Brooch Bouquets: Diy Guide To Making Your Wedding Bouquet

Brooch bouquets are a unique alternative to traditional wedding bouquets. They can be made with vintage brooches, colourful baubles, and heirloom jewellery, making them a great option for brides who want a non-floral bouquet that carries emotional value. Creating a brooch bouquet involves gathering the necessary materials, such as jewellery pieces, wires, and a bouquet holder, and then assembling and decorating the bouquet. The process can be customised to include personal touches, making it a meaningful project for the bride or a thoughtful gift for a friend.

Choosing the right base

Floral Foam or Bouquet Armature:

You have two main options for the base of your brooch bouquet: a floral foam bouquet holder or a bouquet armature. A floral foam bouquet holder, such as the OASIS brand, provides a ready-made solution with a caged floral foam ball mounted on a handle. This option gives you a nice shape, but you need to be careful with the wire lengths to prevent brooches from falling out. Filling in tiny gaps around the foam can also be fiddly.

Alternatively, a bouquet armature is a metal frame that provides a sturdy base and allows you to create a rounded shape for your bouquet. This option gives you more control over the placement and arrangement of your brooches.

Individual Wiring for Brooches:

Another technique is to wire each brooch individually, giving them all "stems" like real flowers. This method offers more security and allows you to work on one brooch at a time, carefully analysing its placement and wiring it accordingly. This approach is especially useful if you're aiming for a teardrop or oval-shaped bouquet, as it provides the flexibility to build and secure the brooches in the desired shape.

Choosing a Focal Point:

To ensure your bouquet has a cohesive look, consider selecting a central brooch that serves as your focal point. Choose a brooch in the shape you want for your bouquet and build the rest of the arrangement around it. This technique will help you achieve a balanced and elegant design.

Selecting the Right Size:

When it comes to size, bigger isn't always better. Smaller to medium-sized brooches are often easier to work with and can create a more refined look. Large brooches can be challenging to arrange and may require more effort to achieve a cohesive overall design. Trust your instinct and go with shapes and sizes that you're drawn to, as this will make the process more enjoyable and satisfying.

Selecting the brooches

You'll need around 50-60 pieces, depending on the size of the bouquet. The pieces should roughly fit in colour and shouldn't be too delicate, as you'll need to wrap wire around them.

If you're on a budget, you can find wholesale brooches online or in thrift shops. However, for a truly special bouquet, it's worth investing in vintage brooches from charity shops or car boot sales. A smaller bouquet with carefully selected pieces will look far more elegant than a large bouquet of mass-produced brooches.

For a cohesive look, opt for small to medium-sized brooches in similar styles. Leaf and feather brooches are a great choice as they are varied yet cohesive. You could also try filigree brooches or enamel flowers in different colours.

If you want to add extra sparkle to your bouquet, use it sparingly and balance it out with pearls and silk rose petals. Silver brooches can look harsh, so opt for an antique finish or slightly tarnished pieces for a vintage look.

Wrapping the brooches

Step 1: Cut and Fold the Floral Wire

Cut the floral wire to a length that is approximately two and a half times the length of your bouquet stem. This will provide enough length to securely attach each brooch. Then, fold each wire in half to create a reference point for the centre.

Step 2: Attach the Wire to the Brooches

For brooches with clasps, use the clasps to wrap and attach the wire. Cross the wire in the middle and twist it tightly to form a solid stem. If you are using clip-on jewellery, open the clip and wrap the folded wire a few times around the base of the clip. Then, cross the wire in the middle, close the clip, and twist the wire to create a solid stem.

Step 3: Prepare the Stem Base

If you are using a premade bouquet holder with floral foam, you can skip this step. Otherwise, create your own stem by gluing a painted styrofoam ball to one end of a wooden dowel rod. Allow the glue to dry for at least 24 to 36 hours to ensure a strong hold.

Step 4: Insert and Secure the Brooches

Once all your brooches have been wrapped with wire, start inserting them into the floral arrangement. Place 8 to 10 brooches at a time and use floral tape to wrap the stems and hold them in place. Make sure the brooches are tight against the flowers before wrapping. Continue adding small groups of brooches and wrapping until all pieces are incorporated.

Step 5: Create a Ruffle to Hide Wires

Cut a piece of finishing ribbon approximately the length of the bouquet stem. If you are using wired ribbon, pull the wired ends to gather the fabric and form a ruffle. If the ribbon is not wired, weave a piece of floral wire through the ribbon to create the ruffle. Push the ruffle up under the flowers and secure it with hot glue.

Step 6: Wrap the Stem

To finish the bouquet, wrap the stem with ribbon. Start by folding a small square of finishing ribbon into a triangle and gluing it to the tip of the stem. Wrap the sides around the stem and secure them with glue. Then, spiral the ribbon up the stem, gluing as you go. Cut the ribbon at an angle when you reach the top and tuck it under the ruffle.

Arranging the bouquet

If you've chosen a bouquet holder with floral foam, you can start by arranging the brooches with equal distance to the ribbon loops. Be careful not to compress the loops, as this will ruin the stuffed look of the bouquet. You can also add some extra ribbon petals by wrapping wire around a piece of ribbon to form a loop and sticking it into the foam.

If you've chosen to use a bouquet armature, which is a metal frame, you can wire up the brooches individually so that they have "stems" and arrange them as you would flowers. This method is more secure, and you can work on one brooch at a time, analysing where it will fit and securing it to the nearby brooches.

Another option is to choose a central brooch in the shape you want for your bouquet and build around it, using it as a guide. This will give your bouquet a focal point and ensure a cohesive look.

Once you're happy with the arrangement of your brooches, you can finish the bouquet by wrapping the handle with ribbon or fabric and adding any final touches, such as a strand of pearls or paint to cover any visible wires.

Finishing touches

Once you've assembled your bouquet, there are a few more steps to take to ensure it looks perfect and is secure.

Firstly, add a strand of pearls by wrapping them around the brooches. You can also add any other embellishments at this stage, such as extra ribbon or feathers. If any of the brooches are loose, hot glue them into place. If any green wires are visible, use gold or silver paint to lightly paint over them so that they blend in with the brooches.

To finish the handle, you can wrap it with ribbon or fabric. Start at the top of the handle and criss-cross the ribbon down, then back up, securing with glue or a few stitches as you go. You could also add some crystal beads or pearls down the handle.

Finally, if you want to add a personal touch, you could wrap an heirloom handkerchief or a piece of tulle from a grandmother's wedding veil around the handle.

Frequently asked questions