Can I Do My Own Wedding Flowers?

The cost of flowers is often overlooked until it's time to budget for the wedding, and it's simple to just toss a few stems in a vase and call it a bouquet. Florists have extensive experience and years of training. If you hire a florist, they will be at the flower market when you're still asleep, they will go to great pains to locate the exact shade to match your palette, and, most crucially, they will know how to handle a flower-related issue calmly and efficiently. But if you're the type of person who thrives on a challenge and doesn't mind waking up early on the morning of their wedding, then perhaps DIY is right up your alley.

Reasonableness Comes First

Don't overestimate your abilities or the number of people who are willing and able to lend a hand. To decorate for a huge wedding, it usually requires a crew of florists working from the wee hours of the morning. If you're planning on doing it yourself, you should be realistic and not too freaked out. Time how long it takes to produce different arrangements by practising with inexpensive flowers well in advance of the big day. Don't forget that you'll require some method of transportation as well as a cool, shaded location in which to store your items. Bouquet stems should be submerged in water the night before the wedding, with enough extra so that you may trim the bouquets and attach the ribbon and other embellishments in the morning.

Make Arrangements for Aid

You'll need extra hands to help you arrange the flowers unless you're simply making simple bouquets. Schedule the planning for the day of the wedding. Don't forget to set up a prototype or two to mimic the final product and to gather any relevant images. When the last flower has been added, it's a good idea to run a quality check to make sure it fits in with the others. (Your taste in trendy centre pieces may differ slightly from Grandma's.)

Show Off Your Taste

Why not ask a friend to help you move flower arrangements from the ceremony to the reception? This not only helps keep costs down, but it also contributes to establishing a consistent tone. It's a good idea to check with the church, temple, or synagogue where the wedding will take place to see if there will be any preexisting floral arrangements that might serve as inspiration for your own floral design concept.

Lovely Colour Schemes

Avoid using only one colour, as this will result in boring pictures. For a pink party, for instance, you may experiment with blending darker and lighter tones. A colour wheel, available at no cost on the internet, might be of great use here. or make a contrast. You may use the "opposite" colours on the colour wheel to complement your primary colour. Consider the overall effect, as a touch of a clashing or complementing colour may look great and give everything a natural, modern vibe. One of our weddings had a burgundy and gold colour scheme, so we accented that with lots of oranges and pinks and green in the flowers. It wouldn't have been nearly as impressive if the blossoms were also burgundy.

Pick a pretty bottle, vase, or pot to put your flowers in.

Even while it's great to recycle and use something pretty as a table centrepiece, jam jars have become a bit of a wedding cliché. Instead, Davies and Lewis-Keane recommend utilising craft gin bottles, which may make a statement when lined up along a long table. As an alternative, you could go vintage, embrace 1920s elegance, or choose modern chic with opaque 1970s-style glass bottles topped off with a simple single stem from charity stores and boot fairs, and you would have a lovely collection of vases and crockery to display your flowers in. You may put your grandmother's prized jug or Uncle Bob's wedding gift to good use if you look hard enough.

Don't limit your ideas to the vase

Reason to rethink the necessity of arranging table flowers: They remark, "Some locations are already quite lovely and don't require fiddling with," and Davies and Lewis-Keane agree. Make your guests the centrepiece by having each wear a buttonhole during your wedding, whether it's a little gathering or a large one if you're feeling adventurous. This has the potential to be quite elegant.

A bay tree in a pot at the end of each pew may be reused as a thank-you present after the wedding, while a sprig of lavender at each place setting, a plant or succulent as a favour, or elaborately woven ivy around a bannister are all simple ways to incorporate nature into the ceremony and reception.

Prepare For Travel

Unless you have practically unrestricted access to your venue (maybe it's your house? ), you'll probably have to prepare your flowers somewhere and then carry them there. Centrepieces can't be stacked, so transporting them requires plenty of room and careful packaging. If you're worried about your centrepieces breaking if they topple over, floral foam and opaque vases are two options. The vases can be emptied of water and packed closely together to prevent damage from being caused by movement. If you can't find a vehicle or van, ask a friend or family member ahead of time if they can help you deliver the flowers.

Wedding Flower Dos and Don'ts

Don't Forget the Theme

Don't rush into buying flowers; give yourself plenty of time to consider your options. Develop a central idea. This might be based on the time of year, a certain colour scheme, or a specific aesthetic, like a vintage or rural garden. If you want to learn how to maintain flowers at their best, you may join a class in the evening.

