How to Make Wedding Rose Bouquets

Roses are associated with romance, and therefore they are always associated with weddings. Many brides have begun to steer away from the "traditional" rose bouquet for more modern or unusual looking flowers, but a simple rose bouquet can still fit into many themes and styles. The introduction of hybrid roses has made it possible to have roses available year round and in many, many different colors.

Things You'll Need

• Long stemmed roses Snips String Water Vase Wide ribbon Green foliage

Instructions

1. Cut the ends of your stems on a slant and place them in water.

2. Remove the thorns and lower foliage from the bottom half of the stems.

3. Lay the flowers out on the table with the blooms facing towards you.

4. Choose the largest flower to be the center. Hold the stem about 6 to 8 inches from the flower with your thumb and index finger.

5. Add some foliage to frame your center flower. Rotate the bouquet as you work and cross the stems on an angle. Secure the stems with a long piece of string wound around them. Do not cut off the excess string.

6. Place 6 flowers evenly around the center flower. Make sure to insert the stems at a 45 degree angle. Secure in place with the string that is already attached.

7. Add more flowers slightly lower than the previous round. You want the bouquet to have a gentle rounded shape. Make sure to cross all of the stems and turn the bouquet a quarter turn clockwise after you add a few flowers. Secure with the string.

8. Add more flowers and foliage until the bouquet is the size you want. Frame the outside with pieces of foliage that extend 2 to 3 inches out past the edge of the flowers. Secure all of your stems with the string. Cut the string and tuck the end into the stems.

9. Cut the ends off of the stems. Make sure that they are all the same length at about 6 to 8 inches long. Spray lightly with water.

10. Wrap a length of wide ribbon around the stems to cover the string. Make sure you cover the stems from top to bottom and tie it off, at the top, in a shoestring bow with long tails.

Tips & Warnings

• Use only one color of roses if you are new to flower arranging. If you use multiple colors, make sure they are evenly distributed throughout the bouquet.