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

Making your own wedding bouquet is a great way to save money and add a personal touch to your special day. It may seem like a daunting task, but with the right tools and a bit of creativity, you can create a beautiful bouquet that complements your wedding dress and theme. In this guide, we will walk you through the process of choosing your flowers, assembling the bouquet, and adding the finishing touches to make it truly unique. We will also offer tips on sourcing flowers, timing your preparations, and working within your budget. By the end, you will be well on your way to crafting a stunning DIY wedding bouquet that will wow your guests and make your wedding day even more memorable.

Choosing flowers and colours

Choosing the right flowers and colours for your wedding bouquet is an important part of the process. It's a good idea to consider the style of your wedding dress and the colour palette of your wedding. Do you want complementary colours to bring subtle balance or would you prefer to integrate contrasting colours for added drama?

Traditionally, bridal bouquets stick to the colours of white, with some splashes of pink or other pastel colours. However, you can choose any colours and flowers that match your preferences and wedding theme. If you have a coloured theme, a bouquet is a great way to ensure your theme is coherent throughout the day.

When choosing flowers, it's important to keep seasonality in mind. For example, peonies have a sporadic growing season, which is why they are expensive at certain times of the year and unavailable in the summer months. On the other hand, hydrangeas are grown in greenhouses all year round, making them less costly. When seasonal flowers are in season, they are the best quality and most affordable.

If you're going for a modern and simple design, consider using one to three varieties of florals, very little to no greenery, and flowers with a lot of textural interest. For a more whimsical, garden-inspired look, choose five to seven varieties of florals and greenery, and flowers with different textural and gestural qualities.

Some popular hardy flowers to consider include roses, peonies, lisianthus, and avalanche roses.

Preparing flowers

The first step in making a bouquet is to prepare the flowers. Start by removing any leaves, thorns, or damaged petals from the stems. You can do this gently by hand, or use a stem stripper to make the process quicker. If you are working with roses, be careful not to damage the delicate petals. Once the stems are clear, cut them at an angle—this can be done with a sharp pair of floral snips, or a stem cutter or knife if you don't have any snips. Allow the flowers to rest in a bucket of water, and if you are working with roses that haven't yet bloomed, you can place the stems in hot water for a couple of minutes to force them open. However, be careful not to leave them too long or you may kill the blooms.

Before you begin constructing your bouquet, it's important to ensure all the stems are a similar length. You can trim them as you go, but keeping them roughly the same length will make the bouquet easier to assemble.

Assembling flowers

Now that you've picked out your flowers and greenery, it's time to assemble them into a beautiful bouquet. Here's a step-by-step guide to help you create a stunning arrangement:

Choose a Focal Flower:

Start by selecting a flower that you want to be the centrepiece of your bouquet. This could be a large, eye-catching bloom or a flower that matches your wedding colour palette. Hold the flower gently near the blossom end, leaving enough stem to work with.

Add Flowers at an Angle:

Add the next flower at a slight angle, facing towards the left, ensuring that the bloom is at the same height as the focal flower. Continue adding flowers in this manner, rotating the bouquet a quarter turn to the right each time. This will create a well-filled and rounded arrangement.

Incorporate Filler Flowers:

Once you have the bulk of your bouquet in place, add some filler flowers, usually smaller blooms or greenery, to give a natural look to the bouquet. Insert these flowers at the same angle to maintain symmetry.

Secure the Flowers:

At this point, you can secure the flowers together with a tight knot or rubber band. You can also use floral wire or floral tape, wrapping it tightly around the stems a few centimetres below the blooms. This will ensure the bouquet stays together while you finish assembling it.

Trim the Stems:

Cut the stems to a comfortable length, ensuring there is enough room for the bride to hold the bouquet easily. Leave a little extra room, about two hand lengths, for a comfortable grip.

Wrap the Stems:

Use floral tape to wrap the stems together, starting from the top and moving downwards. This will hold the flowers firmly in place. Don't wrap all the way to the bottom of the stems; instead, wrap just over the size of one hand to maintain the natural look of the bouquet.

