How to Make a Bridal Wreath for Your Hair

When my husband and I renewed our wedding vows, in Hawaii in 1995, my mother-in-law gave me an old bridal wreath in case I could use any of the parts. I used it as a pattern for a new wreath, instead.

My color theme was pink. So I used pink, cream and dark red flowers with pink satin ribbon and cream colored lace. I used a combination of silk and real flowers.

The nice thing about using both silk and fresh flowers was that I was able to make most of my accessories ahead of time, then added the real flowers the night before. That way they looked real without all of the last minute rush without any problems cropping up.

I also made a bouquet to cover the Bible I carried and Boutonnieres for my husband, his father and for our son.

Bridal Head Wreath, Bible bouquet and Boutonnieres:

Materials:

1 spool of 1/4 inch satin ribbon( I used the picot ribbon, edged with small loops)

1 yd 1 inch ruffled lace with 4 inches cut off if you plan to make a small bouquet. Cut the four inch piece into 2-2 inch pieces

1 2 3/8 inches open work barrette that you don't plan to reuse

2 stalks of medium sized 6 petal flowers on each in two of your wedding's complementary colors

1 stalk of Baby's Breath

1 bunch baby roses with the leaves( I used dark red. But they do come in other colors)You can also choose to use another flower in a similar size that goes more with your floral theme.

2 paper clips

A piece of string or yarn,long enough to reach around your head

1 roll floral tape

1 roll green floral wire

Needle and thread

Crafting glue

Small fresh flowers

Directions:

1: Cut the flowers from their stalks, leaving long enough stems to work with. For the barrette set aside 4 6 petal flowers, 2 small stems baby breath and 1 baby rose.

If you plan to also make the small bouquet and the Boutonnieres, you need to put aside 3 of the 6 petal flowers, 2 roses, five rose leaves, 6 or so small stems of baby's breath for the wreath. For the Boutonnieres you need 1 rose, 1 6 petal flower and 1 small stem of baby's breath for each. Since you will probably make more than I did, you will need another stalk each of the 6 petal flowers, baby's breath and bunch of baby roses. Save the stalks for later use.

2: Take the string or yarn and wrap it around your head where you intend to wear the wreath and at the particular fit that you want. Meet the two ends and clip any excess string or yarn. Use this to measure the ribbon.

3: Use the string to measure the length of the ribbon. Use the paper clips to attach the string to the ribbon to keep it in place. Then taking into account for the knot that you'll be using to tie it together and the bow and ribbon that you will want to stream down from the wreath, add at least another 18 inches to the head measure. Cut two
more lengths of ribbon equal to the first for a total of three equal lengths of ribbon.

4: Lay the ribbon lengths out straight and evenly on a flat hard surface. Take the string that is the measure of your head and place it so that it is centered on the ribbons with the ends streaming out from it at both ends. Fasten each end with a paper clip at the ends of the string, marking the head measurement on the ribbons. Remove the string. Then bring the ribbon ends together, tying them into a knot at the paper clips. Then tie a looping bow out of the ribbons so that they will stream down your hair.

5: Lay the wreath down on the surface.

6: Cut 4 inches off the end of the lace. Set both pieces aside.

7: Take up the flowers one type at a time and scatter equally around the wreath, until all three types have been distributed. Do the same for the leaves, making sure that each end is finished with a leaf.

8: Then starting at one end, take the floral wire, wrap it around the stem of the leaf and the ribbons fastening it and securing it in place. Then continue along the wreath by closely winding the wire around the ribbons and securing the flowers and leaves as you go, until you have finished the wreath. Secure the end around the final leaf and cut the wire.

9: Test the wreath out on your head and see how it looks. Make whatever adjustments that are needed. Fasten the back of the wreath by clipping the barrette over the bow and through the back of your hair. Then set the wreath aside in a safe place until you attach the fresh flowers.

10: Take up the barrette and weave a stem of baby's breath into the barrette at each end. Then weave in the 6 petal flowers, two at each end, adding a baby rose on whichever side you prefer. Then take up the longer length of lace, wrapping it around the middle of the arrangement, tying it in a full and loopy bow at the bottom of the barrette. Set aside with the wreath.

11: For the Boutonnieres, take up a stem of the baby's breath, adding a 6 stem flower and a baby rose at the base of where the baby's breath flowers starts and fasten them with the floral tape. Continue wrapping the tape until the entire stem is neatly covered. Add a pearl ended pin to it and place with the wreath.

12: For the small bouquet, take up one of the stalks that the flowers had been cut from and use it for the basis of the bouquet. Take one stem at a time and place a 6 stem flower, baby rose or leaf at the end and tape it on with floral tape. On two random stalk ends attach the lace in a rolled up cone to resemble a flower.

Along the stems of stalk add in baby's breath under or alongside the other flowers or leaves, filling in and wrapping with the floral tape as you go until the stalk is completely and neatly covered. Then take the end of the stalk and curve it up toward the bouquet until it is completely folded up on itself. Tie with some of the remaining ribbon at whatever length that you desire. Cut more lengths of ribbon to your desired lengths and tie where ever you want to in the bouquet.

13: On the day before the wedding, acquire the fresh flowers of your choice. I used pink bougainvillea which I set into the wreath and bouquet randomly where it looked good and stitched each flower in with the needle and thread, looping the thread around the ribbons and the stems and stitching into the foundation where I could. It
wasn't available to me at the time. But I would also recommend using a drop or two of a good craft glue to make sure that the flowers are well attached.

14: For the boutonnieres I attached with the needle and thread, a couple of the bougainvillea under the top flowers that were already there.

15: On the day of your wedding take up each side of your hair, one at a time, twirling it in a coil and fastening both with a small inconspicuous barrette at the back of your head. Then place the wreath on your head, fastening it with the flower covered barrette as previously in the test and fasten it to your head on each side with a hairpin that blends in with your hair color. Leave your hair flowing loosely over your shoulders or down your neck depending upon the length.

I've also seen brides wear their hair completely down or up in different kinds of buns, both tailored and loose, with the wreath on top. You could also choose to wear your hair in a low braid or loose, low ponytail.

Except for the bougainvillea, which has turned a light beige or cream, the wreath is still in good enough shape to wear again and the bougainvillea doesn't look all that bad. It has kept its shape even though it has been stored in a plastic bag all these years.

Additional Reading:

Wedding Photographers in the Tampa Bay Area,How to Cut and Dry Roses: Two DIY Methods,
How to Cut 200 Calories a Day,Some Diet Friendly Desserts that Taste Good,
Film Developing in the East Tampa Bay Area,Surviving Your First Vacation as a Couple,
Quick, Easy Long Hairstyles for Women,

Sources:

http://www.michaels.com/art/online/displayproductlist?categoryid=81251

http://www.michaels.com/art/online/displayproductlist?categoryid=81257

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