How To: Make a Bridal Bouquet That’ll Last Forever

Why hello there, wedding season! If you’re currently planning or have planned a wedding before, you know that there are a million little details to consider. Centerpieces, wedding favors, planning a menu that is considerate of everyone’s dietary needs, seating arrangements that keep peace in the family – the list could go on forever. Flowers are a huge part of weddings, but fresh flowers generally need to be picked up day of, adding to your already huge to-do list. If you’re DIY-ing your upcoming nuptials, making a faux bouquet ahead of time can help you tackle your checklist in a timely fashion. Plus you’ll be able to keep the bouquet forever as a memento of the special occasion.            

If you’ve never worked with crepe paper before, you’re missing out because crepe paper is awesome! What makes it different from other types of paper is that it has some “give” to it. If you tug on it, it expands – which is perfect for creating organic shapes like flowers. Pay attention as you cut your petals, as the paper only stretches one direction.  

Materials

 

• Crepe paper in various shades
• Floral wire stems
• Scissors
• Floral tape
• Ribbon (1/2 to 1 inch width)
• A large pin
• Wire cutters (not pictured)

Peonies

Begin with two shades of crepe paper – I’m using light pink and peach. Cut petal shapes from the crepe paper, with the give/pull of the crepe paper running horizontally across the petals. Next, gently pull at the petals, giving them an organically curved shape. 

For the stem, take a small piece of crepe paper and wrap it around the tip of a floral wire. If you are having difficulty holding this small piece of paper in place as you continue to the next step, you can wrap a bit of floral tape around to hold it in place. 

Gather your petals and begin wrapping them around the stem – darker hues in the middle. Alternate between wrapping the petals and bunching them around the stem. You can add them with the curved-side facing inwards or away from the stem. 

Wrap floral tape snuggly around the base of the petals, then continue wrapping the tape down the stem, and trim.

Carnations

Start with a long streamer of crepe paper, with the flexibility of the paper running across the length of the streamer. Fold the paper in halves until you have a small section to work with. Next, cut slits into the paper, then round out the cut slits. Gently tug at these rows of petals to curve them slightly. 

For the stem, take a small piece of crepe paper and wrap it around the end of a piece of floral wire as with the peony.

Wrap the cut crepe paper around the floral wire, with the curved-side of the petals facing inward. Secure the petals with floral tape. Pull the petals apart gently until you’re happy with the shape.

Roses

For this faux flower, we’ll also be adding leaves around the base. Begin by cutting leafy shapes from green crepe paper, and shaping them gently (much like the petals cut for the peony). 

For the stem, gather a small ball of crepe paper, and wad it up. Next, wrap the wad in a square of crepe paper, place it on the end of a floral wire, and secure in place with floral tape.

Cut petals from two hues of crepe paper (I’m using magenta and fuschia), this time giving the petals a rounder shape. Gently pull on them to create a slight curve.

Surround the floral stem with petals, curved-side of the petals facing inwards. Secure with floral tape. 

Add a few leaves to the base of the flower as you did the petals, with the curved-side facing either direction. As you wrap the floral tape down the stem, wrap in some additional leaves.  

Greenery

A good bouquet has a mix of flowers and foliage, so don’t forget to make a few leafy stems. Experiment with differently-shaped leaves, cutting them in a jagged manner or bunching them up at the base. Use more than one shade of green to give variety to your bouquet.

Making the Bouquet

Gather all your flowers in a bunch, and wrap a piece of floral wire around the stems. 

Next, wrap the stems in ribbon, starting from the top. Once you’ve reached the bottom, wrap back up. Cut the ribbon, fold the end inward to hide the cut edge, and secure with a long pin (alternatively, you could also use hot glue to secure the ribbon in place).

Trim any uneven stems at the bottom with wire cutters. 

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If you’re set on a real bouquet, but want to encorporate crepe paper flowers into other aspects of your wedding day, you can put them in centerpieces, use them in bridesmaids’ bouquets, or add them to boutonnieres.