Creating a bridesmaid bouquet can be a rewarding and enjoyable experience. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you make a beautiful and professional-looking bridesmaid bouquet:
Materials Needed
- Fresh flowers (a mix of focal flowers, filler flowers, and greenery)
- Floral tape
- Foral wire
- Ribbon or lace
- Scissors or floral shears
- Flower food
- Vase or bucket with water
Step-by-Step Instructions
One of the most compelling reasons couples choose to DIY their wedding flowers is the potential for significant cost savings. Professional floral arrangements can be expensive, with costs running into thousands of dollars depending on the scale and complexity of the design. By opting to create your own arrangements, you can often cut these costs by half. This is primarily because:
- Select and Prepare Your Flowers
Choose a variety of flowers that match the wedding color scheme and theme. Common choices include roses, peonies, lilies, and hydrangeas.
Include filler flowers like baby’s breath or astilbe and greenery like eucalyptus or ferns.
Remove any damaged petals and excess leaves from the stems. - Condition Your Flowers
Trim the stems at an angle under running water to prevent air bubbles.
Place the flowers in a bucket of water with flower food and let them hydrate for a few hours or overnight. - Organize Your Workspace
Clear a large, flat surface and gather all your tools and materials.
Have your vase or bucket of conditioned flowers within reach. - Start Building the Bouquet
Choose a variety of flowers that match the wedding color scheme and theme. Common choices include roses, peonies, lilies, and hydrangeas.
Include filler flowers like baby’s breath or astilbe and greenery like eucalyptus or ferns.
Remove any damaged petals and excess leaves from the stems. - Secure the Stems
Once you’re satisfied with the shape and fullness of the bouquet, wrap the stems tightly with floral tape just below the flower heads. This keeps the bouquet in place. - Refine the Shape
Continue adding flowers, fillers, and greenery as needed, adjusting the bouquet for balance and symmetry.
Trim the stems so they are even at the bottom, leaving about 6-8 inches of stem. - Wrap the Stems
Cut a piece of floral wire and use it to secure any particularly stubborn or heavy stems.
Wrap the stems with floral tape again to ensure everything is secure. - Add the Ribbon
Cut a length of ribbon or lace long enough to wrap around the stems several times.
Start at the top where the floral tape begins, wrap the ribbon tightly around the stems, and secure it with a straight pin pushed through the ribbon and into the stems. - Final Touches
Inspect the bouquet for any gaps and add more flowers or greenery if needed.
Mist the bouquet lightly with water to keep it fresh.
Store the bouquet in a cool, dark place or in a vase with a small amount of water until it’s time for the ceremony.
By following these steps, you’ll be able to create a beautiful and personalized bridesmaid bouquet that complements the wedding perfectly.
Tips for Success
- Choose flowers that will stay fresh throughout the day. Some flowers are more resilient than others, so research which types are best for your bouquet.
- Work quickly but carefully. Fresh flowers can wilt if left out of water for too long, so try to assemble the bouquet efficiently.
- Practice beforehand. If you’re not confident in your skills, try making a practice bouquet or two to get the hang of it.
Buy your flowers in bulk. We offer the convenience of purchasing bulk flowers to simplify the process of creating your own wedding bouquets.
