Beach-themed weddings are becoming increasingly popular, and what better way to celebrate your special day than with a unique, natural, and durable seashell bridal bouquet? Not only do they look beautiful, but they also serve as a romantic symbol, representing the love between the Greek goddess of love and beauty, Aphrodite, and the God of the Sea, Poseidon. While these bouquets can be quite expensive and hard to find, you can easily make one yourself with the right materials and a bit of creativity. In this article, we will guide you through the process of creating your own seashell wedding bouquet, from choosing the perfect shells to assembling and decorating them to achieve a stunning result.
Characteristics | Values |
---|---|
Difficulty | Not difficult but time-consuming |
Materials | Shells, flowers, glue, wire, styrofoam ball, ribbon, sand dollars, dried flowers, lace, burlap, floral tape, pearl-headed pins, etc. |
Cost | $40-$300 to buy, significantly cheaper to make yourself |
Weight | Can be heavy, especially if all-shell |
Colour | All-shell bouquets are less colourful |
What You'll Learn
Choosing shells and flowers
Choosing the right shells and flowers is an important step in creating a beautiful and cohesive seashell wedding bouquet. Here are some tips and suggestions to help you make the right choices:
Selecting the Shells:
- Choose a variety of shells that suit your style and the overall theme of your wedding. You can find shells in various shapes, sizes, and colours to add interest and texture to your bouquet.
- Spiral shells are particularly important as a design element. Their unique shape adds visual appeal and breaks up the circular shapes of the flowers.
- Consider the weight of the shells. Some shells, like larger or thicker ones, can add significant weight to the bouquet. Opt for smaller, lighter shells if you want to avoid a heavy arrangement.
- If you want to include starfish, sand dollars, or other flat, delicate shells, be extra cautious when handling and gluing them to avoid breakage.
Picking the Flowers:
- Decide whether you want to use fresh or silk flowers as the base of your bouquet. Fresh flowers may be best left to professional florists, as they require more care and attention to stay fresh.
- Roses, hydrangeas, peonies, daisies, grape hyacinths, and orchids are all great choices for a beach wedding bouquet due to their colours and large blooms.
- If you opt for silk flowers, you may need to adjust the bouquet by spreading the flowers apart or removing some to make room for the shells.
- Pre-made bouquets can be a convenient option, but if you choose loose flowers, you will need to arrange and secure them with florist's tape.
- Dried flowers, such as mini roses, baby's breath, and sea lavender, can add a soft, natural touch to your bouquet and complement the shells beautifully.
Remember to choose elements that reflect your style and personality. You can also incorporate other embellishments, such as pearls, brooches, or ribbons, to add extra flair to your seashell wedding bouquet.
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Gluing shells to wire
Firstly, gather your materials. You will need a glue gun, glue sticks, floral wire, and a variety of shells in different shapes and sizes, such as spiral shells. You may also want to collect some extra materials, such as dried flowers, pearls, lace, and burlap, to add extra embellishments to your bouquet.
Once you have your materials, start by evaluating the size and shape of your shells. Cut the floral wire into pieces that are proportional to the size of your shells. You will want to ensure that you have enough wire to securely attach to each shell, with some excess wire left over to insert into your bouquet form.
Next, it's time to start gluing! Apply a generous amount of hot glue to the back, flatter part of each shell. Quickly but carefully, press the end of the wire into the glue, holding it in place for a few seconds to allow the glue to set. This process can be a little messy and burn your fingers, so it is recommended to use an extra glue stick to press the wire into the glue. Repeat this step until you have glued all your shells to wires.
Now that your shells are attached to wires, you can start arranging them in your bouquet. Begin by inserting the wires into a floral foam ball or a styrofoam ball. Spiral shells are a great design element to incorporate, especially if your flowers and other shells are circle-shaped. Play around with the placement of the shells until you are happy with the overall look. Secure the wires in place using florist tape.
