Creating A Wedding Garland: A Step-By-Step Guide

Wedding garlands are a beautiful way to add a floral touch to your big day. Whether you opt for fresh flowers, artificial blooms, fabric, or paper, garlands can be used to decorate everything from tables and doorways to railings and backdrops. With a little creativity, you can make your own garlands or add personal touches to pre-made ones. This introduction will cover the different types of garlands, offer tips for creating your own, and provide inspiration for incorporating garlands into your wedding décor.

How to Make Wedding Garland

Choosing flowers and foliage

When creating a wedding garland, the flowers and foliage you choose will depend on the decorative purpose of the garland and the available space. It also comes down to your personal preferences. You can make a garland from fresh greenery, herbs, flowers, fruits, or any combination of these elements.

If you're looking for foliage options, popular choices include spiral, silver dollar, parvi, gunnii, and seeded eucalyptus. Other foliage varieties to consider are magnolia, ivy, olive leaf, ruscus, salal, smilax, sprengeri, tree fern, and plumosa.

For floral options, you can choose from a wide range of fresh flowers such as roses, garden roses, spray roses, peonies, carnations, astilbe, waxflower, gypsophilia, limonium, mums, lisianthus, and eryngium, to name a few.

You can also add an earthy fragrance to your garland by incorporating herbs like rosemary, bay, basil, sage, or mint. Herbs not only add a special meaning to your garland but also provide texture and colour.

If you're short on time or prefer convenience, you can opt for pre-made garlands or artificial flowers. This allows you to save time on preparation and still achieve a beautiful result.

Using pre-made garlands

Choosing Pre-Made Garlands:

Firstly, you can find pre-made garlands in various materials, including fresh flowers, artificial flowers, fabric, and paper. Consider the overall theme and colour scheme of your wedding when selecting your garlands. For example, if you're aiming for a classic and elegant look, choose garlands with white roses and hydrangeas. Or, if you want to add a pop of colour, opt for garlands made with bright flowers like roses, marigolds, or jasmine. You can also find pre-made garlands with added decorations like beads, pearls, and ribbons for a more luxurious and intricate design.

Combining and Customising:

Pre-made garlands can be combined and customised to fit your specific needs. If you want to create a lush effect, try weaving together different types of garlands. You can also add fresh or silk flowers to pre-made garlands to enhance their appearance and make them more full. For example, eucalyptus is a great addition, as it looks nice even as it dries. Furthermore, consider mixing in some greenery, such as Israeli ruscus, to add texture and create a natural look.

Hanging and Displaying:

When it comes to displaying your pre-made garlands, there are numerous options. You can hang them overhead, drape them over archways or doorways, or use them as table centrepieces. For a creative touch, wrap garlands around tent poles or menu boards. If you want to decorate the bride and groom's chairs, string a garland between the two to symbolise their union. Additionally, garlands can be used to tie back curtains or adorn the wedding cake table. For an outdoor wedding, consider hanging garlands from tree branches or decorating the getaway car with them.

Adding Personal Touches:

While pre-made garlands are convenient, you can also add personal touches to make them unique. For example, string old photos onto the garland, creating a memorable display of the couple's memories. Alternatively, incorporate paper cranes, which symbolise love and longevity in Japanese culture. You can also add ribbons to your garlands for a boho-chic look, especially if you're having an outdoor wedding. These small touches will make your pre-made garlands feel special and tailored to your wedding.

Adding candles

Candles are a great way to add a romantic and ethereal glow to your wedding garland decorations. Here are some tips for including candles in your wedding garlands:

Hanging Tea Candles

For an enchanting forest-like setting, hang tea candles from the trees. Surround the hanging candles with ferns and flowers for a magical effect. You can use little glass circles to hang the tea candles, along with taller standing column candles for added height and drama.

Mix and Match Votives

Add a warm glow to your wedding cake table with candles. Mix and match metallic containers, such as gold-rimmed glasses or sleek cylinder vases, and fill them with votive candles or tea lights. This simple yet modern display will add a cosy ambiance to your wedding cake display.