Just because you're surrounded by beautiful flowers doesn't imply you'll have a revelation about how to arrange them into a bouquet or centrepiece. Now is the moment to look for examples of projects that seem within your skill set on the Internet; hopefully, you'll also discover tutorials for them (we have a tonne of those, too). You should also devote significant effort to learning the art of flower arranging through tutorials. Next, go to the supermarket and pick out some flowers to use as practise.

Not putting things off till the last minute

Remember to leave yourself plenty of time to track for the appropriate floral arrangements. The roses from your father's garden can be used if he gives you permission to do so. On the other hand, you'll need to visit a flower shop to acquire some blooms. Make sure you pay many visits so you can get to know the vendors and learn when they plan to sell particular items. Inquire as to what they advise for the season; after all, they are experts you can trust.

Do Opt For Rustic Charm

Homemade wedding decorations and flowers are perfect for a rustic or country theme. As table centerpieces, you might use simple jam jars stuffed with wildflowers, cornflowers, and roses. They'll have a great homemade quality to them, giving off an air of rustic charm.

Do Check Out Video Lessons on Flower Arrangement

It would be unwise to attempt formal flower arranging without prior training. Use the time leading up to the wedding to practise, watch flower arranging videos, and learn what flowers work well together not only visually but also aromatically. Looking for a Wedding Flower Shop? Look no further, Boutique Events Group has you covered. 

Embellishing the ends of the pews is encouraged.

Hand-tied garlands of flowers or even just mixed greenery may provide a beautiful touch to the ends of the seats at a church wedding. The use of holly and trailing ivy at a winter wedding will provide a touch of holiday cheer.

Avoid the urge to buy a flower arrangement.

A bouquet of flowers, or even real flowers, are not required for your flower girls. They can scatter rose petals or fake wedding flowers behind you as you walk down the aisle if you give them a simple basket filled with the goodies. In contrast, if you're feeling more daring, you may construct flower pomanders for children to carry; just be careful to practise first.

Don't Put Flowers in the Fridge

Your flowers won't survive in a standard refrigerator because the humidity and temperature are too low. Flowers will last longer if kept in a cool, shaded location.

Practice, Practice, Practice

The last piece of advice is to simply keep practising. The best way to get good at making your own wedding flowers is to practise. Determine how long it will take you to produce a table centrepiece and other decorations for the event. If the females you like are creative, ask them to help! Don't wait until the final week to get everything done and then freak out because you won't have enough time. One thing you don't want is a stressed-out bride.

Should It Be Recently Prepared?

As wedding designer Fern Godfrey of Fern Godfrey Weddings puts it, "Dried flowers and grasses are particularly on-trend right now, which is wonderful for saving money since you can dry blossoms out at home and gather them over time." Another benefit is that you may pick up the discounted roses from the florist's bucket when the day is over.

Foraged grasses, ferns, and ivy should be washed gently and dried in a cool, dark place to kill any insects that may have made a home in them. You can also go on a quest for greenery and branches to build wreaths and table arrangements; tying branches together to serve as a runner down the centre of tables will provide a spectacular effect at a low cost. There's room for embellishment, like string lights or plastic butterflies. We have compiled the ultimate list of Melbourne Wedding Flower Shops to help you select your perfect blooms.

Hydrangeas, dahlias, and peonies, and other flowers with enormous heads, are ideal for inexperienced flower arrangers since they create a bold statement right away without much effort. An alternative might be a bouquet of lavender that has been hand-tied, wrapped in florist tape, and finished with a ribbon. A flower girl might use this as a lovely basic bouquet.

What's more, all of these flowers can be easily sourced because they're common in British gardens. Think about the sentimental value of using flowers grown by your mum and dad or grandma and grandpa in your wedding bouquet. Sunflowers and gypsophila are among the easiest flowers to grow from seed, so you may grow them for your wedding if you're particularly green-thumb and well-organized.

How To Prepare Flowers at Home?

You'll need to know how to correctly prep your stems for arranging whether you purchase wholesale flowers online or pick them up from a local flower market on your wedding day. Check out these three crucial guidelines to help your flowers retain their beauty for longer.

Make a 45-degree cut in the stems.

