Creating Your Dream Wedding Bouquet: A Step-By-Step Guide

Making your own wedding bouquet can be a fun and creative way to save money on your big day. It's not as difficult as you might think, and with the right tools and a bit of practice, you can create a beautiful bouquet that complements your wedding dress and adds a personal touch to your ceremony. In this guide, we'll walk you through the process of choosing the right flowers, assembling them into a stunning arrangement, and finishing your bouquet with a stylish ribbon. We'll also offer tips on how to keep your flowers fresh and looking their best for the big day.

How to Make a Wedding Bouquet of Flowers

Choosing flowers and colours

Choosing the right flowers and colours for your wedding bouquet is a crucial step in the process of making your own bouquet. Here are some tips to help you select the perfect combination:

Overall Colour and Complementary Shades:

Decide on the overall colour scheme for your bouquet. While white or cream flowers are traditional, it's essential to choose colours that complement the bridal dress. If the wedding gown is elaborate, opt for a single colour or a small range of shades. In contrast, a simpler dress can be enhanced with a more vibrant and varied bouquet. You can also consider choosing colours similar to the wedding gown, adding accent colours to create depth and avoid a flat appearance in photographs. A classic combination includes white, cream, peach, and light pink flowers.

Primary and Secondary Flowers:

Select a strong primary flower with long, sturdy stems to support the bouquet. If possible, choose flowers that will be in season during your wedding, as they will be more affordable and readily available. Examples include single roses, peonies, double dahlias, and calla lilies. You can also opt for a single-variety bouquet or add secondary flowers for more variety and artistic flair. Popular secondary flowers include small single roses, spray roses, and freesia.

Filler Flowers and Greenery:

Consider adding "filler flowers," such as waxflower, baby's breath, or seeded eucalyptus, to add texture and interest to your bouquet. If you wish to include greenery, keep the top leaves of each flower or add ferns, camellia, foxtail, or yarrow. Just remember to remove any foliage or thorns that may detract from the overall appearance.

Size and Quantity:

The size of your bouquet should be proportional to the bride's size and the wedding venue. Generally, larger bouquets suit spacious locations like churches or beaches, while smaller bouquets are better suited for intimate settings. The bouquet should not be wider than the bride's waist, and comfort is essential—large bouquets can be tiring to hold. Most bridal bouquet diameters range from 8 to 13 inches. Order 15 to 30 flowers, or more if you wish, to allow for creativity and any last-minute changes.

Seasonal Availability:

Take into account the seasonal availability of your chosen flowers. Some flowers, like peonies, have sporadic growing seasons and can be extremely expensive during certain times of the year. In contrast, flowers grown in greenhouses year-round, such as hydrangeas, are typically less costly and more accessible. Choosing seasonal flowers when they are in abundance will ensure the best quality and affordability.

Preparing the flowers

Before you start assembling your bouquet, you'll need to prepare the flowers. First, use your hands or a stem stripper to remove any foliage, thorns, and damaged or unsightly outer petals from the stems. If you're using lilies, remember to remove the stamens, as these can stain the bride's dress. If you want to include some greenery in your bouquet, keep the top leaves of each flower.

Next, fill a sink or bucket with water and cut the stems at an angle about 1-2 inches from the bottom, while holding them underwater. This will help the flowers to drink. Place the stems in a bucket of cool water and leave them there until you're ready to use them. If you're using roses and want to force the blooms open, place the stems in hot water for a couple of minutes, but be careful not to leave them too long, or they will die.

Keep the stems long while you work with them, as this will make them easier to handle. You can always trim them to a shorter length once you've finished constructing the bouquet.

Assembling the bouquet

Now that you have chosen and prepared your flowers, it's time to assemble your bouquet.

Start by choosing 2-4 flowers to be the "base" of your bouquet. These flowers will form the centre of your bouquet and will be the anchor for all the other flowers. You can choose four flowers of an even height to create a square shape, or the largest flowers from your selection to create a centre in a cross shape. Secure these flowers together with floral tape or a rubber band.

Next, start building your bouquet by adding flowers around your base flowers. Add flowers one by one, creating a dome shape around the centre. If you are using secondary flowers, place them wherever you see a gap between flowers, building the dome outward. Space these out so no two secondary flowers of the same type are touching. You can also add "filler flowers" like waxflower, baby's breath, or seeded eucalyptus to add texture and colour. As you add flowers, continuously wrap your bouquet with floral tape to add support and create a consistent composition.

