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

Making your own wedding bouquet is a great way to save money and express your creativity. It can be a fun and meaningful part of your wedding journey. You can choose the flowers and colours to match your wedding theme and personal aesthetic. The process is simple and easy, requiring only a few tools and materials. You can use flowers from your garden, a local farm, a grocery store, or order them online. The first step is to remove the leaves from the stems, then choose a focal flower and add the rest of the flowers at an angle to create a rounded bouquet. Finally, tie the stems together, cut them to a comfortable length, and wrap them with ribbon or floral tape.

How to Make a Wedding Bouquet

Choosing your flowers

Choosing the flowers for your wedding bouquet is an important step in planning your wedding. Here are some tips to help you select the right blooms:

Define Your Wedding Theme and Colour Palette

The flowers you choose should match your wedding theme and colours. For example, if you're having a whimsical garden wedding, bright sunflowers and wildflowers would be a perfect fit. On the other hand, a classic ballroom affair calls for elegant roses and lilies in soft pastels. Matching your flowers to your overall look creates a cohesive and stunning atmosphere. Play with shades and tones for a nuanced look, and don't forget to balance delicate flowers with fuller, textured options for visual interest.

Consider Seasonal Availability and Your Budget

Seasonal availability plays a significant role in flower selection. Flowers that are in peak season are generally more affordable and accessible. They are also at their most naturally beautiful. However, if your favourite flowers are not in season, don't worry; most blooms can be sourced year-round, although they may be more expensive. To save money, consider budget-friendly alternatives like daisies, carnations, or alstroemeria.

Understand the Symbolism of Flowers

Different flowers have symbolic meanings that can add depth to your wedding. For instance, roses represent love and passion, while lilies stand for purity and devotion. Sunflowers symbolise joy and happiness. By choosing flowers that match your sentiments, you can send a meaningful message to your guests.

Pick Flowers That Complement Your Wedding Dress

The design of your bouquet should complement the style, shape, and colour of your wedding dress. If your dress has intricate details, opt for a bouquet that doesn't drown out or hide the silhouette. Consider the exact shade of your dress, especially if it's in the white, ivory, or cream family, as there are many subtle variations. Take fabric swatches to your florist so they can recommend blooms that complement your dress and your bridesmaids' dresses perfectly.

Add a Personal Touch

Your bridal bouquet is an excellent opportunity to incorporate something personal and unique. Consider adding a family heirloom, such as an antique brooch or a lace hanky, to your bouquet. You can also ask your florist to adorn the bouquet with jewellery loaned by relatives, which can be your "something borrowed" and a way to honour loved ones. Alternatively, choose flowers with specific meanings or add your birth flower to make it extra special.

Preparing your flowers

The first step in preparing your flowers is to decide on the types of blooms and colours you want to incorporate into your bouquet. Consider the style of your wedding dress and your colour palette. Do you want complementary colours for a subtle effect, or would you prefer to integrate contrasting colours for a bolder, more dramatic look?

Once you've decided on your flowers, source them from a local farm, grocery store, or flower market. You can also order them online in bulk. Remember to take into account the season of your wedding and choose flowers that are in bloom at that time.

Now, you're ready to start preparing your flowers. Using a sharp pair of floral snips, remove all the leaves from the stems of your flowers and the bottom halves of your greenery stems. Be gentle so as not to damage the stems. This step will make it easier to arrange your flowers and create a neat, balanced bouquet.

Next, snip the bottom of each stem at a 45-degree angle. This will help your flowers absorb water and stay fresh. Keep the stems in a bucket of water as you work to ensure they stay hydrated. If you're working with tropical blooms or in a hot climate, research the best ways to keep them vibrant and healthy.

Assembling your bouquet

Now that you have your flowers and tools ready, it's time to assemble your bouquet. This part of the process can be creative and experimental. You can follow these steps as a guide to creating a beautiful bouquet.

