Creating A Wedding Corsage: A Guide For Bridesmaids And Mothers

Making a ladies' wedding corsage is a fun and creative task that can add a personal touch to your wedding. A corsage is essentially a small bouquet, usually made with 2-3 small-medium flowers, filler flowers or greenery, and a bow. You can use fresh or silk flowers, and the process involves wiring and taping the flowers together, adding a ribbon, and pinning the corsage to the fabric. With the right materials and a bit of creativity, you can design a beautiful and unique corsage for the ladies in your wedding party.

Choosing flowers and colours

Choosing the right flowers and colours is an important part of making a ladies' wedding corsage. You can use fresh flowers or silk flowers. Roses and carnations are popular choices, but you can also use chrysanthemums, hydrangeas, or any other flower you like.

When selecting flowers, consider the size of the person who will be wearing the corsage. Smaller flowers are better for a petite person. You will need 2-3 small to medium-sized flowers for each corsage, along with some smaller filler flowers and greenery. The flowers should be sturdy, with firm heads and no loose petals, to ensure they don't get squished during transportation and when pinning them on.

The colours you choose can be tailored to the wearer's preferences or the wedding theme. You can opt for classic white or ivory, or add a pop of colour with dusty blue, burnt orange, or champagne. If you want to get creative, you can even add some glitter to your corsage!

Once you have your flowers, you will need to prepare them by cutting the stems short, removing any thorns, and wiring the individual flowers and greenery. This will give you more flexibility in arranging them into a pleasing pattern.

Wiring flowers and components

To prepare roses for a corsage, push a thin wire through the calyx (bulb) of the flower head and bend it down to form a new, more slender and flexible stem. If you were to simply tape the flowers together using their original stems, the corsage would be stiff and inflexible, resulting in a thick and unwieldy stem.

For a wrist corsage, wrap each flower with a small amount of greenery using floral tape. Cut the stems so they are one to two inches long, and then tie the pieces together with floral wire to create an arrangement that will fit nicely on a wrist.

For a pinned corsage, cut the stems off short (about 1" to 1 1/2" below the calyx) with a sharp knife, and remove any thorns. Tape the components together, pulling the tape in a downward motion to stretch and adhere it to itself.

Assembling the flowers

To assemble the flowers for a ladies' wedding corsage, you will need 2-3 standard rose heads or spray roses, 2 miniature carnation heads and one bud, 2-3 sprigs of wax flower or baby's breath, 2-3 sprigs of trailing ivy, 3-4 Italian Ruscus or Israeli Ruscus leaves, and 2-3 Pittosporum leaves. You can substitute flower varieties, greenery, or colours as desired.

Cut the stems with a sharp knife at a diagonal, about 1 to 1.5 inches below the calyx of each flower. Be sure to remove any thorns. Push a thin wire through the calyx of each flower head and bend it down to form a new, slender, and flexible stem. This will give the flowers more flexibility than if you were to tape them together using their original stems.

Next, add a small amount of greenery to each flower and wrap them together with floral tape. Do this for each flower, using no more than 2 or 3 flowers in total to avoid bulkiness. Cut each assembled flower/greenery piece so that the stem is 1 to 2 inches long. Then, using floral wire, tie the pieces together to create an arrangement.

Now you can add any additional decorations, such as ribbon, tulle, or glitter spray. Finally, cut the wires at the end of the corsage, bend them under, and tape them to prevent snagging on the fabric.

Adding a bow

Now it's time to make a bow!

Take a generous amount of ribbon (about three feet) and cut. You can use any kind of ribbon, but something lightly wired will hold its shape better. Next, pinch the ribbon between your thumb and forefinger, leaving a few inches hanging down at the end. Then, pull the ribbon around your thumb and create a loop with the ribbon, pinching it underneath your thumb. Make three loops on either side of your thumb, each a little smaller than the previous one, pinching the ribbon underneath your thumb each time.

Once your three loops are made, take some floral wire and wrap it through the loop that was made around your thumb, twisting it to secure everything in place. Then, take a boutonnière pin and stick it through your bow and up into the flower to hide it. If you want to add some extra security, you can also wrap the wire around the centre of the bow and twist it.

If you're making a corsage for someone wearing a flowy dress, keep the arrangement light so that the corsage doesn't pull on the dress. You can also wrap a bit of bright ribbon around the floral arrangement instead of using a bow for a more modern look.

Attaching the corsage

Firstly, it is important to note that the size of the corsage should be scaled to the size of the person wearing it. A smaller head size may require spray roses instead of standard roses. The same is true for the wearer's size; a tiny, petite person would need a smaller corsage.

The most common way to attach a corsage to the wearer's shoulder is by wiring the individual flowers and decorative components, such as ribbon, tulle, and greenery. To do this, push a thin wire through the calyx (bulb) of the flower head and bend it down to form a new, more slender and flexible stem. Use florist wire, such as 26-gauge florist wire, to secure the arrangement together.

Next, use professional floral tape to wind around the flower heads, pulling in a downward motion to stretch the tape and help it adhere to itself. Be sure to buy your floral tape from a reputable supplier, as low-quality tape can be sticky and gooey, making the job harder.

Once the flowers are taped together, cut the stems short, about 1" to 1 1/2" below the calyx, using a sharp knife. Scissors can crush the stems of flowers like roses, so it is best to use a knife to ensure a clean cut. Remove any thorns that may be left on the stems.

To avoid bruising delicate petals, keep a stiff base of dry foam nearby and push the taped components into it, rather than laying the flowers down on a table.

Finally, to attach the corsage to the wearer's outfit, use a corsage pin to pin the corsage horizontally to the fabric, weaving in and out through the material. For delicate outfits, try pinning the corsage through the fabric and the wearer's bra strap. If you are worried about being stuck by a pin, put a rubber earring back on the sticky part near the skin.

Frequently asked questions