How To Make a Bouquet for the Bride

Besides the wedding dress, one of the most important accessories for a bride on the day of her wedding is her bouquet. A bridal bouquet can be found in many different styles and designs. Choosing the right one is essential for properly accenting both the bride and the dress she is wearing. Whether you decide to make your own bridal bouquet or have someone make it for you, there are certain steps that should be taken to create the perfect bouquet for the bride.

The first step in making a bride's bouquet is to determine the atmosphere of the wedding. Consider the other flowers being used for decoration. Are they real or artificial? Are the decoration arrangements simple or elaborate? The bouquet of the bride should match the atmosphere of the floral decorations used in the ceremony.

Once the type of bouquet has been chosen, it is time to begin gathering materials. If the bouquet will be made from fresh-cut flowers, the preparation will not be carried out until the day of or the night before the wedding. However, silk bouquets can be made well in advance.

Bridal bouquets to match large floral decorations should be inserted and carried by a bouquet holder. These holders allow for fuller arrangements of flowers. Simple decorations require a less elaborate bouquet. Simple, yet elegant, bridal flowers of this type include long stems such as calla lilies tied together with a ribbon.

When selecting flowers for larger bouquets, consider arrangements that will not be too heavy. The bride will be nervous and exhausted enough without toting around a five pound (or more) arrangement of flowers. Live flowers tend to weigh more than silk, so keep this in mind with fresh arrangements.

Once the flowers have been chosen, cut the stems to about 2 inches from the head of some of the flowers. Leave others a longer length if a teardrop effect is desired. Insert a floral block or Styrofoam piece into the bouquet holder using hot glue. Be certain that the block is not bigger than the head of the holder.

Begin sticking the flower heads into the foam. Fresh flowers will need a pick to be secure in the holder. Start in the middle and work your way out. Try to keep balance by adding the same size or type of flower to each side. Once you reach the bottom, begin using the longer flowers and allow them to hang from the bottom of the holder. Small sprigs of baby's breath or grasses bounding from the flower arrangement also add a nice effect.

Some prefer to top off their bouquet with a ribbon. However, be certain not to let the ribbon distract from the flowers. Sheer ribbon often looks best.