How to make a bouquet of carnations - beautiful compositions with your own hands

You can make a bouquet of carnations with your own hands at home. There are many options for forming a bouquet, but we will consider the most common ones - heart-shaped and round. For the first option, only carnations and sweets are usually used, but round bouquets are often diluted with other flowers, for example, chrysanthemums and lilies of the valley. Such compositions are mainly made for wedding ceremonies, adding special elegance to the already beautiful appearance of the bride.

Types, varieties and shades

In nature and ornamental gardening, you can count more than three hundred varieties of this sophisticated plant. To create a bridal bouquet, three variations are mainly used.

Turkish or “bearded carnation” is loved for its special structure of bracts, covered along the edge with peculiar “cilia”.
Chinese - single large flowers of a simple or double structure have a jagged edge of the petal blade, as well as a characteristic edging of a different color along the edge of the petal, which looks impressive in a bouquet.
Garden carnation Shabo - has large, fragrant, single flowers of semi-double and double structure. The species was selectively bred and cultivated in almost all European countries, therefore it has a wide palette of petal shades.

For a wedding celebration, these types of plants are optimal, especially the classic - a bride's bouquet of white carnations is a priority. An important advantage of these varieties is that they will look beautiful and fresh. But you can also experiment: for example, instead of a traditional spherical composition in the hands of the bride, it will be interesting to see a basket with alpine carnations in a purple, lilac-pink or crimson hue with a slightly corrugated surface and jagged edges.

Wedding florists should love carnations, if only because they pamper you with the variety of colors of their petals. The buds can range from classic red to burgundy, pristine white, soft pink, and sometimes a brooding lavender hue. Bridal bouquets that use flowers with petal plates painted in rich purple, spring green, or even sunny orange are somehow fabulous.

Features of carnations in a bride's bouquet

Bridal bouquet made of carnations - what's the charm? Carnations are flowers that were brought to us from the distant Mediterranean. Thanks to their positive characteristics and amazing appearance, they quickly spread throughout the world. Their only drawback is the smell. It is quite specific and persistent, so not everyone may like it.

Carnations bloom for quite a long time: from summer to winter. In greenhouses, the flower will delight you with its beauty all year round , so you can freely buy it in any season. Red buds have become a symbol of Victory Day. But white ones represent tenderness and innocence, which is ideal for the bride.

There are a lot of positive aspects of cloves. For example:

Breeders have developed many shades, thanks to which you can choose even the most outlandish colors. For example, blue or pistachio.
In the simplest conditions, the bud does not fade and remains stable for up to 1 month.
The head itself looks like dense lace, closely intertwined.
The cost is an order of magnitude lower than other colors, so there is an opportunity to save.
Combined with many other plants, it is possible to create a truly original flower arrangement.

All of the above advantages allow you to create real masterpieces and use carnation as the bride’s main flower at a wedding.

White or pink?

A bridal bouquet made of carnations can harmoniously fit into almost any style of wedding celebration if you choose the right shape, color scheme and combination with other plants in the composition and decorative elements.

A classic wedding in a romantic style would not be complete without a snow-white mono-bouquet of white carnations.
A bridal bouquet of carnations and roses in a cream, pastel pink or soft lilac palette will fit into the Shabby Chic theme of the celebration.
We can’t imagine eco-style without fresh green carnation petals in the bride’s bouquet along with wildflowers (even daisies will do).
For Rustic, red and purple flowers in a monochromatic bouquet, or a kind of tricolor “red+white+pink” or “burgundy+white+lilac” are the best choice.
Vintage style will find its expression if you add irises or orchids to a bouquet of lilac-colored carnations and create a cascading rather than spherical composition.
Even Glamor did not ignore bouquets of terry carnations, decorated with gold ribbons and pearls.
Provence style will be decorated with a branch composition of light and dark purple carnations and lavender sprigs.

Interesting! Pay attention to wedding bouquets made from other flowers. For example, from chrysanthemums or tulips.

The legendary history of the existence of carnations

Carnation (“Dianthus”) – translated from ancient Greek means “flower of the gods.” Indeed, none of the representatives of the flora can boast of such a legendary history.

The flower was brought to Europe by the crusaders from Tunisia. However, the Moluccas Islands are considered its homeland. According to some ancient legends, the carnation appeared from a part of the human body and was a symbol of tragedy. According to other legends, it is a symbol of pure love and true innocence.

In France, girls presented their beloved boys with carnations when they saw them off to the army. The soldiers kept the buds as a symbol of a speedy return to their beloved, safe and sound.

While in England, the carnation became the darling of high society and symbolized power. And in Belgium, on the contrary, it was characterized as a flower of the common people .

Bright lilac carnation combined with cream roses

The Germans considered it a symbol of fidelity and constancy, a talisman of the family hearth.

