Adding a bouquet to your wedding ensemble is your chance to make a statement, a personal imprint that everyone will witness as you gracefully glide down the aisle. Now, if you’re searching for a budget-friendly bouquet option, fear not. Whether you’re a seasoned crafter or just dipping your toes into the DIY waters, there’s a stellar option for you: the DIY wedding bouquet.
Crafting your bouquet might sound like a bold move. Still, with a dash of creativity, a handful of simple materials, and a sprinkle of guidance, you’ll craft a stunning, custom arrangement that perfectly complements your big day. Plus, we’ll share a guide on how to make a simple bridal bouquet.
Supplies for a DIY Wedding Bouquet
Creating a simple yet Insta-worthy bridal bouquet requires just a few essentials:
- Flowers
- Greenery
- Zip ties
- Shears
- Ribbon
Zip ties are sturdy and user-friendly. But if you want alternatives, rubber bands or waterproof floral tape can step in. Just a heads-up: keep a couple of spare zip ties nearby. Sometimes, in the heat of creativity, you might tighten a bit too much or decide to add more blooms, and those extra zip ties will be your bouquet-saving sidekick.
How Do You Make a Simple DIY Bridal Bouquet?
With a dash of creativity and proper guidance, you’ll walk down the aisle with a personalized floral masterpiece. Crafting a stunning bouquet doesn’t have to be as challenging as editing your Instagram caption after it’s posted or getting through a Monday morning without coffee with these easy steps.
Step #1: Prep Your Blooms
Upon receiving your flowers, carefully select the finest blooms for your bridal bouquet. You can even designate a special area for these, complete with a label, ensuring they are exclusively reserved for this floral arrangement.
For delicate flowers, keep them apart and place them in their dedicated vase. Ensure your precious blossoms stay hydrated and fresh by keeping them in a cool area with ample water. If necessary, trim longer stems slightly to prevent them from draping over a tall container.
Step #2: Hydrate Your Flowers
Allow an extra day for your bouquet flowers to unfurl and showcase their absolute best. On day 2, conduct a water check. Ensure it remains crystal clear and the vessel is brimming, allowing all elements to stay adequately hydrated. Look for any signs of flowers being compressed or drooping over the bucket’s edge, ensuring each bloom retains its pristine form.
Step #3: Cut the Leaves and Thorns
If you haven’t tackled this step during your initial flower preparations, now’s the time to do it. Trim off all the leaves and thorns from roses and any other leafy flowers. You can leave on the leaves closest to the blooms if they look pristine.
For most greenery, you’ll find a main stem with several smaller stems branching off. These lower branches can be a hindrance when adding your zip tie and ribbon, making the stems appear less polished. So, snip them away for a sleek and tidy look.
Step #4: Start with Your Greenery
Grab two pieces of greenery and lay them on the table in an “X” shape for an effortlessly organic vibe.
Starting flat on the table helps you craft a sleek one-sided design and makes it super easy to hold against your body. No cramping hands, plus you can casually strut away if needed. Cross those branches around where the leaves kick in, creating a clean handle with the stems beneath the cross.
Step #5: Add More Greenery
Toss in more greenery pieces until you vibe with that solid base—no need to throw it all in at once. Keep a couple of pieces to add to the flowers later, giving your design a dispersed and laid-back feel.
Pro tip: Mix in 2-4 varieties of greenery for some texture and color game. Don’t stress if the front pieces hang a tad lower than the back ones as it adds that effortless touch.
Step #6: Incorporate Large Blooms
As you add bigger volume flowers like mums, cremones, carnations, and roses, stick to the “X” shape to maintain an organic vibe. The cross point of the X is the perfect spot for your zip tie, making it a breeze.
You can play with heights by allowing some stems to be higher than others. Also, you can cluster a few of the same flower type for a bold “colour block” effect or spread them out evenly for that harmonious look.
Step #7: Introduce Your Small Filler Blooms
For an extra charm, add your smaller filler flowers, such as cushion poms, mini carnations, thistles, or spray roses. They might be little, but they’re space-fillers with a statement. Don’t feel pressured to toss them all in at once. You can keep a couple for the grand finale.
