Creating A Modern Wedding Bouquet: A Step-By-Step Guide

Creating a modern wedding bouquet is a fun and creative way to express yourself on your big day. Making your own bouquet can be a meaningful experience, allowing you to connect with your design and giving you the freedom to customise it to your liking. Whether you're aiming for a classic, tight bouquet or something whimsical, the process is simple and easy to follow. All you need are some basic tools, flowers of your choice, and a bit of creativity. By following the steps outlined in various online guides, you can construct a stunning arrangement that complements your wedding gown and expresses your unique style. So, get ready to impress your guests and create a memorable accessory for your walk down the aisle!

Choosing your flowers

The flowers you choose for your bouquet will depend on your personal preference, the colour scheme of your wedding, and the season. If you have a colour theme, matching your bouquet to it is a great way to ensure coherence throughout your wedding.

Traditionally, most flowers in a bridal bouquet are white, with some pink or other pastel colours. However, you can choose any colours and flowers you like. If you're on a budget, opt for flowers that are in season. For example, daffodils, peonies, lilacs, and tulips bloom in the spring, while chrysanthemums and dahlias are best in autumn.

If you're going for a modern and simple design, consider using one to three varieties of florals, very little to no greenery, and flowers with lots of textural interest. For a more whimsical, garden-inspired look, choose five to seven varieties of florals and greenery, and flowers with different textural and gestural qualities.

When choosing your flowers, it's also important to consider the style of your wedding dress. If you want a classic, tight bouquet, opt for hardy flowers like roses, which are easier to arrange and can endure a little handling. If you prefer a cascading arrangement, choose flowers that drape nicely, such as clematis or ivy.

Once you've decided on the type of flowers you want, you can source them from a local garden, a friend's garden, local farms, grocery stores, or online.

Preparing your flowers

Before you start constructing your bouquet, you'll want to make sure that your flowers are ready to be arranged. Firstly, remove all the leaves from your floral stems, and the bottom halves of your greenery stems. You can do this by hand, or with a stem stripper, being careful not to damage the stems.

Next, fill a sink or bucket with water. Holding the stems underwater, cut them at a 45-degree angle, about 2 inches from the bottom. Allow the flowers to drink for a few seconds, then place the stems in a bucket of cool water until you're ready to use them. If you're working with roses, or other flowers that are not yet in bloom, you can force the blooms open by placing the stems in a bucket of hot water, but only do this for a couple of minutes or you may kill the flowers.

Keep the stems long while you work with them, and trim them to a shorter length when you've finished constructing the bouquet.

Timing

Timing is key when it comes to making your own wedding bouquet. Ideally, you'll want to source your flowers two days before the wedding, and create the bouquet the day before. This will ensure that your blooms are at their best for the big day.

Choosing Your Flowers

When choosing your flowers, consider the style of your wedding dress and your colour palette. If you're going for a modern and simple design, you may want to use one to three varieties of floral, with very little to no greenery. If you're going for a more whimsical, garden-inspired look, you may want to use five to seven varieties of florals and greenery.

Storage

Once you've prepared your flowers, place the stems directly onto tissue paper to protect the blooms from bruising. Then, place the flowers in deep water overnight so that all of the stems drink well. Store the flowers in a cool place, like a shed or garage, and avoid draughts and direct sunlight.

Picking a focal flower

When choosing a focal flower, consider the style of your wedding dress and your colour palette. If you're going for a modern and simple design, choose a flower with a lot of textural interest. If you want a garden-style bouquet, pick a flower that will add drama and contrast.

Some popular choices for focal flowers include light pink peonies, avalanche roses, and lisianthus. However, you should ultimately choose a flower that you love and that reflects your personality and style.

Once you've selected your focal flower, hold it with your fingers near the blossom end. This will be the starting point for the rest of your bouquet. Add the next flower at an angle facing towards the left, but ensure that the bloom is at the same height as your focal flower. Continue adding flowers, rotating the bouquet to the right each time, to create a well-filled and rounded arrangement.

Adding flowers and foliage

When adding flowers and foliage to your wedding bouquet, it's important to consider the style of your wedding dress and your colour palette. If you're going for a modern and simple design, you may want to use fewer varieties of florals and very little to no greenery. On the other hand, if you're aiming for a more whimsical, garden-inspired look, you'll need several varieties of florals and greenery.

Start by choosing a focal flower that will be the centre of attention within your bouquet. Hold the flower near the blossom end and add the next flower at an angle, keeping the bloom at the same height as the focal flower. Continue adding flowers, rotating the bouquet a quarter turn to the right each time. Add in some filler flowers, which are usually smaller, green flowers that give a natural look to the bouquet. Ensure you insert all the filler flowers at the same angle to keep your bouquet symmetrical.

When you're happy with the bulk of your bouquet, you can add depth and dimension by pulling certain flowers forward, especially your focal point flowers. This will help your bouquet look more natural and full.

Storing the bouquet

If you want to preserve your wedding bouquet, there are several methods you can use, ranging from simple DIYs to professional services. Here are some detailed, step-by-step instructions for storing your modern wedding bouquet:

Pressing the flowers:

• Select as many flowers as you'd like or even the entire bouquet and spread them out on clean wax paper for easy removal after pressing.
• Lay the wax paper with the flowers inside the pages of a heavy book and add another piece of wax paper on top to protect the flowers from ink.
• Weigh the book down with something heavy, or simply place heavy objects on top of the wax paper.
• Leave the flowers to dry for seven to ten days.
• Once dry, you can arrange and frame the flowers as you like.

Hanging the flowers upside down to dry:

• Remove any tape or ties from the bouquet and cut the stems to separate the flowers.
• Hang the stems upside down, one by one, in a dry, temperate area such as a hallway closet.
• Allow the blooms to air-dry for at least a week, or longer if the temperature is cool.
• Once dry, arrange the flowers in a vase or create a wreath, and don't forget to use any leftover ribbon!

Adding petals to taper candles:

• Light a tea candle and allow the wax to soften.
• Hold a dried petal or flower sprig over a plain taper candle.
• Dip a small paintbrush into the melted wax and apply it over the flower, pressing until it stays flat.
• Continue adding petals to the taper candle, working quickly to seal the flowers before the wax dries.

Submerging the flowers in silica gel:

• Form a base of silica gel in an airtight container.
• Nestle your blooms in the sand, being careful not to compromise the shape of the flowers.
• Gently pour more silica gel around the petals until the container is full and seal it shut.
• After one to seven days, carefully remove the flowers and spray them with an artist-fixative spray or hairspray.
• Arrange the flowers in a vase or shadow box.

Making a resin paperweight:

• Get a mould in your desired shape (sphere, cube, etc.) from a craft store.
• Fill the mould halfway with clear epoxy resin.
• Delicately arrange the flowers in the fluid.
• Fill the mould to the top with resin and let it dry.
• Remove the mould to reveal your decorative paperweight.

There are also professional services available that can help you preserve your wedding bouquet, such as creating resin art, coasters, or dishes, or even painting a custom portrait of your bouquet.

Frequently asked questions