Soviet Russia glorified the flower as an image of revolution and a symbol of memory of those killed in the Great Patriotic War.

For Italy and Spain, this is a sign of great love. A traditional wedding flower, when the groom presented the bride with a bouquet of white carnations in a fiery dance.

In Ancient Greece, this flower was awarded to the winners. Its buds were woven into wreaths for nobles and rulers.

Photo of a bride's wedding bouquet of white carnations

Ancient mythology connects the appearance of the flower with the personification of the rage of the goddess of hunting Artemis, which caused the death of a young shepherd.

Today, florists believe that this flower symbolizes love and represents honor, loyalty and courage. Taking the totality of almost all beliefs and symbols, we can conclude that carnation is a very worthy representative of the flora in a wedding bouquet for a gentle and loving bride.

Red mono bouquet

Harmony with the image of the bride

The petals of this sophisticated flower resemble lush lace, so they will perfectly complement the image of a bride in any dress: with a full skirt and an embroidered corset, a mermaid style, even to a bride’s trouser suit (one of the fashion trends!), such a bouquet will add femininity.

The main thing is that the shade of the flowers in the bouquet does not conflict with the tone of the outfit. So, the white color of the dress and veil and the white color of the carnations are very carefully selected. If there is even a slight difference, then there will be no harmony. Likewise with cream and beige shades.

How to choose a bouquet of carnations

There are about 300 varieties of this flower in the world. Most of them are called wild and, unfortunately, they are not suitable for decoration in a wedding bouquet.

Mainly 3 types are used:

Chinese;
Turkish;
garden

All of them have a rich color palette. But in reality, you can most often find white, yellow, pink or lilac shades. If desired, you can combine several colors, then you will get a more original composition. Please note that the color that quickly fades is white, since yellow spots immediately appear on its petals .

Choose the shape of the wedding accessory that will ideally suit the bride’s image. The ball will be considered the most original. To create it, only the buds themselves are used, they are tightly connected to each other, the result is a beautiful flower circle

Fortune Teller

White buds symbolize purity and optimism. A wedding bouquet of pink carnations expresses the desire to possess a future husband. And purple-red signifies passion in the relationship of future spouses. Tamara Solntseva

It’s easier to choose a contrasting bouquet to match the dress. Pay attention to the wedding bouquet of carnations, photo of which is above. Red color is perfect for a classic white outfit. But, despite this, pink and purple carnations would be appropriate here - any that would not clash with the newlywed’s outfit. But in this case there should be an element of a similar color in the image - a belt, veil edging, gloves or shoes. The second option is that the bouquet should be in harmony with the groom’s outfit (lilac bouquet and purple tie, beige flowers to match the groom’s suit).

How to make it in the shape of a heart?

You can make a heart-shaped bouquet of carnations and sweets with your own hands, without leaving home, for this you will need 21 red carnations, floral tape and wire for flowers (preferably red), brightly colored ribbon for decoration, butterflies or any small decorations of your choice, as well as sweets for every taste.

Gather all the elements to form a heart on your work surface. It is best to take a wide ribbon that is green, and a wire that is red, matching the color of the carnation buds. If you chose flowers of a different color, select the ribbon according to the same principle.
Take a thick wire and pierce the base of the bud of each carnation one by one. This stage requires caution and should not be rushed, otherwise you risk breaking the bud from the stem or tearing its base, which is why the flower will not stay in the composition.
Once all the flowers have been pierced, gather the stems into a bunch to create a spiral-shaped weave (as in the photo). Secure the stems together with wire.
Fasten the ends of the red wire that holds the buds together, and cut off the excess with scissors. If there are small pieces of twigs left, it’s okay, they can be hidden in the buds. Give the twig with flowers a heart shape. If everything worked out and the bouquet holds its shape, then you can wrap the stems with floral tape. Once the stems are secured, adjust the cloves to even out the heart shape. Don’t worry if you didn’t manage to make an even heart the first time, the main thing is to take your time.
Take a green ribbon with a wide brim and overlap the base of the bouquet. Now cut a small piece of ribbon of a different color, for example red, and tie a bow approximately in the middle of the stem.
In order to fill the core of the bouquet with sweets, it is necessary to prepare the base. Take the red ribbon (the one from which the bow was made) and fill the void in the heart, passing the ribbon between the wire and the buds on different sides. Movements can be chaotic, as can direction. You should get a kind of web through which the candies will not spill.
Take the candies and carefully place them on the prepared base in the center of the heart. You don’t have to fasten it with anything, but if you need to carry a bouquet and you are worried that the candies won’t spill out, then take wooden skewers or toothpicks and pierce each candy wrapper with it, and then secure it in the tape (like a pin).

