Swamped with wedding costs and want to save a quick buck? A DIY wedding bouquet will save costs and also add a warm touch to the wedding. Since a bridal bouquet generally costs close to $200, it makes good sense to create your own.
With just a little help, you’ll be able to create your own picture-perfect bouquet that’s trendy, elegant, and might even look better than the ones you find at florists. Even if you are not too much into DIY, you can still make your own bridal bouquet with minimum effort.
How to Find Flowers for a DIY Wedding Bouquet
Make sure you buy flowers that complement your wedding dress. They should also reflect the wedding tone. Also, decide the colors you would want in your bouquet. Do you want contrasting colors or complementary ones?
If you want a simple and modern design, it’s best to go for a maximum of three floral varieties and no greenery. And if you want a garden-style bouquet, you can get up to seven floral varieties with plenty of greenery.
Created a rough idea for your bouquet? Now it’s time to source the flowers. You might find some dried bridal bouquets but nothing is as magical as fresh flowers. You’re beginning a new life and your DIY wedding bouquet is symbolic of your journey. Make sure you get fresh flowers that look beautiful and smell great.
Since flowers grow according to seasons, you might not be able to find what you are planning for. If you have a garden near you, ask them about the flowers they have. Or take a look at local grocery stores and farms to find floral varieties. You can even check online to see the flowers that are available in your area.
Once you have an idea about the available flowers, you’ll be able to chalk out the perfect bouquet plan for your wedding.
When to Make a DIY Wedding Bouquet
Since fresh flowers start to wilt in a couple of days, you will need to work on your bouquet quickly. Which means you’ll have very little time on your hands. Make sure you’ve already completed other major tasks such as shopping for your groom’s gift.
Let’s say your wedding is on Friday, get the flowers on Wednesday so the bouquet can be ready on Thursday. This will give you enough time to prepare the bouquet while the flowers are still fresh. You can add the final touches on the wedding day itself.
The Right Size for the DIY Wedding Bouquet
You might want a big bouquet to wow all the guests. However, keep in mind that you don’t want something to overpower your wedding dress. Also, bouquets often look bigger in photos so the Pinterest bouquets you’re drooling over might be smaller than you’d imagine.
Creating a DIY Wedding Bouquet
Two days before the wedding? Let’s begin with our bouquet now.
1. Get flowers
When you have already discussed the availability of seasonal flowers with the local gardener, you can order the flowers you’ve chosen. Make sure you order extra because there might be a petal or two missing from them.
Keep in mind that ordering wholesale will save money. If you create bridesmaid’s bouquets as well, flowers will come cheaper.
2. Gather supplies
Once you have the flowers, it’s time to collect the rest of the resources. You can work on this project alone or get the help of your friends and loved ones. With a lot of hands to help you, your work will be done sooner.
Here are some things you will need:
Fresh flowers, floral tape, floral wire, ribbons or twines, bouquet accessories, scissors, gardening gloves, and hot glue. For a splash of colors, you can add berries too.
3. Evaluate and prepare the flowers
Check the stems for tight buds. These buds will bloom when the existing ones wilt so you might want to keep some buds intact, especially those that are showing color. Hold the stem of each flower near the base and see if it stands straight. If it’s weak and doesn’t stand straight, discard it. Also, chuck the stems that are slimy or smelly.
The leaves of the flower should be crisp and clean. Limp leaves mean that the flower will wilt soon and shouldn’t be used in the DIY wedding bouquet.
Once you’ve selected the best blooms, remove the thorns and cut their stems evenly. Cutting the stems at an angle will help the water to be absorbed more evenly, keeping the flowers fresh for longer. Woody stems such as roses should be split at the bottom for a longer life. About 7-8 inches of the stem should be fine for a typical bridal bouquet.
Make sure you don’t remove all leaves. Some leaves near the flower can give a fuller look to the bouquet. However, it entirely depends on the design you’ve chosen.
4. Start arranging flowers
Find the center florals of your bouquet. Add one stem at a time and work from the inside out. This way, your bouquet will be evenly spread. Some most popular focal flowers are roses, peonies, orchids, jasmines, and lilies. Start with sturdy and thick stems. The softer stems should come on the outer sides.
