Tulip Wedding Bouquets: Diy Guide For Brides

Tulips are a popular choice for wedding bouquets, with a long history dating back to the Ottoman Empire in the 16th century. They symbolise perfect and deep love and are a spring flower, representing rebirth and new beginnings. With a wide range of colours and shapes available, they can be used to create a bouquet that is unique and personal to your special day. In this guide, we will take you through the steps of making your own wedding bouquet with tulips, from choosing the right flowers to assembling the bouquet and keeping it fresh on your big day.

Choosing the right tulips for your wedding theme

If your wedding has a classic, traditional theme, consider the regal aura of purple tulips or the pure elegance of white tulips. Purple tulips are associated with royalty and elegance, and can imbue a sense of majesty and grandeur to your celebration. White tulips, on the other hand, signify purity and innocence and are often associated with new beginnings, making them a fitting choice for a couple starting their married life together.

For a rustic, garden-style wedding, the charming simplicity of yellow or pink tulips would be a lovely choice. These colours lend a rustic charm to your bouquet and are perfect if you're getting married in the cooler months, as they provide a warm and inviting palette.

Tulips are also a great choice for spring weddings, as they are the ultimate spring flower. They pair wonderfully with other seasonal blooms and can be found in a variety of colours, including pastel hues that are popular in the springtime.

Remember, each flower carries a unique symbolism, and tulips are associated with deep love and elegance, making them a popular and meaningful choice for wedding bouquets.

Combining tulips with other flowers

Roses, with their symbolism of love and beauty, pair beautifully with tulips and can add a touch of classic charm. For a more textured bouquet, consider adding fillers like baby's breath or greenery like eucalyptus. The soft blooms of ranunculus or garden roses, can also be added to the bouquet for a romantic and whimsical touch.

For a bold and vibrant look, peonies, with their lush, full blooms, can add volume and a touch of drama to a tulip arrangement. Combining tulips with other springtime flowers, such as daffodils or hyacinths, can also create a beautiful seasonal bouquet.

If you're looking for something unique and eccentric, parrot tulips, with their ruffled and curly petals, can be paired with other flowers to create a stunning and colourful display.

Caring for your tulip wedding bouquet

To keep your tulip wedding bouquet looking its best throughout your special day, there are several steps you can take to ensure its freshness and vibrancy. Here are some tips for caring for your tulip wedding bouquet:

• Keep the bouquet in water as much as possible. Since tulip stems continue to absorb water after cutting, keeping them submerged will help maintain their hydration.
• Avoid direct sunlight and heat, as these can cause the flowers to wilt. Store the bouquet in a cool, dark place when not in use.
• Consider having the stems re-cut and placed in fresh water every few hours. This provides the tulips with new nutrients and keeps them looking vibrant.
• Mist the bouquet lightly with water right before the ceremony or photographs. This gives the tulips a dewy, fresh-picked appearance.
• If possible, store the bouquet in a vase or container that can be easily transported and kept nearby until needed.
• If travelling with the bouquet, ensure it is secured and placed in a safe area to avoid any damage or bending of the stems.
• Keep the bouquet away from ripe fruit, as the ethylene gas released by the fruit can cause the flowers to deteriorate more quickly.
• Be gentle when handling the bouquet, as tulip petals are delicate and can bruise easily.
• If using a vase, ensure the water is changed daily to prevent bacterial growth, which can shorten the lifespan of the flowers.
• After the event, consider preserving your bouquet as a memento. There are several methods for preserving tulip bouquets, including air drying, pressing, silica gel drying, and professional preservation.

By following these care instructions, your tulip wedding bouquet will remain fresh and beautiful throughout your wedding day, providing a stunning display that complements your celebration.

Preserving your bouquet after the wedding

Air Drying

Hang the bouquet upside down in a cool, dark place for a couple of weeks until it is completely dry. The tulips will lose their vibrant colour, but this method will retain the shape of the flowers.

