It was September when my husband and I were married in 2002. Although it was a beautiful time of the year, it was also prime hay fever season. For me, hay fever season means staying away from weeds and flowers. One sniff of plants or flowers and I am sneezing, itching and experiencing watery eyes.

So, what is a bride-to-be to do when she wants beautiful flowers at her wedding, but can’t stand the smell of them or she’ll be sneezing all the way through the “I do’s?” Well, my answer was to find some beautiful artificial flowers and enlist the help of family members to have a do-it-yourself flower making occasion.

With the help of my grandma, great-aunt and my mom, we were able to design the perfect flowers for the special occasion. We used baby’s breath, deep purple flowers that matched the bridesmaid dresses, beads and beautiful white ribbon on the bouquet handles. The flowers turned out to be exactly what I wanted. The beauty of working with family members on this project is that we also built in some bonding time and the price was cost-effective, too!

Many of our guests were impressed with the gorgeous flowers and asked where we got them and who designed them. It was priceless for us to say that we had done everything ourselves; more importantly, it was a wonderful way to spend time with the women in my family.

Now, if you are interested in creating your own flower bouquet for a special occasion, we have provided you with some simple directions below, courtesy of Finishing Touch Floral and Design, www.FinishingTouchFloralAndDesign.com and Silk Flower Diva, www.SilkFlowerDiva.com. These instructions, along with many others, will be featured in an upcoming eBook titled, “Insider Secrets to Creating the Wedding Flowers of Your Dreams.” Check out the information below and be creative!

Step 1: Starting with your largest flower, hold the stem just beneath the base of the flower head, between your thumb and index finger.

Step 2: With your other hand, one at a time, add 4 more flowers of the same type around the first large flower.  Secure stems by wrapping with floral tape.

Step 3: Next, hold the cluster of flowers you just taped together in one hand.  One at a time, add approximately 6 more flowers (of the same type) slightly underneath and tucked in and around the cluster.  You may need to bend the flower heads slightly, shaping the bouquet as you go.  When you’re satisfied with the look, secure all stems by wrapping them with floral tape.

Step 4: Next, you’ll add the accent flowers.  Holding your bouquet in one hand, and a flower stem in the other, insert an accent flower into any “empty” area, tucking it in between your larger flowers.  Repeat this for each accent flower.

Step 5: Add a different accent flower by pushing the stem through the top of your bouquet, in the area you want it placed.  Locate the stem underneath and pull it through, tucking the blossom within the other flowers.  Continue filling in the rest of the bouquet until you’re satisfied with the look.  Keeping a good grip on your stems, secure them with floral tape once again. 

Step 6: Using a wire cutters, cut the bouquet stems to the desired length, making sure the ends are even.

Step 7: Secure with floral tape for the last time.

Step 8: Embellish with a decorative stem wrap 

Posted by Heather, a Dot-arilla Blogger