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

A shell wedding bouquet is a unique and creative way to express yourself on your wedding day. It is also a great option for those who want to save money on their wedding flowers, as the cost of a typical bridal bouquet can be high. With a shell bouquet, you can incorporate a variety of shells, starfish, and even some pearls to create a stunning arrangement. You can buy shells and other materials online or from craft stores to make your own shell bouquet, or you can purchase a pre-made shell bouquet from sites like Etsy. Making your own shell wedding bouquet can be a fun and meaningful project, allowing you to customise your bouquet to match your wedding theme and personal aesthetic.

Choosing your flowers

Primary flowers set the arrangement's theme and tone, usually being larger and more striking. Accent flowers, on the other hand, enrich and complement the primary flowers, introducing texture, colour variation, and depth. When choosing flowers, consider their colours, sizes, and what they symbolise, as each bloom can add a layer of personal meaning to your special day.

• If you're looking for a wide range of colours, consider whites, reds, and pinks.
• For an exotic and modern theme, combine whites, pinks, and oranges.
• Blues, pinks, and whites can create a sleek and elegant design.
• To fill space with fewer stems, use whites, yellows, and purples.
• Accent flowers can be used to add a natural, earthy backdrop to your bouquet.

When creating a shell wedding bouquet, you can also incorporate stems with genuine shells to add a seaside charm to your floral arrangement. You can wire the shells and easily incorporate them into your bouquet.

In addition to the type of flowers and shells, consider the style of your bouquet. Do you prefer a classic, tight bouquet or something more whimsical, such as a cascading arrangement? The decision will dictate how you approach your flower choices. For a modern and simple design, use one to three varieties of florals, very little to no greenery, and flowers with a lot of textural interest. For a garden-style bouquet, choose five to seven varieties of florals and greenery, and select flowers with different textural and gestural qualities.

Lastly, don't be afraid to mix and match suppliers when it comes to your flowers. You can buy your flowers from online wholesalers, grocery stores, or local markets. Keep seasonality in mind, as the availability and cost of certain flowers can vary depending on the time of year.

Preparing your materials

Choosing the Right Shells:

Select an assortment of shells in various sizes, shapes, and colours that complement your wedding theme and personal aesthetic. You can opt for natural seashells or painted ones to match your colour palette. Consider adding pearls or starfish for extra seaside charm.

Gathering the Necessary Tools:

You will need a few tools to create your shell bouquet:

• Wire: Choose a sturdy yet flexible wire that can be easily bent and manipulated.
• Wire cutters: These will be used to cut and trim the wire to the desired length.
• Hot glue gun: A hot glue gun will be essential for attaching the shells to the wire.
• Floral tape: Use floral tape to secure the wire and add a finishing touch to your bouquet stems.
• Ribbon: Select a ribbon that complements your wedding colours. You can use it to create a handle and add a decorative touch to your bouquet.
• Power drill (optional): If you have access to a power drill, you can use it to create perfectly wound floral wire stems, as described in the "Tutorial: Real Shell Accents for a Wedding Bouquet" guide.

Preparing the Shells and Wire:

• Cut a length of wire approximately three feet long and fold it in half.
• If using a power drill, loop the centre of the wire over a screw-in hook and spin the drill to create a perfectly wound floral wire stem.
• Choose the end of the wire with a tiny loop, or create a small loop at one end, as this will provide more surface area for gluing.
• Use your hot glue gun to carefully attach one end of the wire to the inside of each shell. Ensure the wire is secure and firmly glued in place.

Assembling the Bouquet:

Once your shells are attached to the wire, you can begin arranging them into a bouquet. Play around with the placement of the shells, adding larger flowers towards the centre and smaller ones around the edges to create a balanced and visually appealing composition. You can also incorporate flowers, greenery, or other decorative elements to enhance the seaside theme.

Remember to take your time and experiment with different arrangements until you find the perfect combination that reflects your unique style.

Creating the cascade shape

Begin With Your Main Flowers

Choose the largest and most striking blooms as the stars of the show. Place them in the bouquet holder, with the longest stems in the centre, to create a graceful cascade.

Add a Touch of Greenery

Weave in some ferns or eucalyptus around the edges. Let them fall naturally, a bit longer than your main flowers, for an effortlessly elegant look.

Sprinkle in Accent Flowers

Tuck in smaller flowers, such as baby's breath, to fill gaps and add texture. These smaller flowers are the finishing touches to your floral masterpiece.

Check the Balance

Rotate the bouquet as you go, ensuring it looks full and beautiful from every angle. Aim for a harmonious blend of colours and textures. There is no right or wrong way to arrange the elements—let your personality shine through your floral choices.

Secure the Bouquet

Once you are happy with the shape, carefully wrap floral tape around the stems to keep everything in place and maintain the shape.

Adding fillers and final touches

Now that you've created your shell bouquet, it's time to add the final touches. Here are some ideas to make it truly unique and special:

Secure the Bouquet:

Carefully wrap floral tape around the stems to keep everything in place and maintain the shape. This is an essential step to ensure your bouquet stays intact and secure during your wedding day.

Add Decorative Elements:

Personalize your bouquet by adding ribbons or lace. Wrap them around the stems for an elegant and polished look. If you're feeling adventurous, let some ribbons cascade down with the shells for a whimsical touch. You can also experiment with different colours and textures of ribbons to add more interest and dimension to your bouquet.

Include Sentimental Items:

Consider adding something deeply personal to your bouquet, such as a small photo of a loved one who can't be there or a sentimental charm. These meaningful additions will not only make your bouquet more special but will also transform it into a cherished keepsake.

Final Touches:

Double-check that all wires and tapes are properly concealed and that your bouquet is comfortable to hold. You may also want to add some extra glue or tape to ensure that everything stays in place.

Your shell wedding bouquet is now complete! Enjoy your unique creation and cherish it as a special part of your wedding day.

Securing the stems

To secure the stems of your shell wedding bouquet, you can follow these steps:

• Cut a length of wire: Cut a piece of wire approximately three feet long. This wire will be used to create the structure for your shell bouquet stems.
• Fold and loop the wire: Fold the wire in half and loop the centre over a screw-in hook attached to a power drill. Hold the ends of the wire together and start the drill to create a perfectly wound floral wire stem.
• Attach the shells: Use hot glue to attach one end of the wire inside a shell. You can insert the looped end into the shell as it provides a little more surface area for gluing.
• Create shell-topped floral wire picks: By following the above steps, you can create multiple shell-topped floral wire picks. These can be used as individual stems for your bouquet or as accents among other flowers.
• Assemble the bouquet: If you're creating a bouquet with a mix of shells and flowers, start by choosing 2-4 flowers as the base. Bunch their stems together and wrap them with floral tape. Ensure you leave 1 to 1.5 inches of exposed stem where you wrap the stems and 4-5 inches of exposed stem at the bottom.
• Add the shells: Arrange the shell-topped wire picks among your flowers to create a unique and seaside-themed bouquet. You can also add other elements like pearls or starfish for a creative touch.
• Secure the stems: Once you're happy with your bouquet's design, it's time to secure the stems. Use floral tape to wrap the stems together, ensuring you cover any exposed wire. This will help hold your bouquet together and give it a neat appearance.
• Finish with ribbon: As a final touch, you can hot glue a satin ribbon of your chosen colour around the base of the bouquet to create a handle. Then, tie a bow with two ribbons near the handle to symbolise the bond between you and your partner.

Frequently asked questions