Crafting Giant Paper Flowers For A Wedding Backdrop

Giant paper flowers can be a beautiful and cost-effective way to decorate your wedding. In this guide, we will take you through the steps to make your own giant paper flowers for a wedding backdrop, as well as offering some tips on how to hang your creations. With some crepe paper, glue, and a paper plate, you'll be able to create a stunning display that will wow your guests and create a memorable setting for your special day.

Use Italian crepe paper for stiffer, stretchier, and bigger petals

When making giant paper flowers for a wedding backdrop, using Italian crepe paper for your petals can add a unique and elegant touch to your craft. Italian crepe paper is known for its stiffer and stretchier texture compared to regular crepe paper, allowing you to create fuller and more voluminous petals that hold their shape beautifully. This type of crepe paper is usually heavier, weighing around 180 grams, giving it a fabric-like feel that sets it apart from standard crepe paper.

One of the advantages of using Italian crepe paper is the ability to create large and impressive petals. With its stiffness, you can cut and shape the paper into wide strips, such as 7.5-inch-wide strips for outer petals, without worrying about the petals flopping or losing their structure. This makes it perfect for crafting oversized flowers, such as 18-inch-wide blooms, that will truly stand out in your wedding backdrop.

When using Italian crepe paper, it's important to follow specific steps to create stunning petals. Start by unrolling the paper and cutting vertical strips with the grain, determining the width of your outer petals. Fold each strip in half against the grain, and then cut out your chosen petal shape – you can experiment with different styles, such as pointy, rounded, or frilly petals. Gather the base of the petal, pinch to crease, add a bead of hot glue, and then re-gather and hold until the glue sets.

To give the petals a cupped shape, gently stretch the center of the petal away from you, being careful not to stretch the top edge. Repeat this process to create 8-10 outer petals, and then apply them to your chosen base, such as a sturdy paper plate, using hot glue. You can then create a second layer of slightly smaller petals, folding the ends upwards before attaching them just inside the ring of outer petals.

With its stretchier nature, Italian crepe paper allows you to create ruffled edges for your petals, adding a delicate and textured look. By choosing Italian crepe paper for your giant paper flowers, you'll be able to create stunning and durable petals that will elevate your wedding backdrop and leave a lasting impression.

Cut out petal shapes, gather at the base, pinch, and crease

To make giant paper flowers for a wedding backdrop, you'll need to start by cutting out your chosen petal shape. You can be as creative as you like here, with pointy, rounded, or frilly petals. Once you've cut out your petal shape, it's time to gather the base and add some dimension. Start by pinching and creasing the base of the petal to create a gather. Secure this gather with a small amount of hot glue, and then gently stretch the centre of the petal away from you to form a cupped shape. Be careful not to stretch the top edge of the petal. Repeat this process until you have enough petals to go around the base.

For a paper flower with a diameter of 18 inches, you'll need to make 8-10 outer petals. You can use Italian crepe paper for these, as it is stiffer and stretchier than regular crepe paper, resulting in more defined petals. Once you have your desired number of petals, it's time to attach them to the base. Using a low-temperature hot glue gun, apply the petals one by one to your chosen base, such as a sturdy paper plate. Remember to hold each petal in place until the glue sets, and slightly overlap the previous petal with each new one.

For the inner petals, you can use regular crepe paper or Italian crepe paper in a complementary colour. Make these petals slightly smaller than the outer ones, and fold the ends upwards before attaching them to the plate. This will help them stand up vertically and give your flower a more realistic and three-dimensional appearance. Apply these petals in a circle just inside the ring of outer petals.

To add even more detail to your flower, cut out a double-ended petal shape by folding and cutting the paper as instructed in the previous steps. Make a good number of these—around 15-20—and glue them around the inner circle of the flower. Don't worry about applying them uniformly; a natural, varied look is best.

