Wedding flowers are always evolving. Some years every bride wants red roses, other years it’s a cloud of delicate baby’s breath. As “rustic chic” became popular, so did wildflowers. While I love the look, doesn’t it seem silly to spend upwards of $300 on a floral arrangement you can find in a field? It’s a bit excessive to send your personal attendants into the wild to find dream blossoms, but what about the local farmer’s market? Most are open in the mornings Friday through Sunday, which is ideal for the big day. With this in mind, I took a trip to the Minneapolis Farmer’s Market with the lovely Laura to see what we could find. As you can see, we had fun shopping for and creating this vibrant DIY wildflower wedding bouquet! The best part? The entire arrangement only came to $25! Beauty on a budget—it doesn’t get any better. Follow these steps, and you’ll walk down the aisle with an affordable, amazing arrangement.

How to Make a Wildflower Wedding Bouquet:

What you'll need:

Fresh flowers Floral tape Scissors Ribbon or burlap to wrap the stems A pin to hold it all together 1. Visit your local farmer’s market, and make sure you choose one that has a decent selection of flowers. Laura and I checked out the bulk flower market and the local vendors’ pre-made bouquets. I discovered that buying three different arrangements ($6 each!) from one of the many vendors was the best choice for my budget. 2. Pick your farmer's market flowers! If you decide to purchase the pre-made arrangements, choose 2-3 that have a wide variety of buds. I selected a colorful spray that included sunflowers, lilies, and dahlias for my base. I also bought two sprays of “fillers.” One of them consisted of blue thistle globes and the other of snap dragons. 3. Go home and find a work area where you can spread everything out. Remove any leaves or dead buds from the bottom half of the stems, and separate them by type. 4. Use your largest blossoms as the base of your arrangement. Hold the stems tightly together as you build your DIY bridal bouquet. 5. When your base has been created, start adding the smaller buds around it, filling in the gaps as you go. 6. When you’re happy with the overall shape and design, add in your fillers. They may go on the outside or inside of your bouquet, depending on your personal preference. Continue to keep the stems as tight as possible. 7. Once you’re happy with the design, wrap the floral tape around the stems, starting about 2 inches down from the buds. Wrap the tape tightly, overlapping slightly as you make your way to the bottom. Stop wrapping about 1 ½” from what will be the bottom of the bouquet. 8. When the tape is secure, cut the excess stems with your scissors. Make sure they are all the same length. 9. Take the ribbon or burlap and wrap it tightly around your floral tape, covering it completely. When finished, cut the excess ribbon and use a pin to secure the wrapping tightly. I also added a twine bow for a little something extra. **I used my grandmother’s pin to do this! It’s a great way to get your ‘something old.’ 10. I had leftovers, so I created a few boutonnieres using the same steps as above. The blue globe thistles were great for this spur of the moment project, and the most masculine of all my buds. Pretty cool, right?

The benefits of making your own bridal bouquet.

In the end, my wildflower wedding bouquet cost me $25, and took roughly 2 hours to complete. I'd recommend finding a friend to help you with this DIY project, plus it’s nice to have another opinion when you’re making something so important. Not only do I recommend this project for budget-conscious brides, but anyone looking for a fun DIY wedding idea. In the end, I created something affordable, beautiful, and on-trend.

Will you be making your own wedding floral arrangements? What tips do you have for brides considering farmer’s market flowers? Share your tips in a comment below!