DIY Coffee Filter Wedding Bouquet

Use brown coffee filters for a vintage look.

Coffee filters are not just for brewing morning coffee -- brides looking to save money on a wedding's floral bill can use regular coffee filters to also create budget-friendly wedding bouquets. Use the bouquets for centerpieces or even bouquets for the bridesmaids. This technique is versatile and effortless enough to be turned into an afterschool project for the kids as well.

Things You'll Need

• Basket coffee filters
• Watercolor paints
• Paintbrush
• Water
• Floral wire
• Floral tape
• Scissors
• Ribbon

Instructions

1. Lay out the basket coffee filter so that it is flat on a clean work surface.

2. Dip a clean paintbrush into a small cup of water and then into a watercolor paint of your choice. Paint the entire coffee filter with the watercolor or paint the edges of the coffee filter for just a touch of color. Set the coffee filter aside to dry.

3. Hold the coffee filter flat in the palm of one hand and place the index finger of the other hand directly in the center. Use the hand holding the coffee filter to push the sides of the filter up around the index finger in the center. Remove the finger and start bunching the coffee filter together at the base until it forms a cone. The top of the filter will resemble a small carnation. Twist the bottom section of the filter and pinch it between the thumb and index finger.

4. Wrap a piece of floral wire just above where the fingers pinch the paper. Make sure to leave at least 6 inches of wire to use as the stem. Cut off the portion of the filter where the fingers were pinching it tight.

5. Wrap the floral wire with two layers of floral tape to create a thick stem. Repeat the process with six to 10 coffee filters.

6. Place all of the coffee filter flowers together to form a bouquet. Hold the stems tightly together with one hand and with the other, carefully wrap floral tape around the stems just under where the wire meets the coffee filter to hold the entire bunch together.

7. Tie a bow using ribbon to finish the bouquet.

Tips & Warnings

• Use different colored watercolors to create a colorful bouquet.

• Combine two to three coffee filters for a fuller looking flower.

References

• Family Corner: Coffee Filter Flowers; Heidi Ott
• Kaboose: Coffee Filter Flowers
• Kaboose: Coffee Filter Thanksgiving Bouquet; Amanda Formaro