Bride on a Budget: DIY Wedding Flowers for $20

Wedding flowers are expensive. But they don’t have to be. Sometimes all you need to make a special arrangement are simple flowers and some outstanding ribbon.

With this idea in mind, Boston-based designer Angela Liguori and I set out to make a simple wedding posy using her imported Italian ribbons. All it took was a bunch of tiny daisy-like clusters (white asters or feverfew), several yards of Studio Carta ribbon, and about 10 minutes time. The cost? Under $20. The results? An inspired springtime bouquet, perfect for any special day.

Read on for materials and step-by-step instructions:

Photography by Justine Hand.

Materials

• Any small daisy-like cluster flower. Angela and I wanted feverfew, which will be abundant in my garden next month. (Note: if you pick the flowers from your own garden, the cost is even less!) Until then, white asters from the florist possessed a similar demure charm.
• 1 yard each of Studio Carta Italian cotton ribbon, including loose weave in peach, metallic loose weave in peach and gold, and calligraphy ribbon, featuring the fine lettering of Maybelle Imasa Stukuls.
• Floral shears, ribbon scissors and pins (optional).

Above: Our ribbon palette, featuring warm peachy pinks, jet black, and glittering gold, is perfect for all seasons. We also think that the black provides a striking and unexpected accent to a wedding bouquet. At the same time, Maybelle’s calligraphy, which is reminiscent of invitations, is right on theme.

Step 1

Above: Remove the lower leaves and blooms from each stem. Then gather the flowers into a bunch and trim the ends to an equal length, about 7 inches from the base of the flowers.

Step 2

Above: Tie your first yard of peach ribbon around the stems, near, but not right up against, the base of your flowers. Don’t worry if you don’t have equal lengths of ribbon on each side of the bouquet. It actually looks better if they are slightly askew. Also you want the bunch to be secure, but you also don’t want to tie the ribbon so tightly that the flowers squish together. Then tie your second, metallic peach ribbon right over the first.

Step 3

Above: Gently thread the calligraphy ribbon under the first two. Pull one end through so that it hangs about the same length as the stems, leaving the other end long. Secure with a small pin pushed towards the center of the bouquet.

Above: That’s it! It couldn’t be easier to achieve this simply elegant wedding posy.

We also think this arrangement would be especially charming as bridesmaids’ or a flower girl bouquets. Add a dash more of Maybelle’s calligraphy ribbon to a smaller cluster, and you could even make striking, matching, boutonnieres for your groomsmen. Continue the theme right down to the wrapping on your guests’ favors.

Above: A closeup of the Studio Carta ribbons.

Above: The posy on Angela’s antique typewriter.

Want more tips and inspiration for beautiful wedding flowers on a budget? Visit:

• Wedding Flowers: 10 Foraging Ideas for Bouquets and Arrangements
• Ask The Expert: 10 Tips for Wedding Flowers from Kate Middleton’s Florist.
• Tara Getting Married: DIY Wedding Flowers…and the Big Day.