Finally, add any additional embellishments to your bouquet. You can fill in any gaps with pearls, brooches, or other decorative elements. If you want to include dried flowers, you can glue or wire them to the shells and flowers. Hand wiring the flowers will make your bouquet heavier, but it does allow for more precise placement. Gluing the flowers is faster but be sure to remove any glue strings.
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Arranging shells and flowers
Now that you have your flowers and shells ready, it's time to start arranging them into a beautiful bouquet. Start by evaluating your bouquet and making any necessary adjustments. If you're using loose flowers, you'll need to arrange them and secure them with florist's tape. If you're using a pre-made bouquet, you might want to spread the flowers apart or remove some to make room for the shells.
The next step is to attach the shells. Use hot glue to secure wire to the back of each shell, making sure you use enough glue to hold the weight of the shell. Spiral shells are a great design element to add interest among the circle shapes of the flowers. Insert the wired shells into your bouquet, playing around with the placement until you're happy with how it looks. Secure the wires with florist's tape.
Keep adding shells until you're pleased with the arrangement, making sure they're evenly spaced throughout the bouquet. Tape them firmly in place with florist's tape. You can also add in dried flowers at this point, either by gluing them directly to the shells and flowers or by wiring them individually. Adding dried flowers will soften the overall look of the bouquet and make it easier to handle.
Finally, add in any additional embellishments like sand dollars or curled copper wire. Wrap the stems with your chosen material, such as lace, burlap, or fabric, and you're done!
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Adding dried flowers and decorations
Choosing Dried Flowers:
Select dried flowers that complement your wedding colour scheme and theme. Popular choices include mini roses, baby's breath, and sea lavender. You can also use fresh or silk flowers as the base of your bouquet, but fresh flowers are best arranged by a professional florist. If you decide to use silk flowers, spread the petals apart and remove some to create space for the shells. Secure the flowers with florist tape, especially if they are loose and not pre-made into a bouquet.
Attaching Dried Flowers and Decorations:
There are two main methods for attaching dried flowers and decorations to your bouquet: wiring or gluing. Wiring the flowers and decorations individually gives you more control over their placement but will add weight to the bouquet. Gluing, on the other hand, is faster but requires careful removal of glue strings. You can also combine these methods by gluing wired flowers and decorations to the shells and other elements of your bouquet.
Placement of Dried Flowers:
When placing the dried flowers, ensure they sit slightly above the shells and other flowers in the bouquet. This will give your bouquet a more natural and elegant look, preventing it from resembling a "flowery basketball."
Additional Decorations:
In addition to dried flowers, you can include tiny sand dollars, pearls, brooches, and other embellishments to fill gaps and add a special touch to your bouquet. For example, you can curl thin copper wire around a pencil and add it as an accent. For a more personal touch, consider wrapping the bouquet stem with lace, burlap, or fabric from a family member's wedding dress. You can also attach a sand dollar or a bow made from ribbon.
Remember, this is your special day, so feel free to get creative and make your bouquet truly yours!
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Wrapping the bouquet
To start wrapping the bouquet, cut a piece of your chosen wrapping material that is wide enough to cover the bottom of the bouquet. Place the bouquet in the centre of the material and start wrapping it around, making sure to keep the bouquet secure and tight. You can use hot glue or floral tape to secure the wrapping in place. If you are using ribbon, start wrapping it around the handle of the bouquet, slightly overlapping each row as you work your way down the stem. Secure the end of the ribbon with hot glue or floral tape to ensure it does not come undone.
You can also add embellishments to the wrapping, such as pearls, brooches, or other decorations that match your wedding theme. If you are using a floral foam ball as the base of your bouquet, you can attach the wrapping material to it using hot glue or floral tape. This will help to cover any gaps or imperfections in the bouquet and give it a more polished look.
The wrapping step is crucial in creating a cohesive and elegant look for your seashell wedding bouquet. It is also an opportunity to add personal touches and decorations that reflect your style and theme. By carefully wrapping the bouquet and adding embellishments, you can create a stunning and unique accessory for your beach wedding.
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