Creating Artificial Rose Wedding Bouquets: A Step-By-Step Guide

Creating a wedding bouquet with artificial roses is a great way to save money and showcase your creativity. Artificial bouquets are a smart alternative to fresh flowers, offering aesthetic appeal and practical advantages. They are cost-effective, highly durable, and can be crafted to suit your unique style. With the right materials and a bit of creativity, you can make a stunning artificial rose bouquet for your wedding.

Choosing the right artificial roses

Materials

The material of the artificial roses plays a crucial role in achieving a realistic look. The most realistic faux roses are typically made from high-quality silk or real touch material. These materials closely mimic the appearance and texture of fresh rose petals. Other materials like foam or wood may be less expensive, but they can stand out as being unnatural. By mixing premium silk roses with real touch roses, you can achieve an incredibly life-like bouquet that even the average person may not be able to distinguish from real roses.

Colour

When choosing the colour of your artificial roses, it is essential to select colours that are found in nature. While you may be tempted to choose a colour that matches your wedding colour palette, an unnatural colour will make the roses appear obviously fake. Opt for classic shades of red, pink, white, or yellow, or explore more unique options like peach or burgundy. The Faux Flower Company offers a wide range of colours to choose from, including white, red, blush pink, yellow, and cream.

Size and Shape

The size and shape of the faux roses are also critical to creating a realistic bouquet. Select roses with natural-looking proportions and avoid stems that are overly large or small. By choosing stems with the right proportions, you will enhance the overall realism of your bouquet.

Quality

It is worth investing in high-end artificial roses, as they will look more realistic than cheaper alternatives. Higher-quality roses are crafted with attention to detail and often feature glossy leaves and realistic thorns, making them nearly identical to real roses. The Faux Flower Company, for example, offers artificial roses that look identical to the real thing.

Reviews and Recommendations

When in doubt, read reviews and seek recommendations from florists or other brides who have used artificial roses for their weddings. This can give you valuable insights into the quality and realism of different artificial rose brands.

Selecting the right materials

Choose the Right Flowers

The most realistic faux roses are typically made of high-quality silk or real touch material. Mixing premium silk roses with real touch roses will result in a bouquet that closely resembles fresh roses. When selecting artificial roses, opt for colours found in nature to avoid them looking unnatural. Additionally, consider the size and shape of the roses, choosing stems with proportions similar to those found in nature for a realistic design.

Tools and Embellishments

In addition to the artificial roses, you will need a few tools and embellishments to create your bouquet. Here is a list of supplies to gather:

• Sharp wire cutters or floral snips
• Zip ties or rubber bands
• Floral tape
• Ribbon (silk), satin, or another material of your choice
• Embellishments (optional) such as rhinestones, charms, or beads

Flower Quantity

The number of flowers you need will depend on the size and style of your bouquet. For a bridal bouquet, you will typically need 1-3 large blooms and 4-6 smaller flowers. If you are creating a pomander bouquet, you may need up to 36 medium-sized flowers for a tightly packed arrangement. Greenery is also a nice addition to a bouquet, and you will typically need 4-6 pieces.

Flower Quality

While it may be tempting to opt for cheaper artificial flowers, keep in mind that high-end artificial flowers will look more realistic. Flowers made from polyester and plastic are typically less expensive but may not look as natural. Silk or cotton flowers are usually more costly but tend to have a more realistic appearance.

Flower Source

You can source your artificial flowers from various places, including online wholesalers, local craft stores, grocery stores, or flower markets. Consider your budget and the quality of flowers available to determine the best source for your needs.

By selecting the right materials and putting in some time and creativity, you can create a stunning artificial rose bouquet for your wedding that will serve as a beautiful keepsake of your special day.

How to assemble the bouquet

Now that you have your supplies and faux flowers, it’s time to start designing the rose bouquet. Here is a step-by-step guide:

Classic round bouquet:

A classic round bouquet may be the most difficult to design, given the need for balance and symmetry and perfect curvature. But with careful placement and patience, this timeless look can be achieved. Start by prepping your rose stems by removing any greenery that is further than 1-2 inches down from the base of the rose bud with your wire cutters. If you are looking for a green-less bouquet, you will want to remove all greenery from the rose stem. Begin with two roses crossing the stems at the base of the rose bud—this will be the top of your bouquet and the highest point. Next, add additional roses on each side, keeping the top of the roses level but doming the additional roses in shape. Continue to turn the bouquet, adding additional roses on each side. Continue turning the bouquet and adding additional roses in empty spaces until the overall shape takes a round form, usually about 20-24 roses.

