Learning how to make a bridal bouquet is not an easy undertaking. Working with fresh flowers requires a certain level of experience and good planning to ensure flowers are in full bloom at the right time and that they are handled properly before use.
Before deciding on DIY wedding flowers, it is a good idea to enlist the help of any friends or relatives with experience of cut flowers. If not, get advice from a professional florist. They will be able to advise on the best flowers to work with for homemade bouquets and suggest bouquet designs that are easy to accomplish at home.
Adopt the KISS Principle and Keep Things Simple
Follow these steps for how to make a bridal bouquet:
- A simple hand-tied bouquet is the easiest design to perfect at home.
- Practice first with artificial flowers. Silk flowers can be reused many times for experimenting and can also be utilized afterwards in the home.
- It is best to stick to one type of flower only as stems will be of the same length and no actual flower arranging skills are necessary. Roses are a popular choice as they can withstand heavy handling by the novice.
Making a Wedding Bouquet
- First decide on the shape. A dome shape for multiple flowers is a good choice as it is easier to tie. Alternatively opt for three or four stems only.
- Small bouquets suitable for the more petite bride will require approximately 25-30 stems. Double the quantity for the taller bride.
- Remove unwanted leaves and prickly thorns.
- Holding the stems under water for better preservation, cut the stems at an angle slightly longer than required for the final bouquet.
- Start to arrange flowers together ,using the weaker hand to hold the bunch and the other to place the next stem alongside, overlapping each stem at an angle as in the picture below.
- Once all flowers are in place, tie the stems with tape in two places near the top and bottom and leave to rest in water for a few minutes.
- Cut the flowers to the required length.
- Take a piece of ribbon or raffia which is three times the length of the stem and wrap the flowers carefully from the top of the bouquet, going round and round until you reach the bottom. Repeat the process back up the stem, securing the ribbon underneath the flower heads with a pin.
- Spray the flowers with a finishing product and place in water; remember to dry the bouquet off before leaving the house.
Caring for Fresh Flowers
- Fresh flowers need careful handling to remain fresh for the wedding day.
- Ensure that they are delivered whilst someone is at home.
- Place straight into buckets of water, which have been thoroughly cleaned to rid them of any bacteria, which could hasten the aging process.
- Ensure they are cut under water.
- Use a preserving product to dip stems in before flower arranging.
- Spray bouquets with a preservative like Finishing Touch used by all good florists to maximise flower life.
DIY Bridal Bouquets
With the right practice and clever choice of flowers, brides can confidently learn how to make a DIY bridal bouquet saving a huge amount of money.
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Helen Smeaton - Helen Smeaton runs a cycling and hiking business and is also a freelance writer and web designer. Read her profile for more information
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