How To Make A DIY Wedding Bouquet In 6 Easy Steps

After months of wedding cancellations and postponements due to COVID-19, many couples are finally getting the chance to say their long-awaited “I do’s.” And while the pandemic may have forced some couples to cut back on nuptial costs, it’s still possible to plan the wedding you’ve always imagined.

One great way to put your stamp on your special day is to create your very own DIY wedding bouquet. Making your own bouquet is not only fun, it also allows you to customize and make it unique to you by incorporating the flowers, colors and ribbon you love.

Looking to design your own bridal bouquet but not sure where to begin? FTD Flowers, a leader in the floral industry for over a century, offers professional florist tips every step of the way. If you decide you’d rather purchase your wedding flowers, FTD Flowers offers a beautiful variety of bouquets and arrangements. Plus, Patch readers get 15 percent off retail price! The discount is automatically applied at checkout.

1. Gather Your Materials

The first thing you’ll want to do is make sure you have all the necessary tools and materials to craft your own bouquet. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Flowers: This is an obvious one, but you’ll want to pick out your favorite flowers to use for the bouquet.
• Scissors: These will help you cut and clean up the stems as you create the bouquet handle.
• Floral tape: This will help hold your bouquet in place after you’ve arranged the flowers.
• Decorative ribbon: Placing decorative ribbon around your bouquet will give your bouquet a unique and special touch.

2. Pick Your Flowers

The best flowers to choose for your bridal bouquet are those that are in season. They will be the freshest, and they’re typically cheaper since you won’t need to have them transported from another destination. Depending on the type of bouquet you want, you should start by using greenery, primary flowers and secondary flowers for your arrangement.

To avoid any last-minute stress, it’s best to order your flowers about two months before your event to make sure the flowers you want are in stock. Then, schedule your delivery or pickup two to three days before the wedding. It’s also recommended that you order more flowers than you might need in case you make any mistakes along the way.

Florist tip: Buy your flowers a week before your event if they’re in a tight bud, such as freesia or lilies — they need time to open up so they look their best!

3. Prepare Your Flowers

Once you have your materials together and your flowers picked out, you’re ready to get started. First, you’ll want to make sure any extra foliage has been taken off the stem. Next, cut off all the leaves at the part of the stem where you’ll be tying the bouquet together.

Florist tip: Consider setting up a mirror in front of your workstation so you can get a better idea of how the bouquet will look in the eyes of others.

4. Arrange Your Flowers

After you’re done prepping your florals, the next step is arranging your bouquet. Choose two to four flowers to use as your focal point or the base of your bouquet. Continuously turn the bouquet and add more stems to the arrangement until you’ve reached your desired size. To give the bouquet a little more dimension, you can add in sprigs of greenery and your secondary flowers.

Since you’re likely arranging the flowers a few days prior to the wedding, you’ll want to leave about 5 inches of exposed stem so you can place the bouquet in water.

Florist tip: As you add more stems to your bouquet, make sure they’re placed in the same direction so that you create a spiral effect.

5. Secure Your Bouquet

Now that you’ve arranged your flowers to fashion your unique bouquet, you want to ensure that everything stays in place. Tightly secure the stems just below the blooms with your floral tape and give your bouquet the extra support it needs before adding the finishing touches. You may need to cut any excess stem from the bottom of your bouquet depending on your length preference.

To keep the bouquet fresh, place it in a vase with fresh water. Your bouquet will be all ready to go on your wedding day and look just like it did when you first bought the flowers.

Florist tip: Before your event, avoid storing your bouquet in direct sunlight — this will cause the petals to wilt. Instead, store in a cool and dark space such as a refrigerator.

6. Decorate Your Bouquet Handle

Now it’s time for the fun part! On the big day, personalize your bouquet with a decorative ribbon of your choice. Make sure you wrap the ribbon completely around the bouquet so the floral tape beneath is completely hidden. You can either simply tie the ribbon around the bouquet, or you can hot-glue the ribbon in place.

Florist tip: Make sure your decorative ribbon is parallel with the floral tape.

Whether you’re looking for some unique flowers to add to your bouquet, a bridal bouquet crafted by an expert or a wedding gift for newlyweds, FTD has a wide selection of wedding flowers to celebrate the most beautiful and heartwarming of occasions in life.

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