Creating Beautiful Wedding Flowers: A Step-By-Step Guide

Planning a wedding can be a stressful and expensive affair. One way to save money is to make your own wedding flowers. This can be a fun and creative challenge, but it's important to plan and be aware of the workload involved.

The first step is to consider seasonality and which flowers will be in bloom at the time of your wedding. It's also a good idea to decide on a colour scheme and create a Pinterest board for floral inspiration. When it comes to buying flowers, there are many options, including flower markets, supermarkets, and online retailers. It's worth shopping around to find the best deals and be prepared to supplement with supermarket flowers if necessary.

Making the bouquets is the most fun part of the process! Gather your supplies, including scissors, bouquet pins, jars or buckets, and floral tape or twine. Start by picking your favourite flowers and adding greenery for balance. Hold the stems tightly in your hand and keep adding and arranging until you're happy with the result. Then, wrap floristry tape or twine around the stems to keep them in place, and add ribbon for extra colour.

Don't forget to make bouquets for your bridesmaids and a buttonhole for the groom! You can also use your flowers to create beautiful table centrepieces and extra flower arrangements for the venue. Just be sure to set aside plenty of time and space for this creative endeavour.

Choosing the right flowers for the right place

Ceremony Flowers

Ceremony flowers can be used to create a romantic and elegant atmosphere for your nuptials. Consider large arrangements such as floral arches or smaller details like pew or chair decorations. To save costs, plan to transport and reuse ceremony flowers at the reception. For example, large arrangements can decorate the reception entryway or buffet table, while smaller arrangements can add a pop of colour to the guest book table or powder room.

Reception Flowers

Before ordering reception flowers, check with your venue to see if any flowers will already be in place. When choosing reception flowers, consider the style and aesthetic of your wedding. For a formal black-tie wedding, opt for traditional centrepieces and tidy arrangements. If your wedding is more relaxed and informal, feel free to get creative with mix-and-match centrepieces, handmade details, or looser, garden-style arrangements.

Bouquets and Boutonnieres

The bridal bouquet is one of the most important floral arrangements, as it will be featured in many photographs. Work with your florist to design an arrangement that captures your personal style. Once you've finalised the flowers for the bridal bouquet, move on to the bridesmaid bouquets, boutonnieres, and other floral accessories. These arrangements should use similar flowers and colours to create a cohesive look.

Seasonal and Budget Considerations

When selecting flowers, consider the season of your wedding. Choosing locally available, in-season flowers is a great way to save money and ensure fresh blooms. Spring offers a wide selection of flowers, including peonies, hydrangeas, tulips, and anemones. Summer is perfect for colourful blooms like orchids, proteas, anthurium, and garden roses. Autumn features rich hues with flowers like sunflowers, dahlias, and ranunculus. Even winter has options such as amaryllis, anemones, paperwhites, and poinsettias.

Creating a budget for your wedding flowers is crucial, as the cost can vary depending on the types of flowers and the number of arrangements. If you're on a tighter budget, consider prioritising certain types of greenery or floral accents instead of elaborate designs and pricier flowers.

How to make your flowers last

Flowers are an integral part of your wedding decor and a gorgeous, special bunch that you may want to keep as a memento. Here are some tips to ensure your wedding flowers last as long as possible.

Before the Wedding

If you are DIY-ing your wedding flowers, source them the day before the wedding. If you are getting married out of town, you will need to collect your blooms ahead of time. If you are using a florist, ask them not to spray preservatives on your bouquet as this can cause browning when pressed.

On the Wedding Day

Keep your flowers in water for as long as possible. If you are taking photos before the ceremony, place the bouquets in a vase of water until you need them. If you have a moment between photos and the ceremony, put them back in water until it's time for the ceremony.

After the Wedding

If you want to press your flowers, you will need to take the flowers you want to preserve and arrange them on parchment paper, wax paper, or coffee filters. Place them inside a heavy book, such as a dictionary, and put another sheet of paper or coffee filter on top to prevent the ink from transferring to the flowers. Put weights on the book and leave the flowers to dry for about two weeks.

If you want to air-dry your flowers, get rid of any browning parts, torn petals, and extra leaves. Tie a piece of string to each stem and hang them upside down to dry in a dark, temperate area. Leave them for at least two weeks.

You can also preserve your flowers with silica gel. Place your flowers face-up in an airtight container with silica gel, gently pouring the silica gel around the petals. Seal the container and leave it for a week. When the flowers are dry, use a small paintbrush to gently brush off any remaining sand.

