palette. You can use fresh or artificial flowers, and other materials, to create a floral swag that suits your vision.

Pick your theme: Choose colours and styles that match your wedding's theme and aesthetic

Picking a theme for your wedding flower swag is an incredibly important step. The flowers you choose will create a completely different vibe, so it's essential to select colours and styles that match your wedding's overall theme and aesthetic.

For example, a forest or natural-themed wedding would have a very different selection of flowers to a traditional white wedding. If you're having a beach wedding, you might opt for flowers that are native to the beach and incorporate pebbles, shells, and starfish into the design for a natural, coastal look.

You can also consider the "feel" you want your wedding to convey. Are you aiming for a messy, natural, traditional, or modern vibe? Picking a theme will help you decide on the types of flowers and colours that will best represent your desired atmosphere.

If you're unsure where to start, here are some popular wedding flower swag colour schemes and styles to spark your creativity:

• Blush Wedding Pampas Arch Arrangement: White, blush, eucalyptus
• Boho Wedding: Burgundy, navy, boho flowers
• Classic White Wedding: White, ivory, baby's breath
• Dusty Rose Arch Swag: Dusty rose, white, greenery
• Terracotta and Champagne: Burnt orange, rose, champagne
• White and Green: White, green, peony, rose, eucalyptus

Start with greens: Add leaves or green flowers like fern to create a framework

To make a flower swag for a wedding arch, you'll need to start with greens. This can be in the form of leaves or green flowers like ferns, which will act as the framework for your design. Here's a step-by-step guide:

• Gather your materials: You will need an oasis cage pre-filled with foam, florist gauge wire, an oasis tube of flower adhesive, green stem wrap, and your choice of flowers (either fresh or artificial).
• Decide on your theme: Choose a colour scheme and style that match your wedding's overall theme and aesthetic.
• Create the framework: Start by adding the greens into your oasis cage. Cut the stems to different lengths and angles to create a natural look. Make sure to add more greens to the sides, keeping them relatively long, and shorten the stems at the top and bottom. Angle the greens forward as you work your way to the middle of the foam, adding shorter stems to the centre. Use different shades and types of greens for a varied and interesting look.
• Add your flowers: Choose flowers that complement your greens and theme. Wire your flowers around the base, imitating the angles of the greenery. For flowers with shorter stems, tape and wire them discreetly. If using roses, remember to remove the thorns to avoid damaging the foam and injuring yourself.
• Complete your design: Feel free to experiment with different colours and designs until you find the perfect combination.
• Finishing touches: Apply sealant to your arrangement to ensure its longevity. You can also add personal touches like glitter or ribbons.

Your floral swag is now ready to be attached to your wedding arch! Remember, you can get creative and adapt the design to your unique style.

Add flowers: Place filler flowers into the oasis, imitating the angles of the greenery

Now that you have your greenery base, it's time to add your filler flowers. These will be the flowers that complement your main blooms and help to create a cohesive look.

When adding your filler flowers, you want to place them into the oasis at varying angles, imitating the angles of the greenery. This will help to create a natural, organic look. Angle the filler flowers forward as you work your way to the middle of the foam, keeping them shorter in the centre. This will create that desired enclosed look.

If you're using roses, remember to de-thorn them first to avoid ruining the foam and potentially hurting yourself. For flowers with shorter stems, you'll need to tape and wire them discreetly.

Play around with the positioning of your filler flowers. You can adjust the stems to face them in different directions, creating a sense of movement and drawing the eye towards the centre of the arch, where the happy couple will stand.

Complete the design: Experiment with colours and design to get your desired look

Once you've picked your theme and colours, it's time to get creative and experiment with your design. This part may take a few trial and error runs, but it's worth it to get your desired look.

If you're using roses, make sure you de-thorn them first. You could hurt yourself, and the thorns may ruin your foam. You can also add glitter or ribbons to your flower swag to make it perfect for your big day.

You can also experiment with different shapes and forms, such as a symmetrical or asymmetrical design. You can pick the design based on the theme of your wedding. For example, if you're having a beach wedding, you could opt for flowers that are native to the beach and incorporate pebbles, shells, starfish, and other beach-inspired elements into the design for a natural and coastal look.

You could also try using pool noodles instead of foam blocks and cages, which can be expensive.

Finishing touches: Apply sealant to ensure longevity and add glitter or ribbons

Once you've crafted your flower swag, it's time for the finishing touches! To ensure your creation lasts, apply a sealant. There are several options to choose from, each with its own advantages:

• Florist's Preservative Spray is a clear spray that will give your flowers a natural, matte finish. It will not alter the colours of your flowers and will not yellow with age. It is designed to make blossoms moisture and UV proof. This is the professional choice and is used by florists.
• Artist's Acrylic Spray is a more expensive option but it will provide a permanent, protective seal and is UV safe, so colours won't fade.
• Lacquer will give your flowers a glossy, shiny coating. It is best used on heavily textured blossoms, such as thistles. Hold the can about 12 inches from the flower and rotate as you apply a light coat. Allow to dry and then reapply until you have three coats in total.
• Hairspray is a budget option and can be used to create a moisture-proof seal. However, most brands are not UV proof, so colours will fade.
• White Craft Glue can be painted onto petals and will dry clear. Mod Podge, Aleene's Tacky Glue and Elmer's School Glue are good options. Thin the glue with a little water to make it easier to apply.

If you want to add some sparkle to your swag, you can sprinkle glitter onto the flowers or soil. However, be aware that modern glitter is made from aluminium, titanium dioxide, iron oxide and bismuth oxychloride combined with plastic and colouring. Adding this to your soil may alter its structure and affect its drainage.

Finally, you can add ribbons to your swag. Many artificial flower swags come with ribbons attached to the back for easy hanging.

Frequently asked questions