How to Make an Arm Held Bridal Bouquet

Brides are opting for side bouquets that don`t detract from their gowns.

Alternately known as the side bouquet, the arm bouquet is a modern interpretation of bridal flowers. Though first popularized in the 1930`s, it has made a resurgence with contemporary brides. With the creation of more and more detailed bridal gowns, the traditional posy and hand-held bouquets are going by the wayside -- as brides wish to show off their designer dresses -- as they walk down the aisle. Flowers that work best with arm bouquets include long-stemmed roses, calla lilies, day lilies, gladiolus, orchids, larkspur and delphiniums.

Things You'll Need

• Long-stemmed flowers
• Floral wire
• Floral tape
• Scissors
• Pins
• Ribbon
• Greenery

Instructions

1. Gather your flowers and lay them out, so the blossoms are even. Adjust the stems, so they stagger in height. Each flower should be slightly shorter than the one before -- creating a curve, of sorts -- outward from the middle. Cut the bases of the stems, so they are even.

2. Gently wrap floral tape around the stems, starting about two inches from the bottom of the stems. Continue to wrap the tape upward -- until the stems are fully wrapped -- to about three inches below the lowest bloom.

3. If you wish to add greenery, use floral wire and floral tape, to secure it to the bundle at this point. One or two stems of greenery, whether fern or leaves -- if you're making a calla lily bouquet, for example -- can be a nice, contrasting accent to the bouquet.

4. Find the middle of the length of ribbon, and place it below the base of the bouquet, just below where the floral tape begins. Wrap the right-side over the top, followed by the left-side in a weaving pattern. This should resemble shoelaces.

5. After you have wrapped the ribbon to the top of the floral tape -- tie the ribbon off -- in a tight knot, and leaving the ties hanging. Cut the hanging ties at an angle. Use the floral pins to decorate and secure the ribbon, placing them about one inch apart, on the points of the bouquet where the ribbon crisscrosses.

6. Use the second length of ribbon to create a bow. Fasten the bow to the bouquet with floral pins.

Tips & Warnings

• There are several considerations with an arm bouquet, including type of flower, color, wrapping and theme of the wedding.

References

• Planning the Perfect Wedding Day: 19 Bridal Bouquet Types
• In Love With Weddings: Arm Bouquets