Creating A Wedding Bouquet With Tissue Paper

Tissue paper flowers are a great way to add a creative, personal touch to your wedding. They are long-lasting, inexpensive, and can be made in a variety of styles and colours. With just a few simple materials and easy-to-follow steps, you can create a beautiful bouquet that will be a unique memento of your special day. In this guide, we will take you through the process of making a tissue paper wedding bouquet, from gathering your supplies to assembling the final product.

Choosing and preparing your tissue paper

The type of tissue paper you choose and how you prepare it will determine the overall look of your bouquet. Here are some tips on choosing and preparing your tissue paper for a beautiful wedding bouquet:

Type of Tissue Paper

When choosing tissue paper, opt for a type that is easy to work with and can create the desired effect. Regular tissue paper with more folds will give you more layers to work with, while bulk tissue paper with fewer vertical folds will create a simpler look. You can also use recycled tissue paper if you want to incorporate sustainability into your project.

Number of Sheets

The number of tissue paper sheets you need will depend on the size of your desired bouquet. For a full bouquet, you will likely need at least 12 flowers or more, depending on the size and fullness of each flower. Each flower will require two large sheets of tissue paper. If you are making smaller flowers, adjust the number of sheets accordingly:

• For tissue paper 12" wide and larger, use 8 layers.
• For tissue paper between 8" and 11", use 6 layers.
• For tissue paper between 4" and 7", use 5 layers.
• For tissue paper smaller than 4", use 4 layers.

Cutting the Tissue Paper

Before cutting your tissue paper, fold the sheets to create a triangle. Then, trim off the extra rectangle of paper. Open up the triangle to reveal a square, and trim off any edges that still have folds to create individual squares. You will need eight individual squares for each flower.

Creating the Accordion Fold

Once you have your squares, it's time to create the accordion fold. Fold the paper in a back-and-forth manner, similar to a fan. You should have six or seven folds when you're done. Staple the accordion fold in the centre to secure it.

Shaping the Petals

Now, it's time to shape the petals. Trim each edge of the accordion-folded paper to create your desired petal shape. You can experiment with different styles, such as rounded, pointed, or inverted rounded petals. Get creative and mix and match different styles for a unique bouquet.

Fluffing the Flowers

Carefully separate the layers of tissue paper to create the petals. Pull from the inside of each layer to avoid tearing. Keep fluffing until you have a full flower. Repeat this process until you have the desired number of flowers for your bouquet.

Cutting and layering the tissue paper

To make a tissue paper wedding bouquet, you will need a rotary cutter, acrylic ruler, and self-healing cutting mat, or just some scissors. You will also need tissue paper, pipe cleaners, and buttons.

Start by selecting a button and threading the top of the pipe cleaner through. Thread the pipe cleaner back down through the button and give it a little twist. Cut two circles of tissue paper – you can use tin cans to trace around. Then cut another two smaller circles using the bottom of a cup to trace. Layer the tissue paper and push the pipe cleaner carefully through the centre.

If you are making a lot of flowers, a rotary cutter, ruler, and self-healing cutting mat are optimal for cutting out the petals. You can cut straight from the roll, cutting several teardrop (petal) shapes out of the tissue paper.

To make small tissue paper flowers, cut down the size of your squares. You will need:

• 12" wide and up — 8 layers
• 8″ – 11″ — 6 layers
• 4″ – 7″ — 5 layers
• Smaller than 4″ — 4 layers

There are four different styles of flowers you can make by cutting the petals in different ways:

• Cutting a rounded petal
• Cutting an inverted rounded petal
• Cutting a pointed petal

Shaping the petals

To shape the petals of your tissue paper flowers, you'll need to start with two large sheets of tissue paper. Fold the two sheets in half and then in half again. You'll end up with a square shape.

Next, trim off the rectangle of paper that has folds on all sides. Open up the triangle to reveal a square, and trim off any edges that still have folds to create eight individual squares.

Now, fold the paper accordion-style. You should have around six or seven folds. Staple the centre of the accordion fold to keep it in place.

Finally, trim each edge of the tissue paper squares to create the "petals" of your flower. You can experiment with different styles of petals by cutting rounded, pointed, or inverted rounded shapes.

Once you're happy with the petal shapes, carefully start to separate the layers of the flower by pulling from the inside of each layer. This will help keep the petals from tearing. Keep fluffing the layers until you've created a full flower.

Assembling the bouquet

To assemble the bouquet, you'll need to gather all the individual tissue paper flowers. You'll want to make sure you have at least 12 flowers for a full bouquet, but this will depend on the size of your blooms and their fullness.

Start by cutting out some long leaves from green crepe paper. Then, slowly gather your flowers one by one, interspersing them with leaves and adding more as you go. Try to alternate the colours of the flowers for a varied look.

The key to this bouquet working is to "bunch" the bouquet at around 10-15cm from below the flower heads. This will allow the pipe cleaners to form their own bouquet shape. Once you have what looks like a nice posy of tissue paper flowers, wrap extra pipe cleaners around the stem (10-15cm below the flower heads). You can now add some satin ribbon to your creation, too!

For a more professional finish, you could also add wired floral leaves and cover the stems with floral tape. Finally, wrap ribbon around the stems to cover the floral tape.

Adding the finishing touches

Now that you have crafted your tissue paper flowers, it is time to add the finishing touches to your wedding bouquet. Here are some ideas to elevate your bouquet and make it look even more beautiful and elegant:

Wrapping the stems

Adding a wrap to your bouquet can help to tie the flowers together and enhance their appearance. You can use a variety of materials for wrapping, such as:

• Kraft paper: Fold it into a cone to create a rustic look, especially if you're pairing it with full green branches. Don't forget to seal the paper with plastic wrap and a wet paper towel to keep the bouquet fresh.
• Tissue paper: Go for a fun, floral gift look by placing the bouquet inside and securing it with a ribbon.
• Washi tape: Choose a fun pattern and wrap it around the stems or a cardboard toilet paper tube and insert the stems into it.
• Fabric: Use leftover scraps of fabric such as burlap to wrap the stems. This is a great way to showcase long stems.
• Paper gift bag: Reuse a gift bag by folding and decorating it with a ribbon.
• Geometric cone: Use a heavier material like black poster board and pair it with bright flowers for a striking look.

Adding leaves and ribbons

To give your bouquet a more natural and elegant look, consider adding some long leaves cut out from green crepe paper. You can also add some satin ribbon to the stems to enhance the overall appearance.

Arranging the flowers

When arranging your tissue paper flowers, try to alternate the colours and choose flowers with mid-sized buttons to prevent drooping. Bunch the bouquet about 10-15 cm below the flower heads to form a nice posey, and secure it by wrapping pipe cleaners or extra pipecleaners around the stems.

With these finishing touches, your tissue paper wedding bouquet will be truly special and unique.

Frequently asked questions