General Care

Most flowers like low temperatures (around 5°C) and do not like direct sunlight or cold drafts. When you cut flowers, wrap them in wet paper or spray them with water. Add flower preservatives or "flower food" to the water, which you can buy from florists, gardening supply stores, and supermarkets. Change the water and flower food every two to three days, and clean the vase.

Avoid displaying flowers in direct sunlight or near appliances that generate heat. Do not place flowers near open windows, heating or cooling vents, or ceiling fans, as this can cause them to dehydrate. Similarly, do not place flowers near fruit, as ripening fruits release ethylene gas, which can cause flowers to deteriorate.

How to arrange flowers for centrepieces and bouquets

There are many ways to arrange flowers for centrepieces and bouquets, and it is a fun and cost-effective way to add a personal touch to your wedding. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to arrange flowers for your wedding:

Planning and Preparation:

First, decide on the types of flowers and colours you want for your arrangements. Consider the season, venue, and colour palette of your wedding when making your selection. For example, peonies, garden roses, sweet peas, and ranunculus are popular choices for weddings as they have soft petals and come in numerous colour options. You can buy flowers from local flower markets, wholesale clubs, or online delivery services.

Next, gather the necessary tools and materials, including flower food, buckets, pruning shears, floral tape, ribbon, burlap, lace, vases, lanterns, and any other decorative items you want to include.

Arranging the Flowers:

When your flowers arrive, remove them from the boxes and put them in buckets with four inches of water. Strip the flowers of any leaves and thorns below the waterline, and cut the stems at an angle to optimise hydration.

For centrepieces, start by adding greenery as it serves as the foundation of your arrangement and adds amazing texture. Then, layer in textural stems and accent blooms, such as wax flowers, spray roses, or carnations. Finally, add your focal flowers, which are usually the biggest blooms, to fill any remaining holes in the arrangement.

For bouquets, choose your favourite flower as the focal point, along with two accent flowers or greenery. Before you start arranging, organise the flowers on a table according to type and remove any leaves towards the bottom of the stems. Begin with one of your focal flowers, and then rotate the bouquet as you add other stems around it. Continue until you've used all your blooms, then make any final adjustments and tie the bouquet with a ribbon.

Transporting the Flowers:

Use the boxes that the flowers came in to transport them to the venue by cutting holes in the tops of the boxes to hold the flowers and vases. Assign someone who is not in the wedding party to be in charge of transporting the flowers to the venue on the day of the wedding.

Cost Considerations:

Doing your own flower arrangements can save you a significant amount of money. The average cost of wedding flowers ranges from $1,400 to $11,000, but you can create beautiful arrangements for much less by buying wholesale flowers and doing it yourself.

Tips:

• Take pictures of yourself holding the bouquets from the front to see if the stem length looks right.
• Don't wrap the bouquets in ribbon and burlap until the day of the wedding, as they need to stay in water.
• Start arranging the flowers early in the morning to avoid feeling rushed.
• Keep an eye on the flowers and change the water if it becomes cloudy or gets sucked up too quickly.
• Don't put the flowers in the refrigerator, as this can harm them.

By following these steps and tips, you can create stunning flower arrangements for your wedding centrepieces and bouquets while staying within your budget.

How to transport flowers to the venue

Transporting flowers to your wedding venue can be a tricky task, but with careful planning, it can be done successfully. Here are some detailed instructions on how to transport flowers to your wedding venue:

Choosing the Right Flowers

Before you start thinking about transportation, it's important to choose the right flowers for your wedding. Consider the style of your wedding dress, your colour palette, and whether you want complementary or contrasting colours in your floral arrangements. Also, keep in mind the seasonality of flowers and try to choose flowers that are in season, as they will be more cost-effective and easier to source.

Preparing the Flowers

The preparation of the flowers is crucial to ensure they stay fresh and beautiful during transportation. Cut the stems at a 45-degree angle and remove any leaves that will be below the waterline. Use sharp floral snips or pruning shears for this task. Place the flowers in buckets with water, adding flower food to preserve them. Leave the flowers to open up and bloom, and change the water if it becomes cloudy.

Transporting Flowers by Car

If you're transporting the flowers by car, there are several things to keep in mind. Firstly, wrap the stems of organic flowers in damp paper towels and place them in well-labelled boxes. Surround the bouquets with rolled-up towels to secure them in place. For centrepieces, place each one in a cardboard box, filling any gaps with tissue paper or bubble wrap. Secure the vase or container to the bottom of the box with tape.