Stretch the centre of the petal to make a cupped shape

To make giant paper flowers for a wedding backdrop, you will need to stretch the centre of the petal to create a cupped shape. This technique is used to form the petals of the flower. The process is simple but must be done carefully to ensure the petals maintain their shape.

Begin by taking one petal and gently stretching the centre away from you. It is important that you only stretch the centre and not the top edge of the petal. You should be able to see the petal taking on a cupped form. Repeat this process for all the petals you require for your flower. For a full flower, you will need to make 8-10 outer petals and 6-8 inner petals. The outer petals should be larger than the inner petals, with a suggested size of 7 1/2 inches wide for the outer petals and 5 1/2 inches wide for the inner petals.

Once you have created your cupped petals, you can begin to assemble your flower. Apply the outer petals to the paper plate first, gluing the backside of each petal to the plate and holding it in place until the glue sets. Slightly overlap each petal as you go to create a seamless look. The paper plate will act as a base for your flower, providing support and something to attach the petals to.

After attaching all the outer petals, you can move on to the inner petals. These petals will be glued around the inner circle of the flower, adding dimension and fullness. Again, use a hot glue gun to attach each petal, holding it in place until secure. With these steps, you will be able to create beautiful, cupped petals that form a stunning giant paper flower.

Glue the petals to a sturdy paper plate

To make giant paper flowers for a wedding backdrop, you'll need a sturdy paper plate to act as a base for the flower. The plate will support the flower's weight and provide a surface to attach the petals.

For this step, it is recommended to use a Chinet paper plate. Chinet dinner plates are thick, sturdy, and have slightly higher edges than standard paper plates. This means they can cradle the flower well and are strong enough to attach to a wall or arch using command strips or wire.

Once you have your plate, you'll want to glue the petals to it. Start by applying a bead of hot glue to the backside of one petal and then carefully place it onto the plate, holding it in place until the glue sets. Repeat this process with the remaining petals, overlapping them slightly as you work your way around the plate.

For the outer ring of petals, you'll want to use larger petals, around 7 to 7.5 inches wide. Apply these petals about two inches in from the edge of the plate, creating an overlapping circle.

For the inner ring of petals, you can use slightly smaller petals, around 5.5 to 7 inches wide. To help these petals stand up vertically, fold the ends upwards before gluing them to the plate in a circle just inside the outer ring.

With these steps, you'll be well on your way to creating beautiful giant paper flowers for your wedding backdrop!

Suggestions for hanging: thin twine, fishing line, or floral wire

When it comes to hanging your giant paper flowers, thin twine, fishing line, or floral wire are all great options. Here are some detailed suggestions for each method:

Thin Twine:

• Cut a length of thin twine that is slightly longer than the desired hanging length of your flowers.
• Fold the twine in half and tie a loop at one end.
• Attach the loop to a fixed point, such as a hook or a nail, on your backdrop structure.
• Take the other ends of the twine and tie them securely to the wire base of each flower. Adjust the length as needed.

Fishing Line:

• Fishing line is a nearly invisible option for hanging your flowers, creating a floating effect.
• Cut a piece of fishing line and tie a small loop at one end.
• Attach the loop to a fixed point on your backdrop, such as a hook or a nail.
• Take the other end of the fishing line and tie it to the base of your flower, adjusting the length as needed.
• Fishing line is strong and durable, ensuring your flowers stay securely in place.

Floral Wire:

• Floral wire is a versatile option that can be used in multiple ways to hang your flowers.
• For a simple method, cut a piece of floral wire, about 9 inches long, and fold it in half, creating a loop at one end.
• Twist the wire together from the loop to the tip.
• Apply a generous amount of hot glue to the twisted stem of the wire and attach it to the back of your flower. Ensure the loop is slightly above the curve of the flower's backside for easy hanging.
• Reinforce the wire loop by gluing a circle or square piece of cardstock over it.
• Hang your flower using a nail or command hook on a wall.
• Alternatively, you can attach the wire loop directly to a fixed point on your backdrop structure without the need for additional hanging hardware.

Frequently asked questions