My inspiration for this wintry bouquet was the 19th-century poem “The Eve of St. Agnes” by John Keats. Set in a medieval Scottish castle, the poem takes place on one of the coldest nights of the year, when legend has it that unmarried girls dream of their future husbands.
Photo by Erica George Dines
Robert Long of Robert Long Flora & Event Design in Atlanta
For my design, I chose flowers and materials that reflect the imagery from the poem. Three shades of white roses add a soft, bridal look to the base of white and green hydrangeas. White phalaenopsis orchids and gardenias add a touch of elegance, and textured greens feel like they could have been gathered from the moors. I added traditional lace and a Scottish thistle kilt pin as finishing touches on this romantic bouquet, perfect for a winter bride. —Robert Long
HOW TO MAKE A ROMANTIC BRIDAL BOUQUET STEP-BY-STEP
Click Any Image to Enlarge
Photo by Erica George Dines
stem-wrap floral tape, floral wire, Scottish thistle kilt pin, pearl-head pins, ribbon scissors, lace, flower snips, calligraphed card
Photo by Erica George Dines
white phalaenopsis orchids, white trachelium, ‘Champagne Moment’ roses, galax leaves, silver echeveria succulents, gardenias, begonia foliage, snowberries, Italian pittosporum, green hydrangeas, ‘Sahara’ roses, white hydrangeas, and ‘Avalanche’ roses
Tools & Materials
white phalaenopsis orchids, white trachelium, ‘Champagne Moment’ roses, galax leaves, silver echeveria succulents, gardenias, begonia foliage, snowberries, Italian pittosporum, green hydrangeas, ‘Sahara’ roses, white hydrangeas, ‘Avalanche’ roses, stem-wrap floral tape, floral wire, Scottish thistle kilt pin, pearl-head pins, ribbon scissors, lace, flower snips, calligraphed card
Photo by Erica George Dines
Photo by Erica George Dines
Photo by Erica George Dines
Step 1 | All flowers except the roses and white hydrangeas need to be wired. To do this, cut each stem a few inches below the flower head. Take an 18-inch-long wire, push half of it through the very top of the stem, and then bend both ends down together. Next, tightly wrap floral tape several times around where the stem and wire meet to secure them together. Continue to wrap the length of the wire, pulling and stretching the tape down and around.
Step 2 | Start the bouquet with larger flowers, such as three or four white hydrangeas, as the base. Then add several smaller, wired hydrangeas in and around the others to form a traditional, round shape.
Step 3 | Continue by adding the roses, orchids, gardenias, and remaining materials to the bouquet. To create the handle, cut the stems 8-to-10-inches long—relative to the size of the bride’s hands.
Photo by Erica George Dines
Photo by Erica George Dines
Photo by Erica George Dines
Step 4
Check the position of the flowers, and adjust if necessary. Secure the stems together with wire, and then tightly wrap the handle with tape. Next, cut a rectangle of lace. Fold the edge of the lace around the handle, covering the bottom.
Step 5
Step 6
Photo by Erica George Dines
Photo by Erica George Dines
Photo by Erica George Dines
Step 7
Step 8
To play off the Scottish theme from the poem, I’ve included a silver thistle kilt pin as a finishing touch. Pin it to the handle right beneath the bow.
I like to present the bouquet in a beautiful way. Adorning it with a special hand-calligraphed card with the bride’s name, placing it in a tissue-lined box, or including a personal note are all ways to achieve this. | Calligraphy by Marlean Tucker
Photo by Erica George Dines
The finished bouquet awaits its Madeline!
“The themes of romance and history are central to my vision of design, and the coldest season of the year can often be the most inspiring. For my winter brides, I love choosing flowers in shades of white, cream, and buff.”—Robert Long
