DIY Wedding Bouquet: Tips with Photos

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No wedding can go without a bridal bouquet. You can order it at a florist’s or do it yourself and get a truly special accessory. In this article, we will tell you how to make a wedding bouquet at home: what flowers to choose and what tips to use so that the result makes the bride happy on the wedding day and long after.

Choosing the Type of Bouquet

First, you should decide what your floral composition will look like. You’ll have to make up your mind regarding several aspects.

Shape

Round (posy). A classic. This construction is easy to do and strong. It’s better to keep the diameter between 25 and 30cm.
Cascade. A cascading bouquet has a more complex structure that requires a lot of work. To estimate the length of the bouquet, let your arm hang along the body: a bouquet should not touch the ground in this position.
Original shape. There are more unusual bouquet shapes out there, for example, a hoop or a pomander.

If you want a strong composition that will definitely survive a wedding photoshoot and a long celebration, get a bouquet holder with a sponge soaked in water. A bouquet holder has two disadvantages: it has a size limit and is out of fashion. In recent years, the wedding industry has gravitated towards bouquets with long, tied together stems.

Materials

You can make a bridal bouquet yourself from natural or artificial materials.

Fresh flowers. They smell pleasantly and look beautiful. However, they can be damaged by rain, blazing sun, frost, and will not last long.
Fabric flowers. They are resistant to external impact and last long. Such a bouquet is a perfect option for a celebration taking place in hot or freezing weather or can act as a ‘stunt double’ that you’ll throw. However, they look rather lifeless and do not have any pleasant smell.

Tip: If you go with artificial flowers for your DIY bridal bouquet, choose high-quality silk items. They look very much like fresh flowers.

Flowers

Here are some classic options: roses, lilies, peonies, orchids, callas, alstroemerias, and eustomas. Hortensias and ranunculuses have emerged as a trend only recently.

When it comes to choosing flowers for your bouquet, keep in mind the following aspects.

Season. If the flowers are accustomed to the temperature outside, they will preserve their look longer.
Durability. Roses are by far the best in this respect, while peonies lose their presentable look fast. It’s better to ask about this when you buy the flowers.
Minimalism. Florists recommend using no more than three types of flowers and three colors in a bouquet. This will also make it easier for you to do your bouquet at home. And the result will definitely be stylish.

букет невесты своими руками

Color Scheme

Before you make a bridal bouquet yourself, choose what colors you would like to use. Classic options include whites, creams, pinks, and lilacs.

Monochrome bouquets look minimalist and refined. However, you should not limit yourself to a single color. Couples often choose a particular color scheme for their wedding: light blue, pink, burgundy, mint, or others. For example, the trends of the 2021 wedding season favored such colors as berry sorbet and amethyst orchid. In this case, you can match the color of flowers up with the overall color scheme of the wedding.

What colors are the most popular for wedding bouquets?

White

White symbolizes the youth, delicacy, and innocence of a bride. Bouquets in white look airy and voluminous and go beautifully with almost any shade of the dress.

Red and White

Red stands for passion, love, youth, and energy. You might also want to consider an original white and red accessory in the shape of a heart.

Orange

Orange is associated with fun, celebration, and cheerfulness. Florists often compile orange bouquets from callas, roses, and lilies.

Bouquets from orange callas

Wedding bouquet with orange roses

Yellow

A yellow bridal bouquet is a great choice for a cheerful and active couple. We recommend choosing warm shades of yellow that will work beautifully with the bride’s dress.

Blue

You can combine any shades of blue: from light blue to deep ultramarine.

Purple

A single-color purple bouquet will look heavy and dark. Florists suggest balancing this color out with lighter shades: white, beige, or peach.

Green

A wedding bouquet arranged from green flowers looks fresh. It’s better to give preference to subdued, pastel greens.

DIY Wedding Bouquet: A Shopping List

Before you get down to doing a wedding bouquet at home, you should make sure you have the necessary tools and materials:

fresh or artificial flowers;
a pair of scissors or a utility knife;
adhesive floral tape;
a decorative satin or lace ribbon;
a brooch or a string of pearls.

If you go with fresh flowers, keep in mind the following aspects:

Make a bouquet 1-2 days ahead of the ceremony.
Do not include flowers with a sharp and strong smell. The bride will carry the bouquet all day, and the smell might cause discomfort.
Choose only fresh plants. Watch out for signs of decay or damage on petals and leaves. Buds should be bright and fresh.
Don’t make the bouquet heavy.

Making a Wedding Bouquet from Fresh Flowers

In this article, we’ll try making a small round bouquet 25cm in diameter. Leave a couple of flowers for a boutonniere for the groom. The process to make it is the same as described below.

DIY bridal bouquet step by step:

Use a utility knife to cut sharp elements from the stems, remove branches from the bottom part, and make the stems as short as you need.
Wrap every stem in tape, starting 2-2.5cm away from the bud. If the stems are thin, wrap three together. This will help to make the bouquet stronger.
Place your three main flowers in the middle and surround them with smaller flowers.
You can fill the space between the flowers with alstroemeria or gypsophila branches. If your bouquet lacks volume, feel free to add a couple of branches of decorative fern.
Secure the stem with tape.
Wrap the stem in a satin ribbon to hide the tape.
Tie the ribbon into a bow. You can also decorate it with a brooch or strings of pearls.

букет невесты

How to make your bouquet last longer:

Lower the tips of the stems in water, cut 1cm off, and quickly put the bouquet in a vase with water to prevent air from getting into the stems.
There should be 2-3cm left between the water and the ribbon so that it doesn't get wet.
Always add a packet of flower food to water. If you don’t have one, you can add ¼ of a powdered aspirin pill per one liter of water.
Keep your wedding bouquet in the temperature between 13 and 16 degrees Celsius.

Making a Wedding Bouquet from Artificial Flowers

Artificial flowers are better suited for a winter wedding as they do not fear freezing weather. Plus, you don’t need to put them in a vase and can throw it as a backup bouquet.

Here’s what you’ll need:

silk flowers: roses, peonies, lilies, hortensias — the choice is yours;
a pair of cutters and scissors;
adhesive tape;
a satin or lace ribbon.

How to make an artificial bridal bouquet:

Cut all unnecessary branches at the lower part of the stems.
Place several larger flowers in the center.
Add decorative plants and make the bouquet round.
Secure the composition with tape.
Cut the stems that are too long.
Wrap the stems in a beautiful satin or lace ribbon to hide the tape. Again, you can use a brooch or strings of pearls, if you want.

Now you know how to make a wedding bouquet at home. It’s not difficult, if you know what you want, have the necessary materials, and carefully follow the instructions. As a result, you’ll get a unique wedding accessory. Check out examples of wedding bouquets in the theYou gallery for inspiration!

How to Make a Wedding Bouquet: A Step-by-Step Tutorial