Beautiful DIY wedding flowers

The tulips’ apricot-colored petals pair perfectly with the kumquats, still on the branch. The result is as fresh and joyous as spring itself.

Parrot tulips, with their jagged, lacy edges and petals that open like a butterfly’s wings, have much more interest and grace than the standard tulip shapes.

A few stems of ivy with their nearly black berries invite attention, while delicate wisps of clematis spill playfully out of a terra-cotta pot.

“Seek out interesting foliage,” advises floral designer Ariella Chezar. “The greenery can be just as beautiful as the flowers.”

Their vivid shades mirror the glowing foliage worn by many trees this time of year. A rustic cast-iron vase props up bursting blooms while the berries tumble over the lip.

“Using one type of flower versus a mix is very effective, very striking,” says floral designer Ariella Chezar. “It allows you to appreciate your flower of choice in a way that mixes don’t.”

A square glass vase shows off chunky green stems without distracting from the enchanting flowers above.

To put the finishing touch on your cake, choose any flowers that complement the style and colors of your wedding. We used tuberoses, lisianthus, and white roses. Try fresh-cut flowers from your garden or have a florist order blooms; be sure they are pesticide-free.

See how you can actually make this cake

Beloved for their timeless form and classic fragrance, roses are a fashionable choice for summer brides. Centuries of hybridizing allow for a wide range of colors and looks.

Here, a handful of David Austin English Roses makes a stunning bridal bouquet. 

See how to create your own rose bouquet

With a lean, graceful profile, callas are the ideal choice for a modern, streamlined summer bouquet.

See how to grow and create a calla bouquet

Hydrangeas’ large, snowball-shaped flower clusters come in pink, blue, and greenish white; just a few blooms make a bouquet. 

In lightly shaded beds, hydrangeas (H. macrophylla) combine well with ferns of all kinds.

See how to grow hydrangeas

Festive and available in many shapes, sizes, and colors, dahlias are surely late summer’s perfect flower.

See how to grow a bouquet of dahlias

Easy to grow from bulbs, fragrant hyacinths are a fresh choice for a spring bride. This chic nosegay is wrapped in matching ribbon.

See how to grow hyacinths

When you grow your own bouquet of flowers and pick them just before your ceremony, they’re incredibly personal and as fresh as morning dew.

How to make (and even grow) bridal bouquets