A floral backdrop made from real flowers is a stunning addition to your wedding and a brilliant photo opportunity, but we can’t all afford such extravagance. However, with some DIY magic you can still create a beautiful floral setup using cost effective paper flowers! Here’s how to make paper flowers for your wedding, and if you’re looking for more affordable ways to style your wedding here’s how to make a statement on a budget.
Flower #1 – Paper Apple Blossom
What You’ll Need:
To get the same effect as us, you’ll need:
- DIY Paper Apple Blossom
- Glue Gun
Instructions:
Step 1: Take one of the flower’s paper layers and crease each petal, in half, to about ¾ of the way down the petal.
Step 2: Creases facing up, press the centre of the flower in so that the petals all stick up a little around it. Your flower is no longer flat!
Step 3: One of the petals on each piece of paper has a squared-off flap. Glue the petal beside it onto the flap.
Repeat these steps for every layer of paper.
Step 4: Glue the layers together, rotating each so that the layer beneath isn’t completely hidden.
Flower #2 – Paper Dahlia
What You’ll Need:
To get the same effect as us, you’ll need:
- DIY Paper Dahlia
- Skewer
- Rounded Pencil
- Glue Gun
Instructions:
Step 1: For the loveliest effect, we recommend a tight bloom in the middle of your paper dahlia. Curl in the petals on the two smallest layers, using a thin skewer.
Step 2: For variation, use a pencil to curl each side of the petals on other layers.
Repeat these steps for every layer of paper.
Step 3: In your hand, overlap the petals onto one another and twist them into a tight rosebud shape. Repeat on all layers, and for ease line them up from smallest to largest.
Step 4: Start to build your dahlia by beginning with the largest layer. Unravel the bud and flatten the layer, leaving the edges curled. Do the same with the next layer and glue them together, rotating each so that the layer beneath isn’t completely hidden. But as you draw nearer to the middle of the dahlia, flatten out the layers less and less so that the two smallest, in the middle, almost remain in their rosebud shape.
Flower #3 – Paper Peony
What You’ll Need:
To get the same effect as ours, you’ll need:
- DIY Paper Peony
- Skewer
- Rounded Pencil
- Glue Gun
Instructions:
Step 1: Curl in the petals on one of your paper layers, using a pencil.
Step 2: Curl the top, smaller layers, more than the larger bottom ones.
Step 3: Glue the layers together, rotating each so that the layer beneath isn’t completely hidden.
The Final Look:
The number of paper flowers you’ll need will depend on how large you want your backdrop to be. For our backdrop we used two peonies, three dahlias, and three apple blossoms.
More Ideas
You can create a variety of beautiful effects by displaying the blooms closer together or further apart, complementing them with other paper decor such as lanterns, bunting, and fans.
Featured above: 3D Vintage Floral Watercolour Print Paper Garland | Paper Lanterns in Large, Small, and Vintage Floral Watercolour Print Round Paper Lantern | Vintage Floral Watercolour Print Paper Drinking Straws
Featured above: Vintage Floral Watercolour Print Paper Parasol | Time For Tea Party Bags
Add more life to your DIY paper flowers by sticking on gems or accessories (like our pretty White Pearl Brads), adding a floral pattern with soft watercolour paints, adding glitter on the petals’ edges, or completely spray painting your flowers. You could even experiment with making your own paper flowers from scratch using colourful, decorative paper.
Above: Image by wacomka on Shutterstock
Above: Image by wacomka on Shutterstock
Above: Image by wacomka on Shutterstock
Another pretty idea is to create smaller paper flowers to stick onto your other decor, like these gorgeous antique gold Parisian Love Letter Paper Blooms on some simple paper lanterns.
Paper flowers aren’t something you have to DIY either. Nowadays there are luxury paper flowers, ornately designed and absolutely stunning.
Featured above: Purple and Silver and Blush and Gold Luxury Paper Flower Wedding Decorations by PoshPaperDesignss on Etsy
Featured above: Ombre Wedding Backdrop by MoniquePaperArt on Etsy
Origami Flowers
You could create your paper flowers from scratch if you like; there are so many tutorials online nowadays that you can create everything from paper roses to lilies! Origami flowers are particularly popular among brides who are looking for a beautiful paper flower bouquet.
Above: Image by Billion Photos on Shutterstock
Above: Image by wacomka on Shutterstock
Other
Furthermore, you can introduce paper flowers into your wedding favours too with these stunning “Surprise” paper bloom favour boxes. You only have to remove the lid and a beautiful white-and-gold flower blossoms before your eyes!
All of your paper flowers are easily reused after the wedding too—use them to decorate your living room above your fireplace or around a mirror, or mount them on the wall of your bedroom.
Finally, a beautiful trick to add some wow factor to your flowers is to light them from behind or beneath with an LED light or a string of fairy lights.
Featured above: Paper Flower Centerpieces by Allison Patrick and Elizabeth Van Buren of Aster + Quail
Find more wedding DIYs in our inspiration pages, and more flower-inspired decor with our wildflower wedding inspiration.