As you add more flowers, make sure the top is evenly arranged. There should be no flowers peeking out at the top. And while you create your bouquet, hold it at an arm’s length in front of you to see if it looks good from the eye level.
If you want to add greenery to your bouquet, make sure you do it towards the end. Once the central collection of flowers is ready, you’ll have a clearer idea about adding accents and greenery. The most popular types of greeneries are palm fronds, seeded eucalyptus, and ferns.
You can also add filler flowers to give a richer look to your bouquet. Plus, you can add other elements such as berries, bear grass, peacock feathers, bouquet jewels, etc.
Once you add the final touches with ribbons or twines, seal the ends with hot glue so there’s no fraying. If you don’t have hot glue, just apply a weak flame to the end and the ribbon will get sealed.
Make sure the stems of your DIY wedding bouquet are bound together with floral wire. Once you’re done, inspect it thoroughly and add the finishing touches.
5. Keep it hydrated
Ideally, you should have the bouquet ready one day before the wedding. This means you have to keep it hydrated so it stays fresh. To do that, trim the stems, leaving a few inches from the ribbon. Now remove the ribbon carefully and place the arrangement in a vase of cool water.
You already know how your bouquet will look and you’re happy with it. As your wedding day arrives, just take the flowers out of the vase, pat them dry, and put the ribbon back on.
Some DIY Wedding Bouquet Tips
Your wedding should be perfect, right from the wedding dress to the bridal bouquet. Let’s share some tips that will ensure your bouquet steals everyone’s hearts.
1. Practice makes perfect
If you’ve never made a bouquet before, you can try making one right now. If it’s still weeks before your wedding, you have enough time on your hands to practice. Don’t want to buy expensive flowers? No issues, start with some local and inexpensive options. Try assembling them to create the right bouquet.
Bouquet making is an art but with a little practice, you can master it in no time. And of course, you’ve got so many ideas on websites such as Pinterest that it’s really easy to create a DIY wedding bouquet.
2. Keep the structure in mind
Your bouquet should be structurally sound. For this, make sure you select flowers with woody stems for the center. If you place flimsy flowers in the middle, your bouquet will stay droopy, even if you add floral wire.
Carnations and roses have harder stems and make excellent choices as central flowers. Some flowers (such as daffodils and lupins) have bleeding stems and produce a lot of sap. When you work with these flowers, be careful not to get the liquid on your clothes.
3. Use simple colors
While contrasting colors will add a nice accent, most brides would want simple colors so the focus of the wedding lies on them and not the bouquet. It’s best to stick with three basic colors. With too many colors, the onlookers’ gaze will be busy with colors and they’ll miss the beauty of the flowers.
Keep the color wheel in mind. For example, if you want hot pink shades, select deep green foliage to highlight the central flowers.
4. Add texture to the bouquet
Apart from structure and colors, textures also play a big role in the beauty of a bouquet. Normally, you’d want a soft texture for your DIY wedding bouquet. Select flowers and greens with soft surfaces and rounded edges. Light colors will bring out the floral texture better.
Ferns bring a delicate touch to the arrangement. You can also add small filler florals such as waxflower to bring vibrancy to the bouquet while also adding a soft texture to it.
If you’re looking for a sleek and minimalist look, you can add smooth edges and lines. For such a bouquet, tulips would go great with bear grass around the blooms.
How to Hold Your DIY Wedding Bouquet
Now that your bouquet is ready, make sure you know how to hold it. It’s the most important moment of your life and your wedding photos should be perfect.
Hold the bouquet in front of you, slightly below the navel. Relax your hands so you have a comfortable and natural pose. Your elbows should be slightly bent and not stiff. Also, make sure that the bouquet is facing forward so all the flowers are visible.
Don’t hold the stems too low or it can lead to stability problems, especially if it’s a heavy bouquet.
If your parents are going to walk beside you down the aisle, ask them to hold onto your arms instead of you linking your arms around theirs. This way, you will be able to hold your bouquet at the right level while walking with your parents.
