Wedding flowers can eat up a large chunk of your wedding budget, especially if you and your bridesmaids carry bouquets, the men wear boutonnieres, and you include flower in your decorations. The cost can go even higher if you rely on a professional to arrange your flowers for you. You can save money if you make your wedding bouquets yourself. If you put time and effort into each bouquet you make, your wedding flowers will look beautiful and no one will know you did them yourself (unless of course you want to brag about them).

 
Things You'll Need

*Flower stems
*Ribbon
*Straight pins
*Rubber bands
*Scissors
*Plastic cup
  Preparation  
1

Order your flowers at least six weeks before your wedding and arrange to pick them up a day or two before the event. Don't bring them home any sooner or they will wilt before your big day. For your bouquets, order 30 to 60 stems for a bridal bouquet and 20 to 40 stems for each bridesmaid bouquet. Order a dozen or so extra just to be on the safe side. You can always incorporate the extras into your reception décor.
2

Ask for volunteers to help you assemble the bouquets the day before your wedding. Making bouquets can be time-consuming, and you will be busy trying to finalize the wedding. Get help to arrange your flowers more quickly. This can be a fun activity for you and your bridesmaids, and for anyone else who would like to help out.
3

Remove dead or wilted petals and leaves from each stem. If you are using roses, pull thorns off as well, or you and your bridesmaids will spend your wedding day trying to avoid being pricked.
4

Assemble your other supplies, such as scissors or wire cutters, ribbon, rubber bands and straight pins. You don't want to have to go looking for these things while trying to hold your perfect bouquet together.
Making Bouquets             



*Select two or three flowers to start with. They will form the center of your bouquet. Arrange the remaining stems one at a time around the center. Feel free to rearrange the flowers as many times as you need to until you find the look you like best.
*Secure the stems together with a rubber band an inch or two below the blooms. Grip the bouquet in your hands. Line up your top hand with the rubber band and place your lower hand just below the top hand. This will help you measure your handle. Secure another rubber band around the stems, just below your hands.

*Tuck one end of a piece of ribbon into the top rubber band. Wind the ribbon down the stems until you reach the second rubber band. Work your way back up to the top. Repeat this until your ribbon handle feels comfortably thick in your hands.
*Tuck the loose end under the wrap.
Place straight pins down the length of your handle to further secure the ribbon. Use pins with jewels or pearls on top to add a polished look to your bouquet. Further embellish each bouquet with a bow tied just under the blooms (at the top of the handle)
*Cut the ends of the stems so they are just an inch or two below the bottom of the ribbon. Trim them at an angle to help them absorb more water and stay fresh longer. Fill plastic cups with approximately 1 inch of water and set each bouquet in its own cup. Store the flowers in your refrigerator overnight to keep them fresh until the next day.