This is how easy it is to make a beautiful gift bouquet in the shape of a heart from carnations and sweet chocolates at home. You can use fruit instead of sweets.

Making a bouquet of carnations is not at all difficult, as you can see for yourself in this article. To form a composition, you can use carnations of any color, and also freely select any auxiliary flowers for a brighter picture and a varied combination of shades. In addition, you can use decor to add even more zest to the bouquet, which will be useful not only for the wedding ceremony, but also as a gift for a birthday, Valentine's Day or graduation.

Making a composition with your own hands

The choice is always up to the bride - turn to professional florists or create the bouquet of your dreams from carnations yourself. Knowing certain nuances, the process of assembling a flower arrangement with your own hands will not seem so difficult.

It is preferable to include buds that have just begun to bloom in the bouquet of a very young bride. It is better to choose gentle colors: white and soft pink, as a symbol of the purity of the owner of the wedding bouquet. For a newlywed who is not at such a “green” age, fully opened buds of more saturated colors are suitable: burgundy, dark purple, crimson.
Since the carnation flowers themselves have an unobtrusive aroma, they will not irritate the sense of smell of either the bride or the guests. If someone is allergic to strong floral scents, then lilies, lilies of the valley and orchids should be avoided when arranging a bouquet.
A composition of spherical and hemispherical carnations suits any bride, even a petite one. But buds on long stems should be avoided. Corpulent bouquets are suitable for stately brides.
A wedding bouquet of white carnations is the most popular option. But it is these specimens that wither faster than others. Therefore, you should start making a bouquet immediately before the ceremony, allowing the cut carnations to sit in water for 2-3 hours to “get drunk.”

Let's give some tips on how to make a wedding bouquet of carnations with your own hands. Take 11-15 carnations of the desired color, cut off the stems, 3-4 cm away from the head of the bud, and thread the floral wire. Since the stems are thicker than the wire, the bouquet handle would be too thick when forming the arrangement. And the wire is thin and flexible, which will allow you to give the bouquet any shape.

Then the handle is wrapped with floral tape, either entirely or in separate bundles. So our carnation bridal bouquet is ready, the photo shows how you can additionally decorate it with some other flowers (myrtle greens, hyacinths, roses, etc.). The base is wrapped in satin ribbon and secured with glue. Those. The idea that the classic wedding bouquet is white carnations is not entirely true. You can safely add decorative elements - beads, rhinestones, seed beads, pearls.

If the choice is made in favor of having the bride’s wedding bouquet of carnations created by professional florists, then all the nuances should be discussed in advance. After all, rare varieties or bud colors are not always available.

In any case, the composition of lace carnations will not leave either the newlyweds or the guests invited to the ceremony indifferent. And a beautiful bride’s bouquet of carnations, assembled with your own hands, will become a special source of pride and admiration.

Irina Vasilyeva

Wedding fairy

Half a kingdom for the bride - royal style wedding: decorating tips with photos

Round bouquet

In order to make a round bouquet, you will need 11 white carnations, 10 hyacinth flowers, 15 lilies of the valley, 5 myrtle greens, floral wire (on average, about 45 centimeters are required per flower), as well as paper, glue, satin tape and sharp scissors. Collect everything you need and start forming a bouquet step by step.

Remove the carnations from the water, take scissors and cut the stem of each flower one by one below the bud by about 3-3.5 centimeters.
Measure and cut the floral wire into equal 45cm pieces. Take one piece of twig and pierce the stem (approximately in the middle). Stretch the wire so that the twigs are the same length on both sides.
Take the tape and wrap the stem of the clove, starting from the puncture site to the very end of the wire. Wrap it slightly overlapping. Separate the lily of the valley stems from the leaves using scissors and form small bouquets of 5 or 6 pieces each. Wrap the prepared bunches with wire and on top with floral paper. Do not throw away the leaves; they will be needed at the very end when forming the finished bouquet.
Combine the prepared carnations together into a round bouquet. This procedure must be performed very carefully, since flowers on wire legs are very fragile. There will be some voids in the bouquet, but this is not a big deal, since all empty spaces must be filled with small bunches of lily of the valley, sprigs of myrtle and, of course, hyacinths. You need to insert cut leaves of white lily of the valley into the smallest voids. Carefully wrap the stems of the bouquet with floral tape so that they hold tightly together and do not fall apart due to movement.
Now you need to take a satin ribbon of any color you like, but in this case white, and tightly wrap the base of the bouquet. Wind the ribbon in a spiral, overlapping, to make it more beautiful, and fix it with glue. If desired, you can additionally decorate the ribbon with beads, beads or any decor.

Important! Before starting to form a wedding bouquet, you need to put the carnations in cool water for 3 hours. This way the flowers will better retain their fresh appearance and the bouquet will last longer.