Creating A Diy Silk Wedding Bouquet: A Step-By-Step Guide

A silk wedding bouquet is a great way to save money and create a long-lasting keepsake. You can make a bouquet of artificial flowers like a pro by starting with a few main blooms and adding more flowers around them. The key is to rotate the bouquet as you work, creating layers from the centre out. You can also add ornamental touches like artificial sprigs of fern or grasses, fake berries, or baby's breath. The final step is to decorate your bouquet with a simple bow or more elaborate touches like lace or beads.

Picking a theme or colour scheme

Picking a colour scheme is an important part of creating a cohesive wedding theme. While it's not necessary to have a set colour palette, it's a good idea to have a general idea of the colours you want to use to guide your planning process and help you choose a venue. Here are some tips for picking a theme or colour scheme for your DIY wild wedding bouquet:

• Consider the seasonality and location of your wedding: The colours you choose should complement the season and location of your wedding. For example, soft hues like blush, sky blue, yellow, lavender, and ivory are perfect for a spring wedding, while bright and energetic hues like hot pink, lime green, orange, and turquoise are ideal for summer. If you're having a fall wedding, draw inspiration from nature with pumpkin-inspired oranges, earthy browns, and greens. For a winter wedding, consider holiday-inspired combinations like red and green or blue and silver, or go for elegant metallics or neutral tones.
• Choose one or two main colours: Select one or two colours as your main hues, and then choose one or two secondary colours, including a neutral shade, to support and blend the focal colours seamlessly.
• Add an accent colour: Finish off your colour palette with a fun accent shade, such as gold or silver, that you'll use sparingly throughout your event.
• Draw inspiration from nature: Nature-inspired palettes can be bold and romantic. Consider unique combinations like clay-inspired reds and plums, or dusty blue and sage green.
• Think about your wedding venue: If your venue has a lot of decorative elements, use those details to influence your colour scheme. Choose colours that complement your venue to enhance its best features without clashing visually.
• Prioritize your must-haves: If you have specific flowers or decorations in mind, make sure to include colours that will complement them in your palette.
• Reflect your personal style: Your wedding colours should reflect your and your partner's personalities. Don't feel limited by the latest trends; instead, pick colours that you personally love and that reflect your style.
• Keep it cohesive: To ensure your overall wedding look is cohesive, limit your palette to three colours plus one metallic. If you want to keep things more low-key, neutrals such as whites, greys, and beiges can be a great choice.

Purchasing artificial flowers

If you're making your own wedding bouquet, you might want to consider purchasing artificial flowers. Artificial flowers are stems designed to replicate real flowers and are usually made from silk, foam, paper, or other materials. They can be more affordable, longer-lasting, and more flexible than real flowers, as they don't wilt or require water. Here are some tips for purchasing artificial flowers for your DIY wild wedding bouquet:

Consider the type of artificial flowers you want:

• Silk or fabric flowers: These are the most familiar type of artificial flowers and are made from polyester or nylon. They offer a huge variety of shapes, sizes, colours, and styles, and they can be easily mixed and matched with real blooms. However, they might feel unrealistic to the touch and the quality can vary between sellers.
• Foam flowers: These are very lightweight and malleable, making them easy to work with. They are usually seen as roses and are often used to fill in the centre of bouquets. While they are the cheapest option, they might look messy and unattractive when viewed from the side or bottom.
• Wax-coated flowers: These high-quality silk flowers have been coated with a special wax to create a lifelike appearance and feel. They are expensive, but the level of detail and real-touch feel make them a good option if you're looking for something luxurious.
• Latex flowers: Coated in a thin layer of wax, these flowers have a very realistic appearance and feel. They can be made with thick or thin petals but lack variety in flower types.
• Fresh touch (polymer) flowers: The most expensive type of artificial flowers, fresh touch flowers, are designed to look and feel as close to real flowers as possible. They are made from a blend of foam and latex and have slight variations for greater realism when arranged together.

• Compare prices and quality: Artificial flower prices can vary depending on factors such as location, quality, and vendor. Set a budget and compare prices from different sources to find the best value for your money.
• Consider the size and number of flowers you need: The cost of artificial flowers also depends on the size and number of flowers you require. Decide on the size of your bouquet and the number of flowers you need before making a purchase.
• Factor in shipping costs: If you order artificial flowers online, don't forget to include the cost of shipping in your calculations. Shipping costs can add a significant amount to your total expense.
• Mix and match with real blooms: If you want to add more variety to your bouquet, consider mixing artificial flowers with real blooms. This can also help you stay within your budget, as you don't need to purchase as many real flowers.
• Practice and experiment: Artificial flowers allow you to practice and redo your DIY flower arrangements as many times as you want without worrying about flowers wilting or dying. Take advantage of this to perfect your bouquet arrangement before the big day.

