How to Make a Hand Tied Wedding Bouquet

Co-authored by Ivy Summer and Sophia Latorre

Last Updated: February 7, 2023 References

You can create a beautiful wedding bouquet in a matter of minutes! You only need a few supplies and you’ll save money as well as ensure the bouquet looks exactly as you want it to. You can use one type of flower, like roses, or choose a variety. Add foliage to round out your bouquet and tie a pretty ribbon around the base.

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Selecting Flowers and Foliage

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Choose flowers that tie into your theme or wedding colors. Many flowers are available in multiple hues, so choose flowers that match or complement your wedding colors or theme.^{[1]
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Expert Source

Ivy Summer
Certified Wedding & Event Planner
Expert Interview. 29 January 2020.} You may want to choose wild flowers, like sunflowers or daisies, if your wedding will be a casual affair, or exotic flowers, like orchids or hibiscus, if your wedding will be a formal event.^{[2]
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- Look at wedding and floral magazines as well as websites like Pinterest to get ideas about the size and type of bouquet you like best.
2
Select seasonal flowers. Choosing seasonal flowers for your bouquet will save you money because they are more readily available than exotic varieties. Check your local supermarket to see what beautiful blooms they have in stock. You can also order your flowers online, if you want.^{[3]
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- Spring and summer flowers include cherry blossoms, orchids, peonies, chrysanthemum, dahlia, and gardenias.^{[4]
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- Autumn and winter flowers include Gerbera daisies, roses, sunflowers, alstroemeria, lilies, pansies, and carnations.^{[5]
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Choose flowers with long stems. You’ll need flowers with sturdy, long stems, such as roses, irises, carnations, alstroemeria, peonies, tulips, and freesia. Other great choices include calla lilies, Singapore orchids, ranunculus, sweet peas, gardenias, and lisianthus.^{[6]
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- A mixed bouquet looks best when there are three or four varieties of flowers plus foliage.
4
Pick your foliage. Adding greenery to your bouquet gives it a well-rounded, natural look. Select one kind of foliage, or pick a few to give your bouquet more variety. Suitable foliage includes camellia leaves, eucalyptus gum, box, ivy, nandina, and leather fern. You can also use Queen Anne’s Lace, cress, wheat, scented geraniums, Bells of Ireland, flax, and basil.^{[7]
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Cut the ends of the stems on a slant and give the flowers a long drink. Remove the thorns and strip off the lower foliage from the bottom half of the flower stems. Then, cut the ends of the stems at a slant and rest them in a vase or bucket filled with water. Leave them in water for about an hour before starting on your bouquet.^{[8]
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- Make sure all your flower stems are approximately the same length.

Part 2

Part 2 of 2:

Creating the Bouquet

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Make your bouquet the night before or the morning of the wedding. To keep your flowers fresh and perky, you shouldn’t make the bouquet too far in advance. If possible, arrange your bouquet the morning of the wedding before you start getting ready for the big event. Then, carefully wrap it in tissue paper and refrigerate it until you’re ready to walk down the aisle.^{[9]
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Start off with the largest flower to form the center. Pick the largest and loveliest flower to sit in the middle of the bouquet. Alternatively, choose three medium-sized flowers to form the center of your bouquet. Hold the stem or stems between the thumb and first finger on the left hand about 15-20 cm (6-8 in) from the base of the flower head.^{[10]
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Criss-cross the stems on an angle. With the right hand, add between four and six clusters of foliage evenly around and just below the flower heads to fill the spaces between them. Criss-cross the stems on an angle and turn the bouquet in your hand as you add in the foliage.^{[11]
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Continue adding flowers and foliage. Holding the bouquet in the same way as before, with the thumb facing towards you, place flowers and foliage evenly around the bouquet.
- Place each layer or level of flowers slightly below the previous one to achieve a rounded effect.
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Secure all the stems together. Wind string or floral tape firmly around the stems several times, about 5.1 cm (2 in) lower than the flowers to keep everything in place. Then, cut the string or tape and tuck the end in.^{[12]
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Cut the ends off the flower and foliage stems. For a neat appearance, cut the stems so they are about 15-20 cm (6-8 in) long and all the same level.^{[13]
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Spray the bouquet with water. To keep your flowers and foliage fresh, spray the bouquet lightly with water.^{[14]
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Tie a ribbon around the bouquet. Finish off the bouquet by tying a piece of wide ribbon around the bouquet to cover the string. You can also wrap a thin ribbon around the bouquet several times. Tie the ribbon in a pretty bow with long tails, or secure it with a pin.^{[15]
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Community Q&A

Question

What's the best way to dry the stems before they are carried so they don't drip?

Community Answer

Wrap the stems in a towel and let the bouquets sit for about 2 minutes before the wedding.
Question

How many stems are needed on average when using all roses in a hand tied bouquet? I am going to be using artificial foam flowers.

Community Answer

I would say about 6 to 7, depending on how big the foam roses actually are.
Question

How do left handed people tie a bouquet?

Community Answer

Use the opposite of the directions given here. For example, if it says to hold the bouquet in your left hand, hold it in your right.