How to Make Wildflower Wedding Bouquets

Wildflowers and green weddings go together naturally

Wildflower wedding bouquets add a "green," wild, free and natural look to weddings. Natural wedding bouquets like these allow the typical wedding formality to be replaced by nature's way of decorating.

See Resources below for more green, DIY, budget and unique wedding how-tos for wedding invitations, wedding centerpieces, wedding reception entertainment, natural wedding locations, and wedding favors.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Source of wildflowers (see article)
• Simple clear glass or rustic vases
• Optional, burlap or other natural material to wrap vases.

1. 

   Gather simple or rustic vases. Wildflower wedding bouquets lend themselves well to the mismatched look, and you can usually find dozens of vases at second hand stores.

2. 

   Wrap vases. This is just an option if you want this type of uniform natural look. Vases can be wrapped in burlap, unbleached muslin, and other fabrics or materials that set the correct mood.

3. 

   Find a source of wildflowers and greenery such as fern fronds or tree branches. Though it can be tempting to pick your wildflower wedding bouquets in a field or woodland edge, it's damaging and sometimes illegal to pick them in the wild. Farmers offer u-cut fields or already cut flowers for sale and often offer wildflowers. Some even specialize in wildflowers of your state. Find flower farmers at localharvest.org or via your cooperative extension agent. You can also look for wild flowers such as honeysuckle, wild roses, wild sweet peas, daisies, poppies, or greenery along friends' and your own property.

4. 

   Cut only healthy stems of flowers and greenery. Remove any leaves that will be submersed in water in the vases you'll be using for your wildflower wedding bouquets, and immediately get them out of the sun and put the stems in room temperature buckets of water after picking. You can worry about arranging your wildflower wedding bouquets later. If possible, put each stem end underwater and cut it underwater so that no air will seal the end and more water can get up into the plant. If that's not possible, at least do it with any wild roses you may have, as they seal especially fast.

5. 

   Arrange the wildflower wedding bouquets by first choosing a larger central flower, then adding more flowers and greenery around the center one. But do not get too formal. Wildflower bouquets look best natural. Though florists often arrange flowers with a balanced mix of wispy (such as baby's breath) and large flowers, your wildflower wedding bouquets can follow nature's patterns where you might find drifts of all one type and size of flower, or just one small wildflower peaking out from a deep sea of greenery. Each bouquet can be different from the others.

6. 

   Wildflower wedding bouquets look best without florist embellishments. If you want to add something, consider avoiding flamboyant ribbons and instead affixing realistic looking butterflies or birds (found in craft stores) to long natural wooden sticks and placing them in with the wildflower bouquets.

Tips & Warnings

• Arrange to have some of your wildflower wedding bouquet flowers pressed and dried for future memories.

• Some wildflowers are poisonous to eat and irritating to skin and eyes. Find out what you're working with from the farmer, extension agent or a local naturalist and take correct precautions.

• Author disclaims liability and offers article for educational purposes only.

• Articles by this author are registered with the national copyright office.

• Parents are responsible for any activities involving their children.

Resources

• Wildflower grower who makes wildflower seed wedding invitations
• Fun photobooth wedding reception entertainment
• Make simple, budget wedding invitations
• Make miniature woodland pond wedding centerpieces
• Make houseplant wedding favors
• Make tree seedling and garden start wedding favors
• DIY wedding favors
• Make a Greek/Roman wedding crown or wreathe
• Have your wedding on a farm