There’s something so wonderful about a fresh flower bouquet. Whether you’re surprising your roommate, significant other, decorating your room for spring, or you just have an itch to create, flowers have a way of immediately elevating your mood. The best news? You don’t need to go to (or be) a professional florist to create a bouquet that looks right out of a magazine.
Here’s your step-by-step guide to making the perfect flower bouquet for any occasion!
- Pick Your Color Scheme
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My favorite place to buy individual types of flowers for my bouquets is Trader Joe’s. There are always huge collections of every type that fluctuate with the seasons. Before I step inside the store, I always figure out which colors I like. Choosing a palette keeps your bouquet cohesive and well-rounded.
A few go-tos that I love are: blues, whites, and greens; yellow, orange, and peach; white, green, and purple; pink, purple, and blue; and red, white, and pink.
Sticking to two to four main colors will help you keep an intentional mindset when choosing specific flowers!
- Choose Your Flowers
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When creating your bouquet, the first step in choosing flowers is always to find a “favorite” that will catch your eye, and you can build around. The first flowers I chose were beautiful purple calla lilies.
I decided from then to pick a color scheme that included purples, whites, and greens. I immediately looked for something else that was purple to fill my bouquet with and found small purple mums.
My best advice is to go straight to the greens next. Find something you can fill that adds some dimension to your bouquet. I went ahead and chose solidago to add some smaller bits and pieces to the bigger flowers.
I then decided to find my last color, white, and chose two different flowers I could add. I wanted to showcase a lighter color in the bouquet, so I found these beautiful white hyacinths to elevate the bouquet more.
The last final thing that I wanted to use as a filler was baby’s breath. This is a simple go-to to add texture and make everything look cohesive and lush.
I always try to aim for odd numbers when creating a bouquet. Three or five different flowers always look more natural than even numbers. Once you’ve chosen your individual flowers, take them home and start creating!
- Prep
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Before arranging, take your flowers out of their packaging and cut all the stems at an angle. This helps your flowers absorb more water and last longer. If any leaves sit below the water line in your vase, cut them or strip them to prevent any buildup or bacteria inside your vase.
Quick tip: If your flowers look like they’re wilting (or a little sad), let them soak up some fresh water for an hour or two before arranging! They’ll be a lot happier.
- Build In Layers
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I’ve heard from so many people to start with the greenery and then add in your focal-point flowers; I have to say I disagree. In order to distribute them equally, I take one flower of each kind and arrange them in whatever way seems most fitting, just so you get a true feel for your flowers.
After that, add flowers one by one, rotating the bouquet in your hand as you go. This will eventually create the classic balanced shape of an arrangement instead of it being one-sided.
Make sure to keep stepping back from the bouquet and look at it from a bird’s-eye view. Anything that feels less full or like it’s missing something, add in your filler flowers where you can! Don’t be afraid to try something and remove it. That’s the beauty of making your own, it can be exactly to your taste.
- Tie, Trim, and Style
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Once you love the shape, secure them with a rubber band, hair tie, or ribbon to tie them all together. Make sure you trim the bottom so they’re all even and fit your vase!
If you want to be extra fancy and aesthetic, feel free to wrap your bouquet in brown paper to elevate the final look. I generally use the paper bag from Trader Joe’s and wrap it!
- Maintenance
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Every two to three days, change the water! Re-trim your stems each time you do this to ensure that the flowers are soaking up as much water as possible. If any of your flowers look like they’re dying after a few days, don’t be afraid to remove them so the rest of your bouquet stays healthy!
Making your own bouquet is creative and, honestly, very therapeutic. It gives you a chance to slow down and interact with nature inside your own home. Plus, there’s no better feeling than someone asking you, “What, you made that?”
Grab some blooms, put on your favorite playlist, and romanticize your life as much as you can. You deserve fresh flowers always, even if they’re a gift from you to you.
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