Top Tips for DIY Wedding Flowers

If you are planning on doing your own wedding flowers, read these tips to help you in the right direction...

If you are planning a wedding at the moment, it is likely that you are looking at areas where you can make cost savings. Current flower styling trends such as ‘shabby chic’ and ‘the country fair’ having been featured in many magazines over the last year, have encouraged more brides to give it a go themselves.

If you have decided to take on the task of doing your wedding flowers yourself, here are some top tips to help you get started -

• Unless you or a family friend are particularly green fingered, do not try and grow flowers to be used at your wedding. Source your blooms from a reliable wholesaler or the Flower Market to ensure they are absolutely perfect for your day.
• Condition your flowers well – that means strip all the leaves off, cut the stems and let them drink for 24 hours.

• Many florists now offer a hire service for beautiful glassware and candelabra  - much cheaper than having to buy them.
• When designing your flowers, don’t forget there are likely to be 30 or more glasses surrounding the arrangement. If you want a low centrepiece, there is still a critical height that your flowers must reach to ensure your guests get the full benefit and still have impact when you walk into the room.
• Do a trial run. Set up a table at home to see how your decorations might look.
• Have a little team of helpers set up your venue on the day; you do not want to ruin your lovely manicure.
• If you are borrowing vases, make sure they are polished to perfection – there’s nothing worse than seeing dirty finger marks on glass, no matter how beautiful the flowers are.
• Whilst the styling of table decorations can be fun and quite straight forward, treat yourself to a properly designed and professionally made bouquet and buttonholes. You have probably made the most expensive dress purchase of your life and it deserves to be accessorised with a stunning bouquet that has been beautifully designed to complement the style and shape of the dress.

• Don’t forget the finishing touches – pay a visit to your local haberdashery. Personalising your vases with interesting ribbons, brooches and buttons add more personality to your flowers.
• Enrol on a wedding flower course or book a hen party to learn how to make a particular style of arrangement.

Article by Floral Designer Emma Lappin

Images Courtesy of Emma Lappin Flowers

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