A great friend of mine reached out today saying... " The fact that you made your own bouquet and centerpieces is amazing. I'm doing the same but I have no idea where to start!"
So to help this sweet bride out, this post is going to be all about my Bouquet.
Here are a few photos taken by my fabulous photographer (Photography by Lauryn) that showcase my DIY bridal bouquet.
I make a percentage of money off the affiliate links provided in this post at no additional cost to you; thank you for your support!
I chose to do fake flowers due to the fact that I wanted to start early, and by early I mean the summer of 2018 when the wedding wasn't until September 2019. Which brings me to my first tip.
Decide on what flowers to use
This applies to both real and fake flowers and is probably the hardest part of it all. You want to make sure you set your heart on flowers that will be 'in season' during your wedding. To combat this, I chose white and green flowers that really can be applied to all seasons and also match everything despite what color I chose for the bridal party/decor. So my advice, do a Google search for the types of flowers in season and start a Pinterest board to pin your favorite styles/colors. (This step might seem trivial but especially if you are starting early, you want to make sure what you decide on will still be what you like on the wedding day. I had to plan a year out, so going for something simple ensured I would still like it the day of). Take your search to Google- and simply type in "September wedding bouquet" to find some serious inspiration!
When you have an idea- head to the craft stores and look at the stems that they have. Find flowers that look similar to your favorites on Pinterest and take pictures of them. (I had a picture of the actual flower, along with the name and price of the flower). This step was crucial for me because I had NO knowledge of flowers and couldn't even begin to search for what I needed because I didn't know what that was. But leaving the craft store, I now had an idea of what type of white/green flowers I desired.
Now you've got an idea of your taste, what's next??
Well, for us, it was money. I couldn't just go out and buy the flowers without searching for the best deal. I've heard the most unexpected places are the go-tos for real flowers. Costco, Sam's, Jewel, or even your own backyard. As for the fake ones, I shopped around my classic craft stores here in Illinois; Joann Fabrics, Michaels, and Hobby Lobby. While researching, I made sure to include the store's best coupon that I could apply to my purchase (Joann: 50% 1 item or 25% off purchase, Michaels: 40% item, Hobby Lobby 40% off coupon or 50% sales). Another tip is to check Facebook marketplace for flowers! I sold all of my stems/bouquets here after the wedding and I'm sure you may be able to find some great pieces for a discounted price.
I have to say, I went BANANAS with coupons and would buy my flowers only if they were on sale or I could use a killer coupon. So it took me a couple of months to accumulate what I needed. I ordered online, used store pickup, and stopped at the craft store daily. Again, this step isn't necessary for those who have a little wiggle room in their budget (but we threw a wedding with all the bells and whistles for under 14K so it was a must for us). If you are choosing to do real flowers, I would still shop around to make sure you can find the best deal- because flowers add up quickly!
In addition to the stems, you will also need floral wire, floral tape, wire cutters, and whatever ribbon you would like to use. The ribbon can also be added later, so don't let this be a delay in getting started. Here is a link to the supplies so you can order them right from Amazon. (You can also use coupons if you buy these at your local craft store!)
Wire Cutters: https://a.co/d/bwKzOer
Floral Wire: https://a.co/d/6nTgx8Z
Floral Tape: https://a.co/d/ezTeEFD
Quick tip: Find flowers in a variety of styles so that it adds texture. I had white flowers which added to the fullness of the bouquet, but also added in baby's breath to create a variety and Eucalyptus to add some dimension. Later on, I added blueberries for a pop of color to match my bridal party.
When I finally had all the flowers, I had to figure out how to put it all together. This step requires patience and practice.
Cut the stems long so that you have room to work with and play around. Watch videos, take pictures, and redo the bouquet as many times as necessary until you find something you truly love. (Note: I have a youtube video showing just how I put together my bridal bouquet so you can see the step by step)
When you finally have an arrangement you really like, and it's all exactly how you want it to look. You will need to wrap the wire tightly around the stem to make sure it stays put. I tried to do this in one layer and as tight as possible so that my flowers didn't shift at all. I then cut the stems so they were about 1 inch longer than the wire. I then used the floral tape to cover the wire completely and made sure this was nice and flat and looked good because the last step is to wrap your ribbon around!
Again, the process of putting the bouquet together is much easier to watch than to read about, so check out my DIY Bouquet Tutorial on YouTube! It goes into depth and shows you exactly what I'm talking about!
However, this post should help you get started in the process since the actual putting together of the flowers is truly the last step... There is so much more that goes into it!
To get started, follow this list:
1. Find your inspiration
2. Decide on your flowers
3. Buy your flowers
4. Gather your supplies
5. Make your bouquet
Remember, this is your first time making a bouquet. Be patient with each step, and start early so that you have plenty of time to create something you truly love.
Always, Jess
————————————————————————
L E T ' S B E F R I E N D S!
W E B S I T E | T I K T O K | I N S T A G R A M | Y O U T U B E
