How-to Create Your Own Wedding Day Bouquets!

January 22, 2010

Photo Courtesy of Intimate Weddings

I may not know much, but I do know this: Weddings Are Expensive.  And I’m not just talking about the main venues (reception hall, food, booze, dress, etc.); I’m talking about eeeevvveeerrryyyythiiiing, and one wedding detail that are often times overlooked in expense are flowers.  My poor father – who was constantly being told by my well-intentioned mother, “Just shut up and pay, William… just shut up and pay” – had a very hard time keeping quiet about the florist’s bill… so hard of a time, in fact, that he decided not to keep quiet at all.  Haha! 

I’m not kidding you, the man almost fell out of his chair when he read the circled price hovering over the dotted line.  Then, while readjusting his specs and squinting his eyes, he almost immediately began making remarks that would hit home to fmost athers around the world.  “Are you kidding me?  For flowers??  Why on God’s green earth… (inaudible grumbles)… But they’re dead the next day!”  

And while I love love love flowers (what girl doesn’t?) I’m afraid I had to agree.  Like every bride, I had to find the balance between my dream wedding and our actual budget.  We started throwing out ideas, and we decided it might be fun to make the bridesmaid bouquets ourselves and save on the expense of having a florists bring them in.

What You Will Need:

• Flowers (focal, filler & greenery)
• Vase
• Vase Filler
• Scissors
• Floral Tape
• Finishing Ribbon
• Straight Pins
• + Any Additional Accessories of your Choosing (ie. lace, tulle, beads, etc.)

What You Will Do:

First, gather your flowers, vase and vase filler.  Be sure your vase is congruent to the size and shape you want your bouquet to be.  Add in the vase filler of your choosing to the bottom of the vase.  Sand, beans and pebbles all work nicely and will make arranging your flowers much easier.  

**Extra Tip** Whether you choose real or fake flowers is totally up to you!  But if you choose to do real flowers, check out FiftyFlowers.com.  They sale large quantities of flowers at wholesale prices and also provide tips on flower combos and arrangements.  For fake flowers, try a local arts and crafts store.  Places like Hobby Lobby and Michael’s have large selections of flowers, as well as a number of products you can use to “spruce” up your bouquet.

Next sort your flowers by color, bloom size and the amount intended for each spray and trim their stems to equivalent heights.  This will make it easy for you to build your bouquet, as well as keep it organized.

***Extra Tip*** When trimming the stems of real flowers, be sure to cut them under water with sharpened scissors.  This will help keep the bloom healthier for longer.

Then, using the vase as your holder, start placing in your flowers.  Because larger blooms are more difficult to maneuver, you should start with them first.  Work your way from the center, outward and alternate from color to color (when applicable) until a desired look is achieved.

After all your larger blooms have been added, start adding any ”filler flowers” or smaller blooms into the bare areas of your bouquet, followed by any greenery.  This will give your bouquet a full and polished look.

***Extra Tip*** Great filler flowers can be found anywhere.  The most popular choices include: hydrangea, baby’s breath, asters, statice or limonium flowers and blooms, which feature several buds on a single stem.  

Once you’ve reached the desired amount of flowers and size of your bouquet, shift them around and rearrange them accordingly until you’re satisfied with the appearance.  If you’re not completely satisfied, try adding in accent accessories, such as bouquet pins, picks or anything with sparkle.

After you have your bouquet positioned perfectly, remove it from the vase using your hands carefully, making sure to disturb the arrangement the least amount as possible.  Then, using florist tape, wire or even a rubber band (depending on your preference), tie off the bouquet. 

Finally, finish off your bouquet with any desired accents, ribbons or jewels and – voilà! – you’ve just made your first bouquet!

***Extra Tip*** If you’re having difficulty getting things “juuuust right,” try using a hot glue gun.  This will ensure your arrangement stays in place.

Filed under: DIY Divine

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