DIY Hydrangea Bridal Bouquet

Hydrangea is one of the more versatile flowers for weddings. It can be classically elegant in a formal wedding or sweet and simply modern on your big day. With a wide variety of colors to choose from, Hydrangeas offer many choices, from soft and subtle to bold and daring. Making your own Hydrangea bouquet is very easy. I suggest not mixing other flowers in a hydrangea bouquet for the simple fact that it is not needed.

Simple Hydrangea Bouquet

You will need:

• 5-7 Hydrangea stems (full stem)(ivory, white, pale pink, or other pastel hues)

• Floral tape

• Color coordinating Wide satin ribbon (your choice of color) for this arrangement, same color or similar hue is best

Directions:

1. Gather hydrangeas in your hand

2. Bind together with floral tape about 6 inches beneath the blooms

3. Wrap stems over floral tape with satin ribbon and tie in a simple shoe-string bow

Bold Hydrangea Bouquet

You will need:

• 5 -7 Hydrangea stems (bolder colors like violet or blue or green)

• Floral tape

• Color coordinating, wide, wired satin ribbon about 2 shades darker than your blooms. (if using white or ivory or a light pastel, pick a bold color)

• Color coordinating, wide wired, transparent satin ribbon same shades of your blooms (two different colors)

Directions:

1. Place Hydrangeas in the palm of your hand

2. Close palm to form bouquet

3. Bind stems together with floral tape and trim

4. Wrap stems over floral tape (all the way down stems) with satin ribbon.

5. Cut 3 of each color ribbon 2-3 feet long

6. Lay together in a layer one of each color in descending order by color (i.e. Darkest, middle, lightest -Darkest on top)

7. Tie first group of ribbons around stem in a simple shoestring bow as close to the blooms as you can. Repeat with other to groups, making sure that your bows are all on different sides of the bouquet, surrounding the blooms. Also be sure the loops of your bow are slightly longer than the blooms

8. Fan out the loops of your bow, making sure that they stay in color descending order, darkest closest to the blooms. ""Fluff" loops to be sure they are rounded and pretty

9. Trim tails of your bows in a reverse arrow or "V" pattern or diagonally

Helpful Hints:

• To care for your hydrangeas, immediately remove them from the box, and cut the stems under running water at a 45 degree angle, about an inch from the bottom. Then, place in cool water.

• You can use other flowers with your hydrangeas, such as bold colored roses in a contrasting color. (orange in turquoise hydrangeas or even deep red or bright yellow in white or ivory)