If you trim the flower's stem, the water will be able to penetrate deeper into the bloom, helping it to retain its freshness for a longer period of time. Trim them every two or three days at an angle of 45 degrees, about an inch from the base.

Refresh The Water On A Regular Basis.

If you want your flowers to last as long as possible, be sure to keep them in clean containers or vases filled with at least 4 inches of fresh, cold water and to change the water out every few days. Every few days is a good benchmark to check on your containers and give them a thorough cleaning and refill with new water.

Please wash and strip your stems.

Take off any stems, leaves, or thorns that could get wet or fall below the vase's water level. This prevents germs from multiplying, keeping your flowers fresher for longer.

Floral Styling Advice You Can Follow at Home

After caring for your flowers, the next step is to arrange them in decorative forms such as bouquets and table arrangements. Browse these simple suggestions for creating your own arrangements! Check out our ultimate list of Wedding Flower Shops in Melbourne to help you pick the perfect arrangements. 

Apply Tape to Form a Framework

As a centrepiece, make a grid on the top of your vase or container with transparent tape. Distribute flowers evenly over the grid, then fill up empty spaces with foliage or other decorative elements.

Strike a Balance

If you want to make a single-variety bouquet more interesting, try grouping three or more of the same flower or three or more of a different flower together in the arrangement. Distribute the flowers uniformly across the vase to avoid any one section dominating the others.

Prepare Flowers for Display by Cutting Stems

Set your vase on a flat surface (a table, countertop, etc.) and bring the flowers to the desired height next to the vase to get an accurate measurement of the length of their stems. To make a simple arrangement, trim the stems to be about an inch shorter than the height of the vase. Making your own wedding flowers requires some planning around the season in which the ceremony will take place.

Think about the time of year your wedding will take place and if the flowers you choose will be available. If you don't need exotic blooms sent in from overseas out of season, not only will you be able to locate inexpensive wedding flowers more readily, but you'll also preserve your green credentials. Keep in mind that if your wedding falls on Valentine's Day or Mother's Day, you will have to spend more for your flowers.

So, if your wedding is in the spring, you may expect to see narcissi, hyacinths, and tulips in the arrangements. Flowers like dahlias and hydrangeas, as well as fruit and berry branches, are great options for an autumn wedding because of their vivid colours and the season. Still unsure? Have a look at our or wedding flowers by season guide for more information.

Conclusion

Don't think you can do as well as a professional florist since they have years of expertise and training. Have a buddy assist you transport floral arrangements from the ceremony site to the reception hall if you need some additional hands. Flowers like hydrangeas, dahlias, and peonies make a strong first impression even when arranged by a novice. You may cultivate your own wedding flowers if you want to save money. Sunflowers and gypsophila are two of the simplest flowers to grow from seed. If there is any chance that the stems, leaves, or thorns might become wet or sink below the water level in the vase, remove them. This will stop bacteria from spreading, extending the life of your flowers. You can keep your green standing if you don't have to import exotic flowers out of season.