Firstly, start by building the shape and framework of your bouquet. Stand in front of a mirror as you work, so you can see exactly what the bouquet looks like from the front. Begin with a base of flowers, adding in larger, focal flowers at the centre. You can add in your flowers diagonally and in a circular direction to create a globe-like shape.

Next, continue to add in smaller flowers and greenery around the focal flowers, balancing the design as you go. You can pull certain flowers forward to create depth and dimension, and emphasise particular blooms. Remember to rotate the bouquet a quarter turn to the right each time you add a new flower, to keep the bouquet symmetrical.

Once you are happy with your bouquet, snip the stems to trim them back, keeping them long enough to hold comfortably. Secure the bouquet tightly with a rubber band, and then floral tape to hide the rubber band. You can then add a ribbon to finish the handle. Loop the ribbon around the stems for a classic look, or allow it to cascade down the side for a more relaxed, garden-style aesthetic.

Trimming and securing your bouquet

Trimming the Bouquet:

• Before you begin constructing your bouquet, make sure the flower stems and greenery are prepared. Remove any leaves and thorns from the stems of each flower, and cut the stems to a manageable length of 6-8 inches.
• When cutting the stems, trim them at an angle. This helps the flowers absorb water more effectively if you are keeping them in a vase before the wedding.
• If you are using greenery as your base, trim the bottom halves of those stems as well.
• As you build your bouquet, stand in front of a mirror so you can see exactly what the front of the bouquet looks like.
• Once you are happy with the arrangement, use sharp floral snips to trim the stems, cutting them to a uniform length. Ensure the stems are long enough to hold comfortably, but not so long that they interfere with your wedding dress.
• If you are making the bouquet in water, be sure to trim the stems at an angle to promote better water absorption.

Securing the Bouquet:

• Secure the bouquet with a rubber band, wrapping it tightly around the stems.
• Wrap floral tape around the stems to hold everything together. Start a few fingers' lengths below the flower buds, and wrap down to the base of the bouquet. This will help to conceal any exposed wires and keep the bouquet neat and organised.
• Floral tape is also useful if you want to cover any exposed wires near the base of the bouquet.
• You can then decorate the stems as you like. Most people wrap ribbon around the stems, but you can also use materials like jute string or tulle.
• You can secure the ribbon with a pin or double-sided tape for a seamless look.
• If you are making the bouquet before the wedding, place the stems in a container of water to keep them fresh. Ensure the water doesn't touch the ribbon.

By following these steps, you will have a beautifully trimmed and secured wedding bouquet!

Finishing touches

You've sourced your flowers, prepared your stems, and assembled your bouquet. Now, it's time for the final steps to bring your vision to life. Here are some ideas for adding those special finishing touches to your DIY wedding bouquet:

Secure the stems

Use floral tape or string to firmly secure the stems together. This will ensure your bouquet stays intact and doesn't fall apart. You can also use corsage pins or a hot glue gun for extra security. Cover the tape or string with ribbon or fabric for a neat and elegant finish.

Add decorative elements

Personalise your bouquet by wrapping ribbons or lace around the stems. You can also let some ribbons cascade with the flowers for a whimsical touch. If you're feeling adventurous, you might even want to glue some accents onto the ribbon.

Include something sentimental

Consider adding a small photo of a loved one, a sentimental charm, or a vintage trinket to your bouquet. These meaningful additions will transform your bouquet into a cherished keepsake. You could also add your birth flower or a flower that represents a loved one.

Spray with water

To keep your flowers fresh, give your bouquet a light mist of water. This is especially important if you're making your bouquet the day before or the morning of the wedding. Store your finished bouquet in a cool, dry place, and spritz it with water again before walking down the aisle.

Cut the stems

Finally, cut the stems to your desired length. This will neaten the appearance of your bouquet and make it more comfortable to carry. If you plan to carry the bouquet as an arm spray, keep the stems longer for better comfort and balance.

Frequently asked questions