Creating a beautiful bridal bouquet doesn't need to be an arduous task that requires years of professional experience (although, that does help) to accomplish. And it is a great way to make your wedding even more special for you.
We reached out to Ellie Hsu, owner of Flower Muse, a farm-direct flower service, to get her expert advice on how to pull off a gorgeous Pinterest-worthy wedding bouquet that you might not even want to toss.
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Choose the right flowers
"If you’re a novice at floral arranging, use blooms that are easier to work with. That would include flowers that are hardier or more forgiving in designs: roses, mini calla lilies, peonies, and carnations are just some examples. Avoid flowers that are hard to care for or can be temperamental (like hellebores, poppies or dahlias).
When ordering flowers, make sure to familiarize yourself with how they arrive. Some flower types arrive in bud form, like peonies, so you’ll need a day or more to allow them to bloom before you arrange them."
Keep it simple
"Don’t try to do a replica of that complex bouquet you found on Pinterest—keep things simple! Aim for a design that is more forgiving.
Fewer flower types will be easier to arrange. You can create a beautiful bouquet with just a main focal flower and 1-2 smaller sized blooms or filler flowers and some greens. For the easiest design, go completely mono-botanical (only one flower type), like a bouquet of peonies only."
Preparation is everything
"Have everything at your fingertips ready to go so you can easily arrange your bouquet. That means flowers are prepped (foliage trimmed and thorns removed) and laid out for easy access. Make sure sharp cutting shears, floral tape/rubber band, ribbon, and pins are on hand."
Practice
"Do a practice run or two so you get comfortable arranging a bouquet. You don’t want your first time to be arranging your actual bridal bouquet.
To help keep costs down, you don’t need to buy exactly what you plan to use for your final bouquet. You can practice with similar sized or similar shaped flowers that you find in your garden or local market."
Arrange like the pros
"There isn’t a single right way to arrange a bouquet. Some designers like to create a frame with foliage or a base flower and work their way in to fill in the bouquet. Others like to start with a focal flower in the center and build out their bouquet. Find the method that works best for you. In the end, the most important thing is if you’re happy with the bouquet and not if it was arranged in a technically correct manner!
Once your bouquet is arranged and you’re trimming down the stems, make sure to leave an extra inch or two so the bouquet can sit in water without any ribbon getting wet. You can give it a final trim right before the ceremony."
Bonus tip: "Stand in front of a mirror while you arrange so you can easily see the the bouquet from multiple angles."