Rotate the bundle of flowers as you work, adding stems to the open area by your wrist and crossing them to make a spiral shape. Keep adjusting the flowers as you rotate the bundle, ensuring they are not at an awkward angle or extending too far from the centre.

Once you are happy with the size and shape of your bouquet, it's time to secure it. Wrap the stems with floral tape or natural raffia palm, securing the bouquet about 1 inch below the blossoms or flower heads. You can also use large, strong rubber bands, especially if you are working with delicate-stemmed flowers such as tulips and hyacinths.

Finally, wrap your bouquet with ribbon. Cut a piece of ribbon about three times the length of the stems and weave it down the whole length of the stem, tucking it into the floral tape at the top and bottom. Secure with pins pushed into the flower stems. You can either tie the ribbon in a bow just beneath the flower heads or spiral it down the length of the stems.

Securing the bouquet

Now that you have prepared your flowers and assembled them into a beautiful bouquet, it's time to secure them in place. This will ensure that your bouquet stays intact and doesn't fall apart. Here are the steps to achieve that:

Use a rubber band or floral tape: Start by binding the stems together at the spot where they naturally join, which is usually about 3 to 4 inches below the flower heads. You can use a rubber band or floral tape for this step. This will help keep the stems together and provide a base for your bouquet.

Repeat the binding process: Continue wrapping the rubber band or floral tape towards the end of the stems, leaving about 2 inches of excess stem below the bind. This extra length will be trimmed later to create a uniform look.

Place the stems in water: At this point, you can choose to place the stems in a container of water to keep the flowers fresh. This is especially important if you are preparing the bouquet ahead of time.

Secure with ribbon: Cut a length of ribbon that is about three times the length of the stems. Start wrapping the ribbon around the stems, tucking one end into the top bind. Spiral the ribbon down the length of the stem and then back up again. Secure the cut end of the ribbon by tucking it underneath and using a couple of pins to hold it in place. You can also tie a separate ribbon just below the flower heads to create a bow if desired.

Finish with a final trim: Once the ribbon is secured, cut the stems to the desired length, usually about 7 to 8 inches long. Dry the stems with a paper towel, and your bouquet is now ready!

By following these steps, you will have a securely bound bouquet that is easy to hold and will stay fresh until your special day. Remember to store the bouquet in a cool place or the refrigerator until you are ready to use it.

Finishing touches

Now that you've assembled your bouquet, it's time to add the finishing touches! This is where you can get creative and make your bouquet truly unique. Here are some ideas to inspire you:

Ribbon

Wrapping your bouquet with ribbon is a classic way to add a touch of elegance. Cut a length of ribbon about three times the length of the stems. Start by tucking one end of the ribbon into the top bind and spiral it down the stems. When you reach the bottom, spiral it back up, then tuck the other cut end underneath and secure it with a couple of pins. If you prefer bows, cut a separate piece of ribbon and tie it just below the flower heads. You can also use ribbon to cover up any floral tape or rubber bands holding your bouquet together.

Bouquet Jewellery

Bouquet jewellery, such as vintage pins or brooches, can add a touch of glamour to your bouquet. Push three or four pins into the flowers at different spots throughout the bouquet. You can also use pearl-tipped straight pins to secure the ribbon for an extra touch of elegance.

Filler Flowers

If you feel your bouquet needs a little extra something, consider adding some filler flowers, such as sprays of tiny flowers, buds, or berries. Waxflower, baby's breath, or seeded eucalyptus are all great options. Simply insert these filler flowers throughout your bouquet or create a spray at the edge by placing them between the outermost flowers.

Greenery

Adding some greenery to your bouquet can create a beautiful contrast with the flowers and give it a more natural look. You can use leaves from the flowers themselves or choose from a variety of options such as gunny eucalyptus, ferns, camellia, foxtail, or yarrow. Remember to keep the stems long while you work and only trim them to the desired length once you're finished.

Preserving Your Bouquet

Once you've created your perfect bouquet, you'll want to keep it fresh and beautiful for the big day. Wrap the bouquet in tissue and store it in the refrigerator until you're ready to use it. If you're using a florist's preservative, follow the instructions provided. Otherwise, keep the bouquet in a cool place or a fridge set above 35ºF (1.7ºC), making sure to remove any fruit, as it produces gases that speed up flower aging. You can also try misting the flower heads and spraying the bouquet with hairspray.

Frequently asked questions