Congratulations, you're getting married! Surely, this should be the most wonderful, relaxing day of your life, right? Well, unfortunately, no wedding day is without its fair share of stress and hiccups. We know that you want nothing more than a day that's as smooth as possible.
To make things easier, we've gone ahead and compiled the ultimate guide to arranging your wedding flowers, whether you choose to DIY with real flowers or artificial flowers bought from the store.
We hope you find something useful to make your day as hiccup-free as possible. Have fun crafting, Brides- and Grooms-to-Be!
How Do You Make Fake Flowers for a Wedding?
Unsurprisingly, there isn't one set way to make fake flowers, since the method depends entirely on the material you choose to make your flowers with, and which flowers you intend to make (peonies, lilies, etc.) However, there are plenty of in-depth tutorials online offering a thorough, step-by-step guide to making each type of flower. For a DIY guide to making tissue-paper flowers by type of flower, click here.
Once you've chosen the material of your flower and decided on which type of flower you're going to make, gather up all of the materials you need, find a suitable tutorial to match the material you intend to use and get to work!
How Can I Make My Own Flower Arrangements?
Arranging flowers in itself, let alone arranging flowers specifically for a wedding, can seem like a daunting task, but fear not! DIY flower centerpieces are easier to piece together than you might first think, especially if you intend to use artificial flowers (they don't wilt or die, so they can be manipulated with greater ease, and don't need to be stored in water). Below, we will explain each step of the DIY process, to ensure that you have the wedding flowers you've always dreamed of.
To see an in-depth tutorial on how to make a flower arrangement for a wedding using real flowers, click here.
To begin with, these are the DIY supplies you will need:
- Your pre-made artificial flowers (either store-bought or DIY handmade)
- Any filler flowers/leaves (store-bought)
- Floral tape
- A glue gun
- Wire cutters
- Ribbon/burlap or whatever fabric you want to wrap the stems in
Next, we will go through the method of crafting the perfect DIY wedding flowers for your perfect DIY wedding day!
When Should You Make Flower Arrangements?
Usually, when planning a wedding, you will have a strict timeline in mind, with every stage explained down to the minuscule details. With that in mind, it's crucial to have some time set aside to arrange your flowers at the right time, so to help put your mind at ease, we've come up with a rough timeline for your DIY endeavors. Here, you will learn what to do at each stage and when in relation to your day of cheerful celebration.
6 - 2 weeks Before the Wedding:
To ensure you give yourself plenty of room for mistakes, we would recommend using this four-week period to figure out and plan what arrangements you'll be using, the vision for each of them, and which flowers you want to order or make for your floral arrangements, centerpieces, and bouquets. At the two-week point schedule some time for a DIY trial run, to highlight any areas for improvements or adjustments. Whichever style of flower you intend to use (artificial or real), order some practice flowers similar to the ones you'll be using, and practice creating your DIY arrangement. Take note of where you struggle and where you flourish, then adjust for your optimal DIY style.
1 Week - 3 Days Before the Wedding:
Take this time to ensure you have everything you need, and that you've fixed all of the problems that may have arisen during the DIY trial run. Some stores might not deliver in time, and others may not have what you need in stock, so make sure you've ordered everything in good time.
If you've ordered real, wholesale flowers, you should expect to receive them at this point. Block out some time as soon as they arrive, to process them and get them looking their perkiest. We recommend scheduling at least thirty minutes to an hour to unpack and process each box of flowers received.
The Day Before the Wedding:
How Can I Make My Wedding Flowers Cheaper?
Everyone deserves to have a beautiful ceremony filled with the best flowers money can buy. However, if you're on a tight budget, you don't want to be worrying about possible sacrifices down the line. There are tonnes of ways to create the best floral-filled festivities that won't wilt your wallet. Here are just a few tips for DIY scrimping:
- If you're using real flowers, discuss your budget with your florist, and they'll most likely be able to find the best flowers to fit your budget.
- Use local, in-season flowers to guarantee the freshest blooms and cheapest stems. Or use year-round blossoms, such as roses, calla lilies, or orchids.
- Grow your own: Seed packets are widely available online or at your local garden center, and even come free with certain gardening magazines, typically costing no more than a few dollars to get a whole patch! DIY and pick them on the day of the wedding and they'll be ripe for arranging.
- Opt for blooms with a wide, bulbous head (e.g. hydrangeas, peonies, or dahlias), as this will allow either you or your florist to create a full bouquet with fewer stems, cutting the DIY costs dramatically.
Final Thoughts and Summary
Every bride or groom's big day should be stunning and elegant, but most importantly, it should be stress-free. The arrangement of your centerpieces should be the least of your worries. We hope that, by putting together this handy DIY floral arrangement guide, you can find some useful advice to make your floral pieces as beautiful and cost-effective as can be.
Now, all that's left to say is this: we hope you have fun in your DIY endeavors, and that your wedding day is as spectacular as it should be. Congratulations again!