Pressing

For a more compact keepsake, press some blooms in a flower press or a heavy book. This method is perfect if you want to use your preserved flowers in a picture frame or a custom piece of jewellery. Arrange the flowers on a sheet of wax paper and place them inside a heavy book, like a dictionary, so the weight of the book presses the flowers completely flat. Put another sheet of wax paper on top of the flowers to protect them from any ink, and weigh the book down with something heavy. Leave the flowers to dry for about two weeks.

Silica Gel Drying

This method involves burying the bouquet in a container of silica gel, which absorbs moisture and preserves the shape and colour of the flowers better than air drying. Silica gel can be found at most craft stores and costs between $10 and $30, depending on the amount purchased. Pour a small amount of silica gel into an airtight container and gently place your flowers face-up in the sand. Slowly pour silica gel over your flowers and allow the crystals to nestle into the petals, ensuring that the shape of the flower is not compromised. Seal the container and let the flowers sit for about a week. Once the flowers are dry, gently brush off any excess sand and use floral preserving sealant or hairspray to protect your arrangement from moisture.

Professional Preservation

Professional services that use freeze-drying or other specialised preservation techniques can create a long-lasting memento that looks very close to the original bouquet. This is one of the most expensive options but will result in the most realistic-looking preserved bouquet.

Adding your birth flower to the bouquet

Adding your birth flower to your wedding bouquet is a thoughtful way to personalise your special day. Birth flowers are associated with certain characteristics or qualities that reflect the individual born in that month, so including yours in your bouquet can add a deeper level of sentimentality and symbolism to your wedding.

January: Carnation and Snowdrop

The primary birth flower for January is the carnation, which symbolises love, fascination, and distinction. The secondary birth flower is the snowdrop, which represents purity, hope, and new beginnings. To incorporate these flowers into a tulip bouquet, consider using white tulips to represent the purity and hope symbolised by carnations and snowdrops. Alternatively, you could add a single red tulip to symbolise the love and fascination conveyed by carnations.

February: Violet and Primrose

Violets, the primary birth flower for February, symbolise modesty, faithfulness, and spiritual wisdom. The secondary birth flower, primrose, is associated with youth, new beginnings, love, devotion, and purity. To include these flowers in a tulip bouquet, consider using purple tulips to represent the faithfulness and spiritual wisdom associated with violets. You could also add a few white tulips to symbolise the purity and devotion conveyed by primroses.

March: Daffodil and Jonquil

Daffodils, the primary birth flower for March, symbolise new beginnings, rebirth, and the arrival of spring. Jonquils, a specific type of daffodil, share these symbolic meanings. To incorporate these flowers into a tulip bouquet, consider using yellow tulips to represent the cheerful and sunny disposition associated with daffodils. You could also add a few green tulips to symbolise the freshness and vitality of spring.

April: Daisy and Sweet Pea

Daisies, the primary birth flower for April, represent innocence, purity, and loyal love. Sweet peas, the secondary birth flower, symbolise blissful pleasure, gratitude, and farewell. To include these flowers in a tulip bouquet, consider using white tulips to represent the purity and innocence associated with daisies. You could also add a few pink or purple tulips to symbolise the pleasure and gratitude conveyed by sweet peas.

May: Lily of the Valley and Hawthorn

Lily of the valley, the primary birth flower for May, symbolises sweetness, humility, and the return of happiness. Hawthorn, the secondary birth flower, represents hope and supreme happiness. To incorporate these flowers into a tulip bouquet, consider using white tulips to represent the purity and happiness associated with both lily of the valley and hawthorn. You could also add a few pink tulips to symbolise the sweetness and joy of these birth flowers.

June: Rose and Honeysuckle

Roses, the primary birth flower for June, symbolise love, passion, and beauty. Honeysuckle, the secondary birth flower, represents the bonds of love and enduring connections. To include these flowers in a tulip bouquet, consider using red tulips to represent the passion and love associated with roses. You could also add a few pink or white tulips to symbolise the sweetness and enduring connections conveyed by honeysuckle.

By adding your birth flower to a tulip bouquet, you can create a unique and personalised arrangement that reflects your personality and birth month. Whether you choose to focus on the colour symbolism or the specific flower types, your bouquet will be a meaningful addition to your wedding day.

Frequently asked questions