Creating Dreamy Wedding Flower Headpieces: A Step-By-Step Guide

Flower headpieces are a popular choice for weddings, with many different ways to incorporate fresh or fake blooms into your hairstyle. You can opt for a full-on flower crown or choose something more delicate, like small flowery details in a braid. In this guide, we will walk you through the process of creating your own floral headpiece, from choosing the right flowers to assembling and preserving your headpiece. So, whether you're a bride or a bridesmaid, read on to learn how to make a statement with your wedding flower headpiece!

Choosing flowers: Select blooms that fit your aesthetic, considering how long they last

When choosing flowers for your wedding headpiece, opt for blooms that align with your aesthetic, whether that's classic, whimsical, rustic, or something else entirely. You can select flowers with specific meanings, such as daisies for innocence and cheerfulness, or opt for blooms that complement the colour of your dress. If you're making your headpiece ahead of time, consider how long the flowers will last. Some flowers, like lavender and rosemary, are commonly found dried and will preserve well. Conversely, ranunculus and poppies wilt quickly and are not ideal if you want your headpiece to last.

The longevity of your flower headpiece also depends on the weather conditions. Delicate flowers won't fare well in hot and humid weather. If you're in a warm climate, consider using sturdier flowers or even artificial blooms. Carnations, billy buttons, berries, and baby's breath are good choices for warmer temperatures. If you're making your headpiece the same day as your event, you can spritz it with water and store it in the fridge to keep it fresh for up to a week.

Materials: Gather wire, tape, pruners, and a bouquet

To make a wedding flower headpiece, you will need wire, tape, pruners, and a bouquet. Here is a detailed list of the materials:

Wire

You will need 18-inch lengths of heavy, 18- to 20-gauge floral wire (2 per crown) and 18-inch lengths of light, 24- to 26-gauge floral wire (a minimum of one length per flower). The heavier wire is used to create the base of the crown, while the lighter wire is used to attach individual flowers to the base.

Tape

Floral tape is used to wrap the wire base and cover any sharp edges that could poke your head. It also helps to secure the flowers to the crown by wrapping the stems.

Pruners

Pruners or wire cutters are essential for cutting the flower stems to the desired length and trimming any excess wire.

Bouquet

Choose a small bouquet of flowers that fit your aesthetic and colour palette. Consider the longevity of the flowers, especially if you plan to preserve the headpiece by hanging it to dry. Flowers like lavender and rosemary are commonly used for dried arrangements, while ranunculus and poppies wilt quickly. You can also add fillers and greens to create a finished look and fill any spaces between larger flowers.

Making the hoop: Twist heavy-gauge wires into a hoop, then wrap with floral tape

Making the hoop is the first step in creating a flower headpiece. You will need two heavy-gauge wires, which you will twist together to form a hoop. Before wrapping the hoop with floral tape, ensure that it fits comfortably on your head with a little room to spare, as you will be adding flowers later. You can adjust the size by twisting the wires closer or farther apart.

Once you have the right size, wrap the entire hoop with floral tape. This step ensures that the wires do not poke your head when you wear the headpiece. The floral tape will also serve as a base for attaching flowers later.

After making the hoop, you can start adding flowers to it. Choose your first flower, and attach it to the hoop by wrapping a light-gauge wire near the base of the blossom, leaving a long tail of wire. Secure the flower by wrapping the wire down along the stem and then wrap the stem in floral tape to prevent any wires from poking out.

Continue adding flowers to the hoop, positioning each new flower directly beneath the blossom already secured to the hoop. You can alternate between different types of flowers and add filler flowers or wildflowers to create a full and varied look.

Adding flowers: Attach flowers with light-gauge wire, wrapping stems in tape

When making a flower crown, you can choose any flowers that fit your aesthetic—from classic to whimsical. You can also choose flowers based on how long they last. If you plan to preserve your crown by hanging it to dry, use flowers that are commonly found dried, like lavender and rosemary.

To attach flowers to your crown, you will need light-gauge wire and floral tape. First, choose one flower from your bouquet and attach it to the hoop by wrapping a light-gauge wire once near the base of the blossom, leaving a long tail of wire. Secure the flower by wrapping the long tail of wire down along the stem, attaching the blossom firmly. Wrap the stem of the flower in floral tape to prevent the wires from poking out.

Repeat this process for each flower, positioning the new flower directly beneath the blossom already secured to the crown. Continue filling up the DIY floral headpiece with as many blooms as you'd like. If you have lighter hair that the floral wire shows up on, you can use a wire twig to wrap around the entire base to add a more rustic look.

Preservation: Cover with damp paper towels and store in the fridge

To preserve your flower headpiece, you'll need to act fast as flowers can quickly wilt and discolour. It's best to start the preservation process immediately, but if you can't, keep the flowers in water in the fridge for a few days.

To preserve the flower crown, cover the bottom of a pie tin with one layer of damp—but not wet—paper towels. Place your wreath(s) on top and add another layer of damp paper towels. Then, store the tin in the fridge. This will help keep your flowers fresh for up to three days.

Be sure to keep your flowers away from ethylene-producing fruits and vegetables, such as apples and bananas, as these can cause petals to discolour quickly.

If you want to preserve your flowers for longer than three days, you could try air-drying them, pressing them in a book, using silica gel or fine sand, or dipping them in paraffin wax.

Frequently asked questions