Add a Ribbon:

Choose a ribbon that complements your wedding colours or theme. Place the ribbon with the shiny side facing the stems and the matte side visible. Wrap it around the stems, leaving enough length at the end to tie a knot and create a bow.

Finish with a Knot:

Tie a knot with the remaining ribbon to secure the bouquet. You can also add a drop of hot glue to ensure the ribbon stays in place. Now you have a beautiful, custom-made bridal bouquet!

Securing the bouquet

Now that you have chosen and prepared your flowers, it's time to secure them in place. This will ensure that your bouquet stays together and looks perfect for the big day.

Floral Tape

Floral tape is an important tool to have on hand. It is used to secure the stems of your bouquet and keep them firmly in place. You can find it in most gardening stores or online, and it's usually very affordable. When applying the floral tape, start about 2 inches from the base of the flowers and wrap tightly, going down about 3-4 inches. This will depend on the length of your bouquet.

Ribbon

After you've wrapped the floral tape, you can add a ribbon of your choice to cover it. This adds a nice finishing touch and can be done in various ways to create different effects. For example, you can tie a bow with a single or multiple loops, or experiment with different colours and accents. You can also use an opaque ribbon to hide any glue better.

Hot Glue

Hot glue can be used to secure the ribbon to the stems, creating a neat and secure handle. This is especially useful if you want to ensure the ribbon doesn't come loose.

Floral Wire

Floral wire is another option for securing your bouquet. You can tie it around the stems and then cover it with floral tape. This provides extra security, especially if you have a heavier bouquet.

Pearl Floral Pins

For an extra touch of elegance, you can use pearl floral pins to secure the ribbon. Insert them from a downward angle to prevent them from poking through.

Green Tubing

If you want to protect your hands while holding the bouquet and give it a professional finish, you can use green tubing to encase the stems. This will cover any exposed wires and keep your bouquet neat and organised. Insert 2-3 stems inside the tubing, going about 3/4 of the way up.

Tips

When securing your bouquet, it's important to leave enough stem length to hold the bouquet comfortably, but not too long that it interferes with the wedding dress. You can use the shortest stems in your bouquet as a guideline and trim off more if needed.

Finishing the handle

Now that you've assembled your bouquet, it's time to finish the handle. Here are some detailed, step-by-step instructions to guide you through the process:

Step 1: Cut the Stems

Cut the stems to your desired length, ensuring they are all the same length. The ideal length is usually around 7 to 8 inches long, but you can adjust this based on your preference and the length of your dress. Remember to leave enough length for a comfortable grip.

Step 2: Dry the Stems

Use a paper towel or any absorbent material to dry off the stems. This step is important to remove any excess water and ensure that the ribbon or tape you'll be using adheres well to the stems.

Step 3: Choose Your Wrapping Material

You can choose from a variety of materials to wrap your bouquet handle, such as ribbon, burlap, lace, twine, yarn, or floral tape. Select a material that complements your bouquet and wedding theme. Cut a length of your chosen material that is approximately three times the length of the stems.

Step 4: Start Wrapping

Tuck the end of your chosen wrapping material (e.g., ribbon) inside the top bind of the stems. Start wrapping in a spiral pattern down the length of the stems. When you reach the bottom, wrap back up the stem in a spiral pattern. This will ensure full coverage.

Step 5: Secure the Wrapping

At the top of the handle, tuck the cut end of the wrapping material underneath and secure it with a couple of pins. You can use straight pins or pearl-tipped corsage pins for this step. If you prefer a bow, cut a separate length of ribbon and tie it just below the flower heads.

Additional Tips:

• If you're using a ribbon, consider using an opaque ribbon to hide the glue better. Sheer ribbons can be reserved for tying a bow or adding decorative touches.
• You can also add a small bow with a separate piece of twine or ribbon to give your bouquet an adorable finish.
• Experiment with different wrapping techniques and materials to create unique designs. For example, you can try braiding the twine or adding charms or accents to the middle of your bow.

Frequently asked questions