How to Make a Lily Bouquet for a Wedding

Callas come in different sizes and colors.

Lilies are beautiful flowers that come in different sizes, shapes and colors. Whether making a small and simple lily bouquet using one type of lily, or a large, extravagant bouquet using several kinds, lilies are an exceptional choice for a wedding bouquet. Calla lilies have elegant sleek lines and come in a variety of colors and sizes. Oriental, stargazer and Asian lilies have large showy flowers and range in colors, such as white and pink, all white, red and yellow. For a more relaxed or informal wedding bouquet, selecting a few lilies and tying with a ribbon can be very elegant.

Things You'll Need

• Lilies
• Foliage
• Ribbon
• String

Instructions

1. 

   Oriental lilies have large, showy blooms.

   Gather and wash the foliage to be used in the bouquet. Remove leaves, starting at the bottom of the stem, to about half to two-thirds of the way up the stalk. Start building the bouquet with the foliage; starting with the smaller stems on the inside, gradually getting larger. Make a spiral or collar with the foliage; crossing the stems over each other locks the bouquet together. Add the foliage to the outside of the bouquet until satisfied with the look and fullness. It should almost look as if the bouquet is made without adding any flowers.

2. Remove all of the leaves on the flower stalk. While holding the foliage in one hand, insert three lilies into the bouquet in the shape of a triangle: one at the top, to the bottom left and to the bottom right, keeping equal distance between them. Continue inserting the flowers in this fashion, three at a time, filling in the spaces as you go. Whether using one kind or color of lily or using multiple, follow the same principles.

3. 

   A handful of callas and ribbon make for an elegant bouquet.

   Once satisfied with the look of the bouquet, take the string and tie the bouquet at its "binding point." The binding point is where the all of the stems of the flowers and foliage cross each other in your hand. This binding point should be about one-third of the way down the stalk, below the flower heads. When tying the bouquet, don't tie the string too tight as the flowers could be damaged.

4. Cut the stems at the desired length for the bouquet. Cut them all at the same length and at an angle for best water absorbtion. Put the bouquet in a vase of water and refrigerate until just before the wedding.

5. 

   Wrap the bouquet with ribbon to cover the stems

   There are two options for finishing the wedding bouquet. Leaving the stems of the lily wedding bouquet showing is the first option. In this case, use the ribbon to cover the string at the binding point by tying a bow. The second option is to wrap the stems of the bouquet, from just under the heads of the flowers down to the bottom, so no stems are showing at all.

Tips & Warnings

• Oriental and Asian lilies may have pollen left on their stamens. Take a piece of tissue paper and grab the pollen, pulling gently. This ensures no pollen will stain the wedding dress.

• Even if the lilies you have may be closed, they could open before the wedding. Keep this in mind when making the wedding bouquet, as the opening may change the look.

• The lily wedding bouquet should be made within a day or two of the wedding to ensure the freshest and most beatiful wedding bouquet possible.

References

• The Knot: Homemade Wedding Bouquets: The Basics