The Perfect Time To Create Your Wedding Bouquet

Wedding flowers are a significant part of the ceremony, with the bridal bouquet being a meaningful accessory for the walk down the aisle. While some opt for a florist, others prefer to create their own bouquet, allowing for a unique and budget-friendly option. When making a DIY bouquet, it is essential to consider the timing to ensure the flowers are at their best. Ideally, flowers should be sourced a few days before the wedding, and the bouquet should be crafted a day prior to the event, allowing the blooms to be at their freshest. This timing ensures that the flowers are not too closed or overly open, creating a full and vibrant bouquet.

Timing: Make the bouquet the day before the wedding

Timing is everything when it comes to creating your own wedding bouquet. Make your bouquet the day before your wedding to ensure your blooms are at their best.

If your wedding is on a Saturday, source your flowers on Thursday, create your bouquet on Friday, and add the ribbon on the day of your wedding. This way, you can be sure that your flowers will be in their prime for your big day.

To make the most of your time, it's a good idea to have a plan and gather all the necessary tools and materials before you start. This includes floral snips for trimming, ribbons or floral tape for securing your bouquet, and buckets of water to keep your flowers hydrated.

When you're ready to begin, start by stripping the leaves and buds from the lower halves of your flower stems. This will create a comfortable handle for your bouquet. Using sharp floral snips, cut the stems at a 45-degree angle and place them in buckets of water as you work.

As you build your bouquet, stand in front of a mirror so you can see exactly what it looks like from the front. Start with a base of sturdy stems, such as peonies or greenery, and then add larger flowers, followed by smaller blooms and greenery to create a balanced design. Secure your bouquet with a rubber band and floral tape, and finish it off with a beautiful ribbon.

By making your wedding bouquet the day before, you'll not only ensure that your flowers look fresh and vibrant, but you'll also have time to make any last-minute adjustments and enjoy the process of creating something beautiful for your special day.

Freshness: Keep flowers in water and away from sunlight

The freshness of your wedding bouquet is paramount. To keep your flowers vibrant and fresh, you must store them correctly. Here are some detailed tips to ensure your flowers remain fresh and lively:

Firstly, it is crucial to keep your flowers in water. Before placing them in water, trim the stems at a 45-degree angle, removing any leaves that may sit below the waterline. This will ensure the flowers can absorb water effectively without any foliage hindering the process. Keep the flowers in a vase or container with approximately 4 inches of cool, clean water. This will allow the blooms to hydrate and stay fresh. Change the water if it becomes cloudy or dirty.

Secondly, sunlight can be detrimental to the longevity of your flowers. Keep your bouquet away from direct sunlight and extreme temperatures. Store your bouquet in a cool, shaded area to maintain its freshness and prevent wilting. Sunlight can cause the colours of your flowers to fade and the petals to become brittle, so it is best to avoid direct exposure.

Additionally, if you need to transport your bouquet, place the flowers in vases with a small amount of water and secure them in a box to prevent tilting during travel. For shorter travel durations and smaller bouquets, you can wrap the stems in a damp paper towel instead of using a vase.

By following these steps, you can ensure your wedding bouquet stays fresh and vibrant, maintaining its beauty on your special day.

DIY: Save money and add a personal touch

Creating your own wedding bouquet is a fun and rewarding project that will add a special touch to your big day. It can also be a great way to save money, as you can avoid the high costs of hiring a professional florist. Here are some tips to help you create a beautiful and unique DIY wedding bouquet:

Choose Your Flowers

When selecting your flowers, consider the style of your wedding dress and your colour palette. Think about whether you want complementary colours for a subtle look or contrasting colours for added drama. Also, keep in mind the season and opt for flowers that are in bloom at the time of your wedding, as they will be fresher, more affordable, and last longer.

Determine Your Style

Decide on the type of bouquet you want. Are you going for a classic, tight bouquet or something more whimsical, like a cascading arrangement? If you're aiming for a modern and simple design, choose just a few varieties of florals and very little greenery. For a garden-style bouquet, mix several varieties of florals and greenery with different textures and gestural qualities.

