How to Make a Hand Tied Wedding Bouquet

This type of bouquet is made by holding the flower and foliage stems in one hand and adding the other stems around in a spiral fashion, criss crossing the stems at the one point,and binding them in position with string A ribbon bow with long tails completes the bouquet.

Choose suitable materials - you will need flowers with fairly long stems such as roses, irises, carnations, alstroemeria, freesias, Singapore orchids and lisianthus. Suitable foliage is camellia leaves, eucalyptus gum, box, ivy, nandina and leather fern. A mixed bouquet looks best using three to four varieties of flowers plus foliage.

Cut the ends of the stems on a slant and give flowers a long drink. Remove thorns and strip off the lower foliage from the bottom half of the stems. Lay the flowers out on the table. Start off with the largest flower to form the centre. Hold the stem between the thumb and first finger on the left hand about 15-20cm (6-8")from the base of the flower head. With the right hand add about 4- 6 clusters of foliage evenly around just below the flower heads to help fill in, criss crossing the stems on an angle and turning the bouquet around as you work. Secure the stems in position by placing the end of a piece of string and winding it around a couple of times. Do not cut the string.

Holding the bouquet in the same way as before with the thumb facing towards you place 5-6 of the same type of flowers evenly around turning the bouquet around clockwise. Secure all the stems in place with a couple of twists of string in the same place as before. Continue adding flowers for the next round extending these flowers out slightly further. Keep the bouquet a gentle rounded shape across the top like an upside down saucer, criss cross all the stems and give the bouquet a quarter turn clockwise after adding a few stems. Secure stems in position with string in the same place as before when necessary.

Continue adding flowers and foliage stems turning the bouquet around clockwise until the bouquet is the desired size. I have added wired camellia leaves around the edges, but you could use pieces of foliage having the tips extend out about 5-7.5cm(2-3")past the edges of the flowers. Secure all the stems together with string winding it firmly around several times in the same place as before, cut the string and tuck the end in.

Cut the ends off the flower and foliage stems so they are about 6-8"(15-20cm)long and all the same level. Spray lightly with water. Finish off the bouquet by tying a piece of wide ribbon around the bouquet to cover the string and tie the ribbon in a shoe lace bow with long tails.
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