Heirloom Ribbon Bouquet

There are four main expenses in any wedding: facility, food, photo, and flowers. In keeping a modest budget, we were able to save money and have a creative keepsake that would last for years to come. Who knows, our children may one day walk down the isle with the bouquet (if it's “cool” then). You will be able to use this for your bridal portraits if you like and will have the confidence it will be exactly what you want providing less stress before the wedding day.

In this instructable, you will learn how to make a ribbon rose and arrange it into a wedding bouquet. This can be tweaked to be used for boutonnieres, corsages, hair accents, toss bouquet, bride's maids bouquets, and even table decorations if you have the time.

Step 1 Materials needed

Materials for the bouquet are as follows:

1)  Ribbon for main flower at least 1 inch wide or larger (I used 1.5 in)
2)  Ribbon for accent flower at least 1 inch wide
3)  Decorative beads
4)  Feathers
5)  Needle and Thread
6)  Heavy gauge floral wire (I used the kind that is wraped in green string- prevents sliding)
7)  Thin floral wire
8)  Floral tape (I used green but brown and ivory/white are also available)
9)  Fabric for stem/handle (I used the scrap from my wedding dress re-hemming)
10)  Scissors

Comments

[ibebooty]

hi! just wondering how many big flowers your used for your bouquet? was it a pretty decent size or small or big? thanks!

[mb.marcie]

I probably used about 20-ish roses and then a few smaller carns for filler. You can see in the second picture that there are hair spray cans next to it and it is resting in a drinking glass, so no, it wasn't very big in my opinion. :) Hope that helps.

[ibebooty]

can you give a little more information on how you folded the 'fans'? i can't tell from the pics and i am having a very difficult time with this step. however, i was able to make the bigger flowers pretty easily! thanks!!

[mb.marcie]

hmmm, you sort of have to make this up. But after the first 2 folds you just fold the ribbon accordion style as if you were making a paper fan- as you go you kind of rotate gathering it all up in your other hand to hold it. Does that make sense? There is no exact science so what ever works for you! :) This might help too, I used this book as a starting point to learn how to make the flowers and then created the flowers the way it was easiest for me.
http://www.amazon.com/Secrets-Fashioning-Ribbon-Flowers-Helen/dp/0873415620/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1326979674&sr=8-2

[Alekea]

Your bouquet is lovely!! However, I'm having trouble getting the flower to be a flower - it unravels when I take the top end of the ribbon & pull it through the square opening. Any advice? Thanks.

[mb.marcie]

That part is tricky. In the picture I look like I am freely pulling it through but I always hold things as I am pulling the ribbon through. Don't forget to twist in the same direction that you were adding the ribbon, this helps hold the form too. The ribbon is slippery so don't let go all the way ever! :) Hope that helps, let me know if I did not answer your question. :)

[prose3]

Your husband is a lucky guy. It makes me sick to see people going in debt and freaking out over a wedding. It should be fun and within your means.
Congratulations

[fallnlog]

I am so impressed by you wedding DIY skills, I am a DIY bride myself and this is just amazing! Congrats!

[dotty86]

WOW! your whole wedding is really beautiful!

[thirdconspiracy]

They really did look good at our wedding! They looked real unless you were really looking. My wife is amazing! :)

[krysteanuh]

These roses are so cute!! Granted, I'm not going to be married for quite a while, but there are many other places where I could use this 'ible. Thank you so much for sharing! :D