Source Your Flowers

You can buy flowers from a local flower market or florist, order them online, or even pick them from your garden or a friend's garden. If you're using fresh flowers, remember to give them enough time to hydrate before you start arranging—about 24 hours should do the trick.

Prepare Your Flowers

Before you start arranging, remove all the leaves from the floral stems and the bottom halves of the greenery stems. Cut the stems at a 45-degree angle and keep them in a bucket of water as you work. This will help your bouquet stay fresh and beautiful.

Assemble Your Bouquet

Start by building the shape and framework of your bouquet. Begin with a base of sturdy flowers, then add larger flowers, and finish with smaller blooms and greenery. Stand in front of a mirror as you work so you can see exactly what your bouquet will look like from the front.

Finish with Ribbon or Tape

Once you're happy with your bouquet, secure the stems with floral tape or an elastic band. Then, wrap a ribbon around the stems for a clean, classic look, or let it cascade down for a more relaxed, garden-style feel.

Time It Right

The best time to make your wedding bouquet is the day before the wedding. This will ensure your flowers are fresh and vibrant for the big day. If you're short on time on the wedding day itself, you can also make the bouquets the morning of the ceremony, but this will depend on the number of bouquets and the complexity of the arrangements.

Flowers: Choose fresh, dried or faux flowers

Flowers: Choose Fresh, Dried, or Faux Flowers

There are three main options to consider when choosing flowers for your wedding bouquet: fresh flowers, dried flowers, or faux flowers. Each option has its own set of advantages and disadvantages, and the right choice for you will depend on your specific needs and preferences. Here is a detailed look at each option:

Fresh Flowers:

Fresh flowers are the traditional choice for wedding bouquets and offer a beautiful fragrance that can enhance your special day. However, they can be quite expensive, with the average couple spending around $2,400 on real wedding flowers. Additionally, certain flowers may be out of season, increasing the cost further. Fresh flowers also require careful handling and can be more susceptible to weather conditions, especially if your wedding is outdoors.

Dried Flowers:

Dried flowers have become an increasingly popular choice for wedding bouquets, offering a more country-inspired, whimsical, or boho aesthetic. One of the main advantages of dried flowers is their longevity; they are preserved to last and won't wilt during your wedding. They also tend to be more durable and can be more affordable than fresh flowers, depending on the size and type of flowers you choose. However, dried flowers may not have the same level of fragrance as fresh flowers, and they can be more difficult to source and ship, especially if you want flowers grown and harvested locally.

Faux Flowers:

Faux flowers, or artificial flowers, have come a long way in terms of realism and are a great way to cut down on costs without compromising on aesthetics. Faux flowers come in a wide range of colours and varieties, allowing you to find unique options that may not be available in real flowers. They are also more durable and can be purchased or rented well in advance, helping to spread out the cost of your wedding. Additionally, faux flowers are allergen-free, ensuring that guests with allergies can still enjoy your special day without any discomfort.

When choosing between fresh, dried, or faux flowers for your wedding bouquet, consider your budget, the desired aesthetic, and the level of convenience you prefer. Fresh flowers offer a classic, fragrant option, while dried flowers provide a unique, whimsical look, and faux flowers give you durability and cost-effectiveness. Ultimately, the choice is yours, and you can even mix and match different options to create your perfect wedding bouquet.

Design: Pick a focal flower and build around it

When creating a wedding bouquet, it's important to pick a focal flower and build around it. This will be the centrepiece of your bouquet and will guide the rest of your design.

Start by choosing a main flower that you want to use at the centre. Tie string or raffia to the stem at the point that will become the base of the bouquet and the top of the handle. Then, add stems of foliage around this centre bloom and bind them together.

Once you've started with your centre flowers, you can work around them and start building up your bouquet. Add further flowers and foliage sprigs, placing each new stem into the bouquet at a diagonal angle and binding as you go to secure the stems into position. Always add new stems in the same direction so that you create a spiral effect.

If you're going for a particular bouquet look, it might be helpful to have a picture in front of you for inspiration.

Frequently asked questions