We’ve heard it countless times, and we’re not surprised at all.  DIY brides are sending out a cry for help when it comes to picking out their artificial flowers for their wedding.  Many brides want to create something special for themselves and their wedding party; keepsakes that people would be proud to display and won’t banish to the back of the shelf or attic when they get home. (Sorry everyone, your secret is out!)

A discussion with a first-time bride or groom generally starts something like this…

“I want to make my own wedding flowers, but have no idea what the flower names are, or how to know whether they go together, or what colors to choose, or even what supplies I will need. HELP!”  We smile every time we heard those words, because we know you’re not alone. However, there’s no need for panic!  Here are some things to consider if you have the DIY spirit, but not the flower know-how:

Colors – Start there, and other things will fall into place.  Trying to decide what flowers to buy for a bouquet without knowing what your wedding colors are is like trying to buy all the paint for a room before deciding on the color scheme.  It’s difficult!

Style – Now that you know what your wedding colors are, what is your wedding style?  Do you have a theme, or are you building your wedding around a particular season?  Take a look online to gauge which styles you like.  There are round bouquets, cascading bouquets, and arm bouquets, just to mention a few.  Once you have an idea in your head of what shape and style your bouquet will have, you can go on to picking your flowers.

Flowers- Don’t worry if you don’t know the name of the flower, or if you can’t pronounce it. (When we hire new staff, the first thing we tell them is how to pronounce phalaenopsis and ranunculus – not many of us came in knowing!)  Try finding some pictures online of bouquets that look like something you want.  When you looked for style, maybe some of those bouquets had flowers that you loved.  You can match the look of the flower online at a flower site, or in a store.  It doesn’t have to be exact…lots of flowers have similar shapes.  For instance, a rose has a similar shape to a ranunculus, but they have different looks.  Both are round with multiple petal layers, but roses are a more classic choice.  Both orchids and delphiniums are tall flowers, but they have different petal structures.

Tools – Now that you’ve picked out your flowers, you’re going to need some tools to work with them. For artificial flowers, you will need a good set of wire cutters so that you can trim the stems down to size.  Stemwrap is the green tape that you will use to wrap your stems and hold them together.  You may need some hot glue to re-attach flower heads or add accents, as well.  Don’t forget your finishing touches!  Choose from ribbon, pins, bouquet wraps, raffia, or another custom choice such as a scarf or lace doily or handkerchief to finish your bouquet.

Assembly – Putting together a basic bouquet isn’t as hard as you would think!  Many places have online resources complete with how-to videos to get you going.  Take it one step at a time, and remember…this is your custom bouquet!  You can add or take away whatever you want to make this DIY project a one-of-a-kind creation that will add to the magic of your special day.

Happy Bouquet Building!

 

This expert advice from Afloral is just one example of why we love them so much!  At Afloral.com, you’ll find an amazing selection of flower choices at affordable prices, and loads of inspiration and helpful tips for DIYers.   If you’re planning a DIY wedding and you want to make your own bouquets, working with Afloral will be a great benefit to you, without breaking the budget!

Learn more about Afloral in the DIY Bride Vendor Showcase.d