Step #8: Fill in the Gaps for Extra Texture
To enhance your overall design, incorporate texture items like thistle, berries, Queen Anne’s lace, and wax flowers. You’ll witness the arrangement taking shape as you fill in the gaps.
You can lift the stems of the filler flowers to create a layered effect behind the initial stems. Also, adjust the height and position as necessary, ensuring that all elements are visibly showcased.
Step #9: Add Some Accent Blooms
Accent flowers such as ranunculus, scabiosa, lisianthus, etc., are generally smaller and more delicate, so you can reserve them for the final touches to avoid any potential flattening. Although added last, they can be placed at a different forefront.
Similar to adding texture, lift the other stems to position these flowers further back in the design. Placing longer-stemmed items at the rear of the arrangement will make the process smoother.
Step #10: Add Your Remaining Blooms
Incorporate any remaining items you desire, addressing any gaps in the arrangement. Now is the time to introduce additional filler or texture items to the front of the bouquet to ensure a well-balanced design.
A quick tip: Intersperse some more greenery between the flowers, being mindful of the delicate ones.
Step #11: Add the Zip Tie
Gently secure the zip tie while your bouquet is still resting on the table. Ensure it is tightened appropriately to prevent stems from slipping through when lifted, yet loose enough to allow easy adjustment of the stems up and down.
If the zip tie is too tight initially, cut it off and replace it with a new one. Once the zip tie is appropriately secured, lift the bouquet.
Step #12: Make Necessary Adjustments
While holding your arrangement, assess its appearance. Expect slight shifts, and carefully adjust the flowers until they achieve a pleasing arrangement. Ensure not to detach blooms from their stems accidentally.
If necessary, locate the bottom of the stem and adjust by pushing or pulling. Spinning the stem occasionally helps if it’s reluctant to align straight up or down.
Step #13: Tighten the Zip Tie
Once you’ve achieved the desired arrangement, tighten the zip tie completely. You can ask for a friend’s assistance if needed, allowing you to keep both hands on the flowers. If you incorporate additional flowers while making adjustments, use another zip tie to secure them in place.
If the initial zip tie is obstructive, cut it off, ensuring not to cut the new zip tie. Then, ensure that all stems are enclosed within the zip tie, providing a secure feel.
Step #14: Cut the Stems
Opt for shorter stems in your bouquet. This ensures that the attention is drawn to the blooms, and it’s more manageable to hold the bouquet with a slight outward angle when the stems are shorter.
Do you prefer longer stems? That’s perfectly fine, and you can give them a gentle trim to ensure uniformity. Additionally, a trim will aid in better hydration since they’ve been without water for a while. Immediately place the stems in a vase of water to promote freshness.
Step #15: Store Your Bridal Bouquet
Gently submerge your bouquet into a vase filled with water, ensuring that all stems are completely immersed. You can adjust the water level by adding more water or trimming the longest stems slightly, submerging the shorter stems. Then, store the vase in a cool location to prevent tipping and maintain the freshness of your bouquet.
Step #16: Dry and Tie Your Bouquet
You can tie a ribbon to your bouquet until the wedding day to keep it clean and dry. But you can also add the ribbon immediately after completing the bouquet.
In this step, ensure the stems are dried with a towel before wrapping your bouquet with a 1”-1.5” wide ribbon. You can let the ribbon drape. Alternatively, wrap it around the handle, securing it with pins. Regardless, make sure to cover the zip tie for a polished finish.
How Do You Wrap a Bridal Bouquet?
Pick the one that vibes with your style when wrapping up your bouquet.
- Opt for a tied knot with ribbon draping for that whimsical or bohemian flair.
- If you’re feeling romantic and feminine, a tidy bow is the way to go.
- For a touch of classic elegance, snag a shorter piece of ribbon and give those stems a snug wrap.
Crafting your own bridal bouquet is a creative DIY project that reflects your taste, personality, and the love you’re celebrating. With many bouquet styles at your fingertips, relish the opportunity to showcase your individuality.
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