Content Summary

• It's easy to just dump a few stems in a vase and call it a bouquet, but doing so would be grossly inefficient and would result in a disproportionately high cost.
• If you engage a florist, they will be at the flower market when you're still sleeping, they will make every effort to get the perfect shade to complement your colour scheme, and, most importantly, they will know how to manage any problems that may arise.
• Of course, if you want a good challenge and don't mind getting up early on your wedding day, then DIY can be right up your alley.
• First and Foremost, Reason In other words, you shouldn't get your hopes up about how many people will be there to help you or how well you can organise things on your own.
• A group of florists may often have to begin their day quite early in order to decorate for a large wedding.
• Be practical and not too panicked if you want to do it yourself.
• Before the big day, practise making different arrangements using cheap flowers to time how long it takes.
• The night before the ceremony, place the bouquet stems in water, making sure there is enough so that you may finish trimming the bouquets and adding any other finishing touches in the morning.
• Prepare Assistance Plans Unless you're just producing a couple of simple bouquets, you're going to need some help arranging the flowers.
• Put the preparations on the wedding day's agenda.
• Affirm Your Superior Taste By Displaying Why not ask a friend to assist you transfer flower arrangements from the ceremony to the reception?
• It's a good idea to contact the wedding venue's church, temple, or synagogue to see if there will be any existing floral arrangements that may be used as a starting point for your own floral design idea.
• Gorgeous Color Combinations Avoid creating monotonous images by only using a single hue.
• Here, a free online colour wheel could prove very useful.
• The "complementary" colours on the colour wheel, those directly across from one another, can be used to enhance your primary colour.
• We used lots of oranges, pinks, and greens to complement the burgundy and gold colour scheme at one of our weddings.
• Flower arrangement calls for a lovely bottle, vase, or container.
• Although it's admirable to reuse materials and decorate with something beautiful, jam jars have become somewhat of a wedding cliché.
• Your wedding guests will feel like the stars of the show when you give them a buttonhole to wear.
• The potential for sophistication here is high.
• Simple methods to incorporate nature into the ceremony and reception include placing a bay tree in a pot at the end of each pew; placing a sprig of lavender at each place setting; giving guests a plant or succulent as a favour; or weaving ivy intricately around a bannister.
• Travel Preparation You will likely have to prepare your flowers somewhere and then transport them to your location, unless you have almost unfettered access to your venue (maybe it's your house?).
• Whether you can't get your hands on a car or van, ask in advance if a friend or family member can assist you make the flower delivery.
• The Dos and Don'ts of Wedding Flowers Keep in Mind the Main Point Don't make a hasty decision on floral arrangements; take your time.
• Create an overarching concept.
• Join a session in the evening to discover the best practises for keeping your flower arrangements looking beautiful all year round.
• You won't suddenly have a creative epiphany regarding flower arrangement just because you're surrounded by gorgeous blooms.
• You should also make a serious effort to master the skill of flower arrangement by reading guides and watching videos.
• Following this, grab some flowers from the grocery for a little practise.
• Avoiding procrastination at the eleventh hour Do not forget to give yourself plenty of time to choose the right flower arrangements.
• However, you'll need to go to a florist if you want to get your hands on some flowers.
• Since they are the go-to authorities, it only makes sense to ask for their seasonal recommendations.
• Choose Distressed Charm DIY floral arrangements and other decorations are ideal for a wedding with a more rustic or country feel.
• Watch Some Online Flower-Arrangement Videos It is not advisable to undertake formal flower arrangement without proper instruction.
• Take advantage of the period leading up to the wedding to practise, watch flower arrangement tutorials, and research which flowers complement one another both aesthetically and aromatically.
• Those who attend are urged to decorate the final sections of the pews.
• Do not give in to the temptation of buying a flower bouquet.
• Flower girls don't need to have a bouquet, or even real flowers.
• Making your own wedding flowers is a skill that can be honed with practise.
• Find out how long it will take you to make centrepieces for the tables and the rest of the decorations.
• You should enlist the aid of the imaginative women you admire.
• Don't procrastinate until the last week and stress yourself because you won't have enough time to do everything.
• A bride who is overwhelmed with worry is not what you want.
• In addition, at the end of the day, you can go pick up the reduced flowers from the florist's bucket.
• This would make a wonderful simple bouquet for a flower girl to carry.
• Consider the memories that will be sparked by using flowers that your parents or grandparents grew into your wedding bouquet.
• If you have a green thumb and are really organised, you can cultivate your own sunflowers and gypsophila for your wedding.
• Whether you order your wholesale flowers online or pick them up at a local flower market, you'll need to know how to properly prep your stems for arranging.
• Take a look at these three essential tips if you want your flowers to look their best for as long as possible.
• The stems should be snipped at a 45-degree angle.
• To extend the life of your flowers, place them in clean vases or containers filled with at least 4 inches of fresh, cold water and replace the water every few days.
• If there is any chance that the stems, leaves, or thorns might become wet or sink below the water level in the vase, remove them.
• This will stop bacteria from spreading, extending the life of your flowers.
• Easy-to-Follow Guidelines for Creating Gorgeous Floral Arrangements at Home The next step, after tending to your flowers, is to arrange them in attractive forms like bouquets and table centrepieces.
• Check out some of these easy ideas for making your own bouquets!
• Build a structure out of tape. Create a grid with clear tape on top of any vase or container for a show-stopping focal point.
• Spread the flowers out evenly in the vase so that no one area is too dominant.
• When making a basic arrangement, cut the stems to a length that is an inch or so less than the height of the vase.
• If you want to make your own wedding flowers, you'll need to think forwards to the time of year when the event will take place.
• Take into account the season of your wedding and whether or not the flowers you want to use will be in season.
• Wedding flowers tend to be more expensive during holidays like Valentine's Day and Mother's Day, so keep that in mind.