Arch Flowers For Weddings: Diy Guide To Arch Floral Arrangements

Creating a floral arch for a wedding can be a fun DIY project, but it is time-consuming and requires some planning. Whether you're working with real or faux flowers, creating a stunning arch involves several steps, from preparing the mechanics of the arch to adding greenery and blooms. This paragraph will discuss the process of making a floral arch for a wedding, offering a step-by-step guide to achieving a beautiful and elegant display.

Buy a pre-made arch frame and flower foam

If you want to make a floral arch for a wedding, you can save time and effort by buying a pre-made arch frame and some flower foam (also known as flower mud). This is a good option if you're short on time or would rather focus on other DIY projects for the wedding.

You can buy a pre-made arch frame from sites like Etsy, and the flower foam (also known as flower mud) can be purchased from craft stores or online. This combination will provide a sturdy base for your flowers and greenery, and the foam will keep your flowers in place, even in strong winds.

Once you have your arch frame, you'll need to prepare the mechanics for your floral arch. This involves covering the arch with chicken wire, which will create a grid for your stems to stay in place. Be sure to wear gloves when working with chicken wire, as it can be sharp. You can buy chicken wire and zip ties in a combo pack from Amazon, which should make it easier to secure the wire to the arch.

After your arch is covered in chicken wire, you'll want to add greenery to cover the mechanics. You can use smilax, which can easily be wrapped around the arch. For an 8-foot-tall arch, you'll need about four bags of smilax, and for a 6-foot-tall arch, you'll need three bags.

Now your arch is ready for the flowers! You can use a variety of flowers and grasses to create a lush and romantic look. Some options include pampas grass, hybrid white delphinium, textured calcynia, and roses in various shades. You'll need approximately 12 stems of pampas grass and 20-25 stems of each type of flower for a full-looking arch.

Transporting the arch

Disassembling the Arch:

If your arch is a two-piece arch, disassemble it into its two separate sides. This will make it much easier to transport and manoeuvre. Ensure you keep track of all the pieces and parts, so you can quickly reassemble it at your wedding venue.

Protecting the Flowers and Greenery:

Before transporting the arch, ensure that all the flowers and greenery are securely attached. Double-check any zip ties, floral foam, or wire attachments to make sure they won't come loose during transport. If needed, add extra zip ties or use floral tape to secure any loose flowers or greenery.

Choosing a Vehicle:

Select an appropriate vehicle to transport the arch. Depending on the size of your arch, you may need a larger vehicle such as an SUV, van, or truck. Ensure the vehicle has enough space to accommodate the arch and any other decorations or supplies you need to bring.

Securing the Arch in the Vehicle:

Place the arch in the vehicle carefully. Use blankets, towels, or bubble wrap to protect the flowers and greenery from damage. Secure the arch in place using ropes or straps to prevent it from shifting during transport. If possible, transport the arch in a vehicle with a flat cargo area, such as a truck bed or a van with the seats folded down, to provide a stable surface for the arch to lie flat.

Transporting Delicate Flowers:

If you are using real flowers, minimise the amount of water in the vases or floral foam to avoid spills during transport. Consider transporting the flowers separately in vases with a small amount of water, and then arranging them on the arch once you arrive at the venue. This will help prevent any water-related accidents or flower damage during the journey.

Transporting with Other Items:

Avoid transporting the arch with bulky or heavy items that could shift and damage the flowers or arch structure. If possible, dedicate the entire vehicle solely to transporting the arch and any related decorations. This will reduce the risk of damage and make it easier to unload and set up at your venue.

Reassembling the Arch:

When you arrive at your venue, carefully unload the arch and all its components. Reassemble the arch according to your original instructions, ensuring that all pieces are securely connected. Once the arch structure is in place, make any necessary adjustments to the flowers and greenery to ensure it looks perfect for your ceremony.

Remember to plan your transportation in advance, allowing for any potential challenges or issues that may arise. By following these steps, you can confidently transport your DIY wedding arch, ensuring it arrives safely and looks stunning for your special day.

Using real flowers vs. faux flowers

Flowers are an iconic wedding decoration, often used for the wedding arch. There are pros and cons to choosing either real or faux flowers for your wedding arch, and it is a common dilemma for many brides and grooms.

Real Flowers

Real flowers are a popular choice for bridal bouquets, with many brides wanting to receive flowers as a special milestone. Real flowers can also be kept and dried after the wedding as a memento, donated, or even resold. Real flowers are also more biodegradable than faux flowers and have less of a negative environmental impact.

