How to Make a Cascading Bouquet

A cascade wedding bouquet is a hand held arrangement of fresh or silk flowers that cascades or flows from the holder. The flowers cascade down the front of the dress with ribbons and strands of pearls or other cords and greenery that the bride desires. Some brides have used pieces of ivy plants from a family member then removed it to root for a treasured plant for her home. When a bride chooses silk flowers she can have an heirloom bouquet to hang in her home. They make a beautiful piece in a romantic bedroom or set in a display case in the living room. The cascade bouquet incorporates the round or colonial style arrangement with an extra floral piece fashioned into the bottom of it. A fresh flower cascade bouquet should be made the evening before the wedding. A silk cascade bouquet can be made any time and stored in a protective plastic container or box.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Variety of fresh or artificial flowers in colors of your choice
• Hand held bouquet holder with oasis or foam
• Lace collar for holder
• Floral wire in 18-inch lengths
• 1/4- to 3/4-inch satin ribbon--10 to 15 yards
• Strands or sprigs of pearls
• Wire cutter
• Scissors
• White floral tape
• Vase, heavy bottom bottle or bouquet stand
• large work table or counter

How To Make A Cascading Bouquet

1. When shopping for flowers gather the variety into a bunch and 'eyeball' them to see if the mass appears to be near the size you want your bouquet to be. Then buy a few more. Make sure you have filler flowers which is a mass of tiny dainty blossoms on a single stem. Baby's Breath (gypsophyllia) and German Statice are two choices.If you are using real flowers the floral foam in the handle must be soaked in water for at least three hours ahead of assembly time. This is crucial.

2. Choose five mass flowers such as your roses, carnations or lilies. Choose the best one, cut the stem to 4 or 5 inches long and push it into the very center of the foam. Cut the stems on the remaining four flowers to same length and push them into the outer edges of the foam. Place bouquet holder in the stand, vase or bottle so you can use both hands while working. Make sure it can not tip over.If using real flowers work in a cool room.

3. Chose 6 to 8 flowers and cut the stems to varying lengths of 6, 8 and 10 inches long. Place them around the outer edge of the foam. This will help you determine how big you want the circumference of the bouquet to be. Push flowers into foam. Add in smaller flowers and continue to fill the foam. Fill in edges and small open areas with small piece of greenery if desired.

4. 
    
   wire and tape flowers

   Assemble the cascade piece. Choose several flowers that you would love to cascade down. Wire and tape real flowers individually to keep the stems from breaking. Start with the flower that will be the bottom one of the cascade. Tape a small piece of filler flower and a leaf to this flower. Work up the cascade by floral taping more flowers to the strip, adding filler and leaves as you go. The cascade piece will be at least 12 to 18 inches long. The end will be a long sturdy wire stem wrapped in floral tape. Gently but firmly push the stem into the center bottom of the bouquet.

5. 
    

   If you want strands of pearls wrap a piece of wire around the center of the strand. Twist wire to secure and set into the lower portion of the bouquet foam. Cut a 24-inch piece of ribbon. Unroll several yards of ribbon, drape it in long loops over your thumb and hold with your index finger. Use the 24-inch piece to tie the strands of ribbon at one point. The loops will cascade down. You can wire this center with a wired stick then insert into the bottom of the bouquet very close to the back of the foam. Disregard the wired stick and tie the ribbon directly on to the handle, if desired. Hold the bouquet in front of a mirror, turn it to view all three sides. It is important that the bouquet looks great from all directions. Make sure everything is secured in the foam and in the cascade.

Tips & Warnings

• If cascade is long you must wire it to the plastic in the bouquet holder for support.
• All wire must be covered to protect hands from cuts and dress from snares or rips.