Who wouldn’t want a beautiful backdrop adorned with an abundance of flowers framing their head table on their wedding day? Um, I know I would! Unfortunately the average wedding budget just can’t accommodate such extravagant setups. That is unless you’re willing to roll up your sleeves and get crafty! If you’re game than you’ll want to bookmark this post because we’ve got a much more cost effective way to get the look without compromising an ounce of pretty. The secret? Trade in real blooms for everlasting paper versions. Take a few oversized paper peonies, blend with some gorgeously detailed paper dahlias and dainty paper apple blooms, and voila, you’ve got yourself a beautiful backdrop on a budget. Here’s the step by step on how to create these lovelies for your event.

The Supplies

• paper peony, paper dahlia and paper apple blossom. The total number of flowers will depend on how small or large you’d like your backdrop to be. Ours took two peonies, three dahlias and three apple blossoms. For a more full backdrop, increase your count and display the blooms closer together.
• skewer and rounded pencil for curling petals
• glue gun

Paper Flower #1: The Apple Blossom

The Step by Step

Step 1: take one of the flower’s layers, any one will do as you’ll repeat this step for them all, and begin by creating your petal details. Crease each petal in half, about 3/4 of the way down, toward the center point.

Step 2: once all petals have been creased, with creases facing up, collapse the flower’s center point such that it creates a dip and your flower is no longer flat.

Step 3: bring the petal with the jetting out flap together with the petal beside it and glue them together such that the flap is now covered.

Repeat Steps 1-3 for All of the Flower’s Layers. 

Step 4: begin gluing together your layers from largest to smallest. Alternate the positioning of each layer, rotating as you go, such that they do not overlap and each layer remains visible.

Paper Flower #2: The Dahlia

The Step by Step

Step 1 (image 1 & 2): begin by creating your petal details. For the prettiest bloom, tightest in the middle, we recommend using a thin skewer to curl the petals on the first two smallest layers. Curl in the sides of each petal, working towards the middle.

Step 2 (image 3 & 4): for the balance of the layers we recommend using a pencil for curling, again curling in the sides of each petal, working towards the middle.

Complete All Layers Before Moving onto the Next Step. 

Step 3: for each curled layer, overlap the petals onto one another.

Step 4: in the palm of your hand or using your fingers, twist the overlapped petals such that a tight cone shape is created. Repeat step on all layers and line them up from smallest to largest.

Step 5: begin building your dahlia by starting with your largest layer. Unravel the cone and flatten out the layer, leaving just the sides of the petals curled. Continue onto the next layer and begin gluing your layers together. As you work your way up from layer to layer flatten each one out less, leaving the first two (the smallest two) in tact.  As you glue alternate the positioning of each layer, rotating as you go, such that they do not overlap and each layer remains visible.

Paper Flower #3: The Peony

The Step by Step

Step 1: select your largest or smallest layer and begin creating your petal details using a pencil to curl the edges. Curl each individual petal on the sides, inward. Repeat this step for all the flower’s layers, curling your top,smallest layers more than the larger bottom ones.

Step 2: glue your layers together from the bottom up, largest layer to smallest. Alternate the positioning of each layer, rotating as you go, such that they do not overlap and each layer remains visible.

The End Result

xoxo.