Dramatic Centrepieces

For a formal look, use tall candelabras as centrepieces on your tables. These can elevate a simple display and add a touch of old-world glamour, especially in a historic venue. For a more relaxed setting, try grouping pillar candles of varying heights on tables, adding visual interest and a soft, romantic light.

Staircase Sparkle

Line a staircase with candles to create a sparkling entrance or exit for the happy couple. Pillar candles in gold-rimmed containers add a touch of luxury, or for a more modern look, try sleek cylinder vases. For safety, ensure the staircase is well-ventilated and keep candles away from any flammable decorations.

Hanging Garlands

Combine hanging garlands with candles for a stunning effect. Hang garlands overhead, ensuring they are high enough for guests to stand under, but low enough to be noticed when seated. Add chandeliers or string lights to the garlands, along with tapered candles of varying lengths, for a soft and elegant look that will dazzle your guests.

Using a water source

Selecting and Preparing Flowers:

Start by choosing fresh, high-quality flowers that are slightly open but not fully bloomed, as they will last longer. Roses, marigolds, jasmine, chrysanthemums, and carnations are popular choices for Indian garlands, but you can select flowers that hold special significance for you. Ensure the flowers are in good condition and well-hydrated. Rinse the flowers gently under cool water to remove any dirt or pesticides, and then let them air dry on a clean towel.

Creating the Garland Base:

For the base of your garland, you will need a sturdy string or rope, and floral wire or binding wire. Cut the rope to the desired length of your garland, keeping in mind that a length of more than 25 feet can become heavy and cumbersome. You may need to create multiple sections and attach them together.

Assembling the Garland:

Cut the flowers and foliage into uniform pieces, ensuring they are all about the same size. Gather them into little clusters and attach them to the rope using the floral wire. Wrap the wire snugly, leaving a little extra wire at the end, which will be useful if you are joining multiple sections. The size of the clusters depends on how full you want your garland to be. Layer the clusters neatly, overlapping them slightly, and wrap the wire tightly to secure them.

Finishing Touches:

Once you reach the end of your garland, add one more cluster and reverse the direction to create a finished end on both sides. Secure it in place by wrapping the wire snugly and creating a knot. You can also use floral adhesive for extra security. Spray the garland with a floral spray like Crowning Glory to help keep the flowers fresh.

Adding Flowers:

If you want to add flowers to your garland, use water tubes to keep them hydrated. Simply place the flowers in the tubes and tuck them into the garland. You can use floral adhesive or glue for extra security, but often, you can just wedge the flowers into the garland without any adhesive.

Storage and Transportation:

To store your garland, roll it up and place it in a garbage bag or breathable container. Keep it in a cool, dry place, such as a flower cooler, to extend its lifespan. If you need to transport the garland, ensure it is kept cool and transported gently to avoid damaging the flowers.

By following these steps and paying attention to the details, you can create a stunning and personalized wedding garland that will be a memorable part of your special day.

Installation tips

• If you're looking for a rustic, decorative look, fill a series of natural bark logs with flowers and flowing greens and line them up in a row to create a garland effect. The logs come in 8-, 12- and 18-inch lengths, allowing you to tailor the garland to the length of the table.
• For a hanging garland design, insert a wooden pick or skewer into each end of the floral foam to connect one to the other. This will help hold it in place and keep it from turning.
• If you're short on time, prepare in advance by filling a series of long and thin brick trays with wet floral foam and a base of greenery. You can then add fresh flowers on the day before delivery.
• For a garland with a built-in cage for design support, use a FLORACAGE® Holder or FLORACAGE® Grande Holder. These also have eyelets for hanging.
• When creating a continuous garland in a water source, an OASIS® Sealed Brick Garland works well. The bottom of each block is wax-sealed to hold in water.
• For a long, continuous span of flowers that need a water source, 4-inch-wide raquettes are a good option. Choose a combination of sizes that will run the length of the table end-to-end.

Frequently asked questions