Gathering other supplies

• Floral wire and tape: These are essential for securing the flowers together and lengthening the stems.
• Wire cutters: You will need wire cutters to trim the stems and remove leaves from the flowers.
• Scissors: Scissors will come in handy for cutting any excess tape or ribbon and for removing leaves from the stems if needed.
• Embellishments: You can add decorations such as ribbons, lace, beads, or even gemstones to give your bouquet a personalised touch.
• Hot glue gun: A hot glue gun will be useful for attaching embellishments to the bouquet.
• Vase: It is a good idea to have a vase to hold your flowers until the wedding day.
• Other accessories: Depending on your chosen design, you may want to include artificial foliage, seedpods, berries, or other decorative elements.

When gathering your supplies, it is a good idea to browse florist shops and websites for inspiration. You can also keep an eye out for sales and discounts to save money on your DIY bouquet.

Starting with a few main blooms

To start making your wild wedding bouquet, you'll want to select 2-5 flowers to make the centre of your bouquet. These will be your main blooms. Choose flowers that are large and eye-catching, such as sunflowers, lilies, dahlias, or king protea flowers. You can also add in some herbs, grains, and grasses, like wheat, rosemary, or pampas grass, to give it a wild touch. Secure the stems of your main blooms together with floral tape.

Once you have your centre, start adding in a couple of flowers at a time to build on it. You can use a variety of flowers, such as pink spray roses, white pompom daisies, pink matsumoto asters, pink astilbe, white stock, white wax flowers, pink larkspur, or variegated pittosporum. You can also add in some baby blue eucalyptus, light blue delphiniums, or seeded eucalyptus for some greenery and texture. Keep adding flowers and securing them with floral tape until you're happy with the shape and size of your bouquet.

When it comes to wild wedding bouquets, don't worry about creating a perfected shape. The loose, uneven wildflower shape is part of the charm and makes the arrangement easier to create. Focus on choosing flowers that complement each other and create a beautiful, natural look.

Lengthening stems with wire and floral tape

Lengthening the stems of your silk flowers is an important step in creating a beautiful DIY silk wedding bouquet. Here is a detailed, step-by-step guide to help you achieve the desired stem length for your bouquet:

Gather the Right Supplies:

First, ensure you have the necessary materials: floral wire and floral tape. These supplies can be found at most craft stores or online.

Prepare the Stems:

Before lengthening, prepare your silk flower stems by removing most of the leaves. You can use wire cutters or scissors for this step. Leave only the leaves closest to the bloom, as this will create a cleaner look and make it easier to work with the flowers.

Measure and Cut the Floral Wire:

Now, it's time to cut the floral wire to the desired length. Measure and cut the wire to match the desired stem length for your bouquet. You can also cut it slightly longer if you prefer, as you can always trim it down later.

Attach the Floral Wire to the Stems:

Take the cut floral wire and lay it against the stem of your silk flower. Start wrapping the wire around the stem, working your way down the length of the stem. You can use small pieces of tape to secure the wire in place temporarily, if needed.

Wrap with Floral Tape:

Once the wire is securely attached to the stem, it's time to cover it with floral tape. Start at the top of the stem, right below the bloom, and wrap the tape around the wire and stem together. Stretch the tape slightly as you wrap to activate the adhesive and create a smooth finish. Continue wrapping down the stem until you reach the desired length.

Trim the Stems to Uniform Length:

After you have lengthened all the stems in your bouquet, it's important to trim them to a uniform length. This will ensure your bouquet looks neat and proportional. You can cut the stems to the desired length, usually around 7-8 inches (18-20 cm) for a comfortable grip. Remember, it's better to err on the side of leaving them a little longer, as you can always go back and trim them shorter if needed.

Finalize the Bouquet:

With your lengthened stems, you can now finalize the arrangement of your bouquet. Add or remove flowers as needed, turning the bouquet as you work to maintain a balanced look. Continue wrapping the stems with floral tape as you go to provide added support and stability to your bouquet.

Creating a DIY silk wedding bouquet allows you to personalize your special day and save money. By lengthening the stems with wire and floral tape, you can achieve the desired look and feel for your bouquet, ensuring it complements your wedding gown and enhances your overall bridal style.

Frequently asked questions