Using the Right Containers

Using the right containers is essential to protect your flowers during transport. You can use plastic storage containers, sturdy cardboard boxes, or plastic planters/trash cans with rolled-up newspaper at the bottom to absorb drips and provide cushioning. Milk crates are also a great option, as they are stackable, sturdy, and easy to strap into a car.

Timing and Temperature

The timing of your flower transportation is crucial. Try to transport the flowers as close to the wedding as possible to ensure they stay fresh. Keep them in a cool place before transportation, and if possible, store them in a refrigerator, but not a freezer. Make sure the flowers don't get too hot during transport, and if possible, transport them in an air-conditioned vehicle.

Securing the Flowers

To prevent the flowers from moving around during transport, anchor them securely. You can use floral foam, tissue paper, bubble wrap, or even pool noodles or pillow-style packing material to create a "nest" that will keep the flowers stable and prevent them from tipping over.

Final Touches

Once you arrive at the venue, top up the water in the vases or containers, as they will likely spill during transport. Add ribbons or any other final touches to the bouquets, and place them in water if possible.

By following these instructions, you can successfully transport your wedding flowers to the venue, ensuring they arrive in perfect condition and looking beautiful for your special day.

How much will DIY flowers cost?

The cost of DIY wedding flowers can vary depending on the types of flowers chosen, the size of the arrangements, and the number of arrangements needed. Here is a breakdown of the potential costs for different DIY wedding flower options:

Bridal Bouquet:

The average cost of a bridal bouquet created by a florist is around $250. However, creating a DIY bridal bouquet using bulk flowers can significantly reduce costs. For example, a DIY bouquet with 5 stems of Italian Ruscus, 5 white roses, 3 Leonidas novelty roses, 3 peach roses, 4 Quicksand roses, 4 stems of orange wax flowers, and 15 stems of assorted eucalyptus would cost around $76, resulting in savings of almost 70%.

Ceremony Structures:

Floral arches can be expensive, with the average cost ranging from $1500 to $4000. However, by using wholesale blooms, you can create a beautiful arch for around $315. This DIY option includes 3 stems of Dusty Miller, 5 Ranunculus, 2 Stock Flowers, 3 Protea, 7 Dahlias, 3 Anemones, 45 stems of assorted eucalyptus, 6 white roses, 6 pink garden roses, 12 mini carnations, 8 stems of Ruscus, and 12 pink spray roses.

Centerpieces:

Centerpieces can also be costly, ranging from $120 to $600 each. A budget-friendly alternative is to create your own centerpieces using wholesale flowers. For example, a stunning centerpiece can be made from 2 Bronze Football Mums, 2 Peach Peony Roses, 1 Honeybee David Austin Garden Rose, 1 Vanilla Cream Petite Spray Rose, 1 Mixed Eucalyptus Centerpiece, 2 Peach Spray Stock Flowers, 1 Bronze Upright Amaranthus, and 3 Blue Thistle for around $40.

Bridesmaid Bouquets:

The cost of bridesmaid bouquets can add up, especially if you have multiple attendants. DIY bridesmaid bouquets typically range from $50 to $110, depending on the size and type of flowers used. Using fewer expensive flowers and incorporating more affordable blooms or greenery can help reduce costs.

Boutonnieres and Corsages:

Boutonnieres and corsages are smaller floral accessories, but the costs can add up, especially for larger wedding parties. DIY options for boutonnieres typically range from $1 to $5, while corsages can cost between $1 and $5 each.

Vase Centerpieces:

Vase centerpieces can vary in price depending on their size and the types of flowers used. DIY vase centerpieces for a 5- to 6-inch vase can cost between $18 and $60 on average. Using wholesale flowers and simpler arrangements can help keep costs down.

Ceremony Flowers:

Additional floral decorations for the ceremony, such as aisle flowers or altar arrangements, can also add to the overall cost. DIY ceremony flower arrangements typically range from $50 to $150, which is more affordable than florist options.

Overall, DIY wedding flowers can save you a significant amount of money compared to hiring a florist. The average cost of wedding flowers in the United States is $2,200, with couples spending between $500 and $3,500 on average. By creating your own arrangements, you can expect to spend less and have more control over the design and types of flowers used.

Frequently asked questions