DIY Instructions to Make Your Own Wedding Bouquets

There is something very special about doing it yourself, especially if you plan to toss it to your friends. Of course, if you aren't here are some unique bouquet toss alternative ideas in one of my newsletter backissues.

Whether you are interested in a "freshly picked" look that is more casual and earthy or if something clean and modern is more your style, you will find tips here to help you on your way.

Techniques and DIY ideas to make your own wedding bouquets:

You'll need to figure out where you will source your flowers and if you are working with a vendor, be sure that they will have what you want when your wedding is near. We knew we wanted lavendar for our wedding but in the days before we had a lot of trouble finding much at first, even from the same dealers that had tons weeks prior! Don't let that happen to you.

Here are detailed instructions for how to make your own calla lily bouquet that includes arranging photos, ribbon securing around the stems as well as storing the finished flowers.

These lavender bouquet instructions are for a fragrant and easy, earthy "just been picked" bunch with raffia ribbon. This flower is wonderful because it is affordable when in season and it dries so beautifully.

Always do a test run several weeks before your wedding. The main thing you want to discover is exactly how long the flowers will last, so you know just how far in advance you can make them. This is by far the most stressful part of working with live flowers so if you know ahead of time you will be confident that making them three days (or more or less) will be just fine.

As far as storage goes, different flowers will survive in different conditions. If it fits in your fridge then by all means, tesr that out! If not, then generally a cool, dark room will suffice. The enemy of many delicate, cut flowers is direct sunlight and heat, so avoid those as much as possible.

Here is more detailed advice on how to make your own wedding bouquets last longer. While these tips were written for centerpieces, the same rules apply. You'll find handy tip like how to deal with woody stems versus hollow flexible ones and substitutes for plant food to help keep them fresh.

If you are on a budget, be sure to pay attention to selecting flowers that are commonly in season during the time of your wedding. I've provided photos of in season spring, summer, winter and fall flowers for bouquets to give you some inspiration. Please note, those guides are for the US, obviously seasons differ in othe climates. Have fun learning to make your own wedding bouquets and don't forget to do a test run first!