DIY your own funky button and bead bouquet

Guest post by Emilybemily

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I've been meaning to get around to doing a tutorial for ages as I have had so many compliments on my bouquet, so I thought I'd post this so any of you can make one yourself!

I think the end product is just gorgeous! I hope this is helpful for all you DIYing brides and grooms out there… imagine all the color combinations!

DSC00907 alternative wedding ideas from Offbeat Wed (formerly Offbeat Bride)

Materials:
(approximate numbers for one bouquet)

Step 1:
Take a piece of wire about the length of your arm, then thread a bead onto it and bend it in half. Then twist so that below the bead is around an inch of twisted wire.

Step 2:DSC00939 alternative wedding ideas from Offbeat Wed (formerly Offbeat Bride)
For the two ‘tails' of wire left dangling, bend them upwards and do the same thing again so that each bead is held up by around an inch of twisty wire. For the smaller feathers and buttons just add them to the spray in place of beads.

Step 3:
Then twist the ‘tails' together and arrange the beads so that hey spray outwards and still have a stem of twisted wire. Wire any larger buttons or feathers individually to their own stems.

Step 4:DSC00940 alternative wedding ideas from Offbeat Wed (formerly Offbeat Bride)
For the buttons, take a smaller button and a larger one, and a little bead. Stack the buttons with the largest at the bottom.Thread the wire through one hole of each button, through the bead and then back through the other holes of the buttons, then twist the tails of wire together to make the stem.

Step 5:
Do this about 100 times until you have what looks like the right number of stems. The bouquet I made has around thirty larger flowers, twenty smaller ones, around thirty sprays of beads, twenty button stems and fifteen feather stems.

Step 6:DSC00946 alternative wedding ideas from Offbeat Wed (formerly Offbeat Bride)
Bunch all of the stems together and twist the stems together to hold it all in place. I found it easiest to start off twisting just a few stems together, and then add them a few at a time so I could adjust their positions as I went along.

Step 7:
Once you're happy with the positions of all of the stems and they are all secure then you can form the handle for the bouquet. Cut a piece of thick card to the right length (around 6 inches) and roll it around the stems. If any poke out of the end then fold them around to secure the card.

Step 8:
Wrap the whole thing in sticky tape to make sure it doesn't move. Squirt some hot glue into each end of the tube, around all of the stems.

Step 9:
Wrap the handle in coordinating ribbon and stick it down with yet more hot glue, tuck the end into the bottom of the tube with a squirt of glue to hide the messy bit. Tie a few more ribbons around, and you're done! Finito!

DSC00945 alternative wedding ideas from Offbeat Wed (formerly Offbeat Bride)

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Comments on DIY your own funky button and bead bouquet

  1. Holy Moley! This is fantastic. I’m actually making my own bouquets out of cinnamon scented pinecones and was at a loss on what to use for filler. I’m gonna have to give it a try. Thank you so much for the inspiration.

  2. This is great! My bridesmaid has very bad allergies when it comes to flowers. This would make a great alternative to fresh flowers bouquets.

  3. This is so gorgeous! Does anyone have any ideas on how to DIY the brooch bouquets? I’ve been collecting brooches for years and many women in my family have donated some to the cause, but I’m just wondering how to actually make one now! I’d love any tips!

    • I’m working on a brooch bouquet right now and I’m doing essentially what the girl is doing for the button and bead bouquet. I’m taking a length of wire, bending it in half and then wrapping it around and around the clasp on the back of each brooch, leaving two pieces of wire hanging down. Then I’m wrapping the two pieces of wire around each other and covering it in floral tape to make a “stem.” So far it’s working and the wire + tape is strong enough to support the larger brooches. Once I get all the brooches on “stems” I’ll put them together like above.

    • I had someone use a saudering iron to meld them together to create and outer shell that wouldn’t be filled with anything. At the end I had made a sphere with a hole large enough to put in a piece of metal pipe sauder it in, and then wrap it in ribbon afterward.

  4. I’m in the middle of making my own button bouquet but I’m doing it slightly different. I made a base out off sponge in a tear drop shape then covered it with a thick material (thick enough to sew too) then just built it up sewing on layers of buttons. This could be the way to do a brooch one too 🙂

  5. Hey there, this is ACE! Am DIYing fresh flowers w/ dried poppy heads and guinea fowl feathers mixed in –– but how did you wire the feathers? Can’t seem to do it in a way that lasts.

  6. These are amazing. I am doing this for my wedding 🙂 Are you able to add extra photo’s or instructions as I dont understand how to attach the feathers and flowers into the bouquet. Also what are button stems? Thanks heaps

    • I went to yard sales, antique stores, craft stores, and asked family members for buttons and beads. My grandma also has a bead collection that I used. It’s all about scavenging for items.

  7. This is awesome! I’m not that into flowers and my fiance is allergic to everything.

    I’m getting a butterfly bouquet and this is a great idea for my bridesmaids!

    Think I’ll use my Nana’s collection of buttons and pretty stuff as a way to remember her on the day!

  8. I made this in purple, black, gray and white. It was A LOT of work, but insanely beautiful and so unique. I got so many compliments on it. It will never die and I can look at it forever!

    I made 5 smaller ones too for my girls, because I’m crazy. But they loved them!

  9. Hi, we think that you’re button bouquet is absolutely beautiful & I’m attempting to make my daughters for her wedding next year. She would like brooches incorporated into it but I’m unsure how to attach them on, do you have any suggestions?
    Lots of Love
    Sandie
    Xxx

  10. these are awesome! im totally loving this idea! i may even make some of the boutiners to go with!

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