However, real flowers are much more expensive than faux flowers, with the average couple spending around $2400 on real flowers. They are also more delicate and can be affected by unpredictable weather, which can be a concern for outdoor weddings.

Faux Flowers

Faux flowers are a great way to cut down on costs without compromising on the beauty of your wedding arch. They are much more durable than real flowers and can withstand the outdoors without wilting or being damaged by light rain or wind. Faux flowers are also more convenient as they can be purchased or rented well in advance, helping to spread out wedding costs.

Faux flowers also come in a wider range of colours and varieties, allowing you to match your wedding colour scheme or create unique combinations such as purple roses or blue tulips. They are also allergen-free, ensuring your guests and wedding party are comfortable throughout the day.

However, some people may prefer the natural look and scent of real flowers, and faux flowers may be considered less traditional. Additionally, while faux flowers can be resold, they may not be as sought-after as real flowers, and you may need to ensure they remain in pristine condition.

A Combination of Both

Some couples choose to use a combination of real and faux flowers for their wedding. This can be a good option to balance the benefits of both choices. For example, using real flowers for the bridal bouquet and faux flowers for the arch or other decorations.

Ultimately, the decision of whether to use real or faux flowers for your wedding arch depends on your personal preferences, budget, and the overall vision for your wedding. Both options can create a beautiful display, and it is worth considering factors such as cost, durability, and environmental impact when making your choice.

Using chicken wire to secure flowers

Chicken wire is an excellent alternative to floral foam for creating a structure to secure flowers to your wedding arch. It is reusable, sturdy, and creates a grid structure that helps with flower placement. Here is a step-by-step guide on using chicken wire to secure flowers for your wedding arch:

Step 1: Prepare the Chicken Wire

Using wire clippers, cut the chicken wire to fit around your foam block, which will serve as the base for your flower arrangement. Don't worry about the ends of the foam that stick out, as they will be covered by greenery and flowers. Secure the chicken wire in place using twine.

Step 2: Choose and Prepare Greenery

Select a big leafy green variety, such as ficus, for your base layer. Cut the greenery into smaller pieces—you'll need around six stems for a 24" long swag piece. If you're creating a diamond shape like in the example, create the top, bottom, and side boundaries first to guide your design.

Step 3: Create a Grid Structure

Insert the greenery stems into the chicken wire-covered foam block by alternating the angle of entry. This will create a grid pattern that helps hold everything in place. You can also add in greenery from the top, sides, and all angles to build up the structure.

Step 4: Add Variety and Interest

Include different types of greenery and filler to create visual interest and texture. For example, seeded eucalyptus adds darker leaves and pops of color. You can also spray paint faux filler in metallic colors, such as rose gold, for an accent.

Step 5: Cover Exposed Foam

Continue adding greenery and filler until all exposed foam is covered. If you prefer, you can also cover the foam with moss, but be sure to leave some areas without glue so that you can pierce flower stems into the foam to hold them in place.

Step 6: Prepare and Add Flowers

Paint your flowers with craft acrylic paint mixed with water and a splash of vegetable glycerin to achieve your desired colors. Once dry, dab a little hot glue on the back of each flower and add an 18-gauge floral wire stem. Start by adding the largest flowers to the middle area, followed by medium-sized flowers, and finally, the small flowers around the edges and throughout the arrangement.

Step 7: Secure the Arrangement

Finally, use zip ties to secure the entire arrangement to the wooden or metal posts of your wedding arch.

Clean-up and photography

Clean-up is easy if you've laid down a tarp before you started creating your arch. Simply roll up the tarp, sweeping up a few stray stems as you go, and your clean-up is done!

Now your arch is complete, it's time to get some photographs. You could ask a friend or family member to take some snaps, or you could hire a professional photographer. If you're looking for some inspiration, search for wedding arch photographs on sites like Pinterest or Instagram.

When it comes to posing, you could stand or sit in front of the arch, or even walk through it hand-in-hand with your partner. Get creative with your poses and angles to capture the beauty of your DIY arch. You might want to capture some close-up details of the flowers and greenery, as well as wider shots that show the entire arch. If you're including your wedding party in the photos, you could ask them to form a semi-circle around the arch, or stand in a line with the arch as a backdrop.

Don't forget to share your photos with your friends and family, and perhaps even submit them to wedding blogs or magazines to showcase your hard work and inspire other couples!

Frequently asked questions