If you’re planning your wedding, the process of creating the perfect day can feel overwhelming. When it comes to décor and accessories, your bouquet is one of the most important components of your look. Whether you need to wed on a budget or you’re looking for ways to get creative, this guide explores how you can make your wedding bouquet DIY-style to save money, love it, and increase its sentimental value.
Getting Started
Once you’ve determined that a DIY wedding bouquet is a way to go, you’ll want to choose your favorite colors. While traditional weddings typically use white flowers, there’s no rule that says you can’t get creative when picking out your color scheme. Whether it’s soft pastels in pink and blue or autumnal colors like red and gold, have fun choosing a variety of hues to include in your bouquet. Consider the time of year you’re getting married when you choose the flowers. Certain types of flowers may not be in season when you plan to get married. Look at your location, climate, and the time of year to help you determine which fresh flowers will be available.
After you decide on a color palette and flower types, it’s time to decide on a design. Wedding bouquets can be a simple bunch of flowers tied with a ribbon, or they can be intricate and complex. Research a few wedding blogs and photos for inspiration. If you have a theme in mind, look for bouquet designs that will work around it for a cohesive look. Keep in mind that you’ll want the stems of your flowers to be long enough so that you’ll have something to hold onto when you walk down the aisle.
Features to Include
A luscious arrangement of fresh flowers is always beautiful, but there are a few other features you can include in your DIY wedding bouquet. Wrap the base of your bouquet in a wide ribbon to add a feminine touch. Include other plants like trailing ferns, fresh eucalyptus, or baby’s breath to give your bouquet a bit of depth and diversity. For a really fun touch, insert a long stick pin with a pearl on top into the largest flowers to give your bouquet a romantic, vintage vibe. Make sure your bouquet is securely in place and has enough room at the end for you to hold onto it. A comfortable material around the underside will make it much more pleasant to hold onto throughout the ceremony. Don’t forget to make a smaller version of your bouquet if you’re planning to do a bouquet toss later.
The Benefits of Making Your Own Bouquet
A professionally designed bouquet from a florist is certainly a beautiful sight to behold. However, there are lots of great benefits to making your own DIY wedding bouquet, including:
Price: It’s much less costly to procure your own flowers, ribbon, and other accessories to make your bouquet. On average, a professionally made bouquet can cost anywhere between $100 to $150 and bridesmaid’s arrangements can run you between $50 and $90 on average. Making it yourself could cut these prices by around half.
Creativity: When you make your own bouquet, you’re able to put your own creative spin on it. In addition, your flowers will be one of a kind which means your bouquet is a complete original. Doing this DIY project also allows you to put some of your own personality into it, which makes for a memorable day and unforgettable photographs.
Bridesmaid bouquet options: If you plan to make DIY bouquets for your bridesmaids, it’s the perfect opportunity to have some fun. Gather your best gals together and spend an afternoon creating your custom DIY bouquets together.
Happiness: Making something for your wedding is a great way to relieve some stress. When you create your bouquet yourself, it gives you the feeling of having some control over the planning process. Sitting down and working with your hands gives you something to focus on. You’ll also feel great knowing that you created such an important part of your wedding yourself.
Materials to Use & DIY Ideas
You’re not confined to using fresh flowers only when it comes to making your DIY bouquet. In fact, there are tons of unique ideas out there that don’t require using flowers at all! If you consider yourself pretty crafty, explore a few unique DIY projects you can try. This will also give you extra time to plan in case you were going to work your bouquet-building around whatever flowers are in season. No matter what you decide, you’ll definitely need a few key items to get started. First, a good, sharp pair of scissors will be needed to cut ribbon, stems, or other items. A glue gun makes it easy to attach your flower designs together. Designate a separate workspace in your home so you can spread out and take your time creating your bouquet. Make sure you use a sturdy table and cover it with a tablecloth to prevent damage.
Here are some ideas for bouquet materials you can try if you don’t want to make it out of real flowers:
Felt: Craft a gorgeous bouquet made entirely of handmade felt flowers. The beauty of this design is that you can find felt in a rainbow of fun, playful colors.
Vintage Brooches: A trend in DIY bridal bouquets is one created completely from sparkling vintage brooches. This is an incredibly unique option and hunting for the brooches makes the process lots of fun, too. Scour local thrift stores and ask friends and family for donated brooches, and you’ll have a visually stunning bouquet that also photographs incredibly well. Then make sure to get that perfect #weddinghashtag to share your bouquet!
Paper: Yes, you can even make a custom bouquet from the paper if you choose. Try your hand at making a few practice flowers before you put the final product together. Your paper should be thick and durable so that when you fold it, the flowers hold their shape.
Artificial flowers: If you adore the look of fresh flowers but prefer to stick to a budget, artificial flowers are a great alternative. Today’s faux flowers look more realistic than ever and they come in everything from classic roses to trendy succulents. The best part? Your bouquet will last forever if you choose to create it with artificial blooms.
Décor and Inspiration
Creating your own wedding bouquet can give your special day a unique, custom touch. Don’t just limit yourself to the flowers in your bouquet. You can also create customized DIY floral table arrangements and boutonnières for the guys, too. Make sure you give yourself enough time to plan out your floral arrangements, such as including a wedding arch as well. Pick out your favorite color palette and then work around it by deciding what project you plan to do. Here are a few other inspirational ideas to try with your custom flowers:
Attach some of your handmade flowers to a metal ring for beautiful, modern hoop wreaths that bring delightful décor to any venue.
If you’re making paper flowers, create some garland you can attach to a staircase or use as an arch over a doorway.
Use a special floral foam (you can find it at most craft stores) and insert your DIY flowers in spheres, wreaths, and other shapes. Place them on tables or in vases so you have a cohesive theme that coordinates with your bouquet.
Depending on your theme, create flowers and custom bouquets that match. For example, an autumn wedding can include jewel tones and lush greenery, while a vintage-inspired ceremony is enhanced with brooch bouquets where you can add some loose pearls to give your bouquet that little extra.
Choose charming containers for your DIY flowers. If you’re aiming for a rustic wedding, place flowers in clear Mason jars or wooden trays. Buds nestled in vintage teacups add tons of charm to romantic wedding receptions.
Wrap battery-powered fairy lights around floral décor to create a warm illumination. These tiny lights are also charming when nestled inside clear vases as part of your tabletop floral décor.
Wall pocket vases or baskets make fantastic décor when filed with flowers. Hang them in your reception hall to add a pop of color and romance to your wedding.
Sentimental Value
Perhaps the most important part of making a DIY wedding bouquet is the sentimental value it will hold. Fresh flowers are certainly beautiful, but they won’t last forever. If you make something from paper, felt, faux flowers, or brooches, you can preserve and hang onto your custom bouquet for life. Not only does the ability to preserve your bouquet make it sentimental, but it will also mean more to you knowing that you made it yourself with your ideas and precious time. Consider giving your bridesmaids DIY bouquets as well. It’s the perfect way to say thank you, and it’s something they will cherish and hang onto forever. Also, a way to preserve your wedding bouquet would be by taking some artistic photographs, consider a photography shop to have this done.
If you’re planning a wedding on a budget, a DIY bouquet is a great start. Get creative, and remember to have fun while crafting the bouquet of your dreams. With time and patience, you’ll create something that will be cherished for years to come.