Hand-tied bouquet:

A hand-tied bouquet is a little easier to create than a round bridal bouquet since there is less symmetry involved and the overall shape is more organic. In this wedding bouquet design, greenery is typically used and/or different rose varieties, which provide dimension and texture. Consider a mix of tea roses, sweetheart roses, spray roses, and garden roses. Again, start by prepping your faux rose stems by removing any greenery that is further than 1-2 inches down from the base of the rose bud with your wire cutters. Next, we recommend starting with a filler flower, which in a rose bouquet would be the spray rose or sweetheart roses or greenery. Start by crossing two rose stems in an X-shape, intersecting about 2-3 inches down from the bud. Continue the criss-cross method with additional rose varieties, crossing and intersecting stems in every direction. Vary the height of the stems to create the desired shape.

Garden-cut bouquet:

A garden-cut bouquet is considered the easiest design to create for beginners. Think of a garden-cut bouquet as a simple gathering of flowers, more natural in shape and less of an overall design. For garden-cut bouquets, we recommend having just one or two rose varieties—the simpler, the better for this style rose bouquet. Once again, we start by prepping your faux rose stems by removing any greenery that is further than 1-2 inches down from the base of the rose bud with your wire cutters. Next, take 4-5 roses side by side, arranging them tallest in the centre and tapering down on the sides. Then layer 3-4 roses side by side using the same method, adding that gathering in front of and slightly lower than the larger grouping. Repeat the same steps for the backside of the original grouping. Finish the design with a layer of 1-2 roses on each side of the design.

To finish each of the above designs:

Take a zip tie and secure the bouquets' stems closest to where your hand is holding the stems together. Directly above or below your hand, whichever is easiest for you. Secure the zip tie firmly, allowing you to remove your hand from the design. Place another zip tie about 1 inch below the original zip tie. Next, we recommend using floral tape to cover the zip ties and wrapping around the rose stem. Typically, we cover about 3 inches of the stems in floral tape, leaving the bottom stems exposed for a natural bouquet look. Lastly, you can hide all the mechanics of your artificial rose bouquet with a satin ribbon of your choice. Wrap the ribbon around the stems, covering the floral tape completely. Start in the middle of the taped area, leaving about 1 inch of ribbon out, wrap the ribbon tightly around the stems, covering the top and then going back down to the base to cover the bottom. Meet the ribbon back in the middle, where the 1 inch of ribbon sticks out, and tie a knot at that point. Cut the ribbon tails to the desired length.

Adding embellishments

Ribbons, Fabric, and Twine

Wrapping the stems of your bouquet with ribbons, fabric, or twine can give it a polished look. Start by securing one end of the ribbon to the bottom of the stems with a dab of hot glue, then wind it upwards, covering the stems until you reach the base of the blooms. Cut the ribbon and secure it with another dab of glue or a decorative pin. You can also use decorative lace, pins, or beading to personalize your bouquet further.

Greenery, Feathers, and Ribbons

You can add a frame of greenery, feathers, ribbons, or beads around the outside of your bouquet by taping the additional stems to the existing bouquet. Insert these elements into the tied stem of the bouquet to fill in any gaps and give it a unique touch.

Glitter and Scents

Add some sparkle to your bouquet with a finishing spray of glitter. You can also use floral-scented sprays or even your favourite perfume to give your artificial flowers a pleasant scent.

Charms

Adding a charm to your bouquet can lend a unique and interesting element to your arrangement. This could be a vintage trinket (perhaps your "something borrowed") or a new item, and it could also be a way to honour a loved one who has passed away.

Birth Flowers and Sentimental Colours

Make your bouquet unique by integrating the flower associated with your birth month or that of a loved one. You can also add a sentimental or beloved colour to your bouquet, such as your favourite colour or that of your partner's.

Cost-saving tips

• Opting for artificial roses for your wedding bouquet can be a budget-friendly choice. Artificial flowers are a smart alternative to fresh flowers, offering aesthetic appeal and practical advantages.
• If you are crafty, making your own bouquet using artificial flowers can save you money. Artificial flowers are available in endless varieties and can be assembled into beautiful arrangements.
• High-quality silk or real-touch material artificial roses are the most realistic. However, these can be expensive. If you are on a tight budget, consider using polyester or rayon flowers, which are cheaper but may not look as realistic up close.
• If you are not inclined to DIY, you can rent pre-made artificial bouquets. Something Borrowed Blooms, for example, rents out premium silk wedding flowers, saving couples over 70% in their wedding budget.
• If you want to showcase your creativity and save money, you can also make your own centrepieces using artificial flowers.

Frequently asked questions