From just a few feathers accenting your flower arrangements to dresses covered in them, feathers can transform ordinary wedding additions into bold and beautiful statement pieces. If you’re looking for a way to add a little pizzazz to your nuptials, look no further than our gorgeous feathered friends.
Know exactly what you want but don’t necessarily know where to find the creations you’re imagining? Or maybe you’re simply starting to miss your glue gun the same way you might miss an out-of-town family member. Whatever the case, making your very own feathery creations will ensure a custom touch guests will be squawking about for years to come while guaranteeing they match your vision precisely.
Peacock and ostrich and owl, oh my! Feathers are the fashions of the fowl world, and each bird has his or her own unique style. Deciding which you’ll want to use for your projects will be up to you. If you have the time and the motivation, experiment with a few different types to find the perfect combination for your projects. So grab your supplies, get your creative juices flowing, newspaper off a section of your dining room table, and get started!
Creating Arrangements for Use in a Variety of Projects
Creating a splay of feathers can be a quick and simple project you can easily add to shoes or the sides of hats, wear as broaches or hair accessories, or even for use as faux pocket squares.
Start with a piece of felt in either a neutral color or in a color matching your feather choices. This will serve as the base that you will attach your feathers and other interesting items to. Cut the felt to the shape of the configuration you’re going for–like a half circle for a fan-like arrangement you can add to a barrette, designed to sit behind a bridesmaid’s ear or on the side of a groomsman’s fedora. A faux pocket square might call for a simple rectangle to then be attached to rows of small overlapping feathers, while a diamond shape might be perfect for the broaches you’re imagining.
Once cut, you’ll want to attach whatever equipment will ensure it will work as you’ve envisioned–a barrette backing, a thick piece of card stock cut to the size of your suit pocket, etc. Depending on what you’re using, you can use your sewing, glue gun, or craft glue skills to secure it to your felt.
Now you can start arranging your feathers exactly how you’d like. Lay them out before securing them to get an idea of what the final product will look like. Make sure you’re certain about the arrangement, because once you’ve applied your securing agent, it’s likely that removing the feather will only damage it. This is really where you’ll let your creativity shine through. Use various shades of a single color, different types together, unique arrangements, etc. to create one-of-a-kind and personalized items.
Boutonnieres and Bouquets
Making your own boutonnieres and bouquets isn’t nearly as difficult as it may seem–in fact, it may be easier to use feathers than flowers. For the craft novice, feathers with longer, more solid shafts will be the easiest to use. Simply gather, wrap bases with floral tape, and then re-wrap with a more decorative medium. For boutonnieres, all you’ll need to add is a pearl-headed pin or to attach a pin back before handing them out to attendees.
For bouquets, an even simpler option is the bouquet holder. While they come in several varieties, these handy craft items consist of two main parts: a styrofoam head and a sturdy shaft. The foam head allows you to poke in whatever material you want to use for your bouquet–instantly transforming a package of even the lowliest craft feathers into an unexpected and dramatic display.
For feathers with shorter or flimsier shafts–or to further lengthen already long-shafted feathers–craft wire can help to stabilize and elongate them for usage in your additions. Using a hot glue gun, you can secure bunches or single feathers to the wire, or you can wrap them together with floral tape.
You can even create feather flowers by gathering a few at their bases and having them splay out from the center. Trimming their tips can often highlight the effect so don’t be afraid to experiment.
Add pearls, jewels, or rhinestones for a little flair or silk flowers for an added touch of romance. Wrap your completed bunches in anything from silky ribbon to classic lace for bouquets and boutonnieres that aren’t only beautiful but also very distinctly you.
Centerpieces and Decor
Pomanders can be a fun and festive way to display your feathery inspirations. Consider hanging large orbs from the ceiling or smaller ones from the backs of chairs, or even set them in glass vases for use as centerpieces. Pomanders can be a wonderful addition to your decor and offer a surprising alternative to the more common tissue or floral varieties you may have seen before.
You’ll need to start with a styrofoam ball in the size you need; while you’re certainly welcome to stick in your feathers individually, it’s much easier to use a feather boa for this particular project. If you’ll be hanging your pomanders, make a deep and sharp u-shape out of thick wire and insert it roughly into the center of the ball. This will become your anchor for whatever hanging apparatus you’d like to use–from ribbon to lace to plain twine.
Then, using a hot glue gun set on a low to medium temperature (hot glue can melt styrofoam), wrap a feather boa of your choosing around the ball and allow to dry. You can then add a few single feathers for variety, or, if you’d like, simply string your hanging material through your anchor or drop a few into a uniquely shaped (or even just plain glass) vase for display.
Another option you might consider is a feather wreath. Boas will make this project, too, a little simpler, although you may prefer to create these with individual feathers. Pick up styrofoam wreaths in the sizes you’d like. If you’d prefer to hang them from an anchor rather than the middle of the wreath, attach a wire anchor. Using your glue gun to attach your boa, wrap it around the tube portion all the way around the wreath and allow to dry.
Add individual feathers if you wish and either hang or use as candle wreaths. Consider glass candleholders for added visual interest and also to provide a barrier between the open flame and your gorgeous feathers.
While DIY feather projects can be fun, if you’ve found you were perhaps a bit too ambitious about your crafting abilities, don’t be afraid to turn to the professionals. They’re often happy to turn your “flights of fancy” into feathery creations you’re sure to cherish.
Meet Lisa, the talented and dedicated editor of our wedding, health, relationship, and lifestyle blog. With her keen eye for detail and her passion for all things related to love and wellness, Lisa is an essential part of our team.
As an expert in all things wedding, Lisa knows how to help couples navigate the often-overwhelming process of planning their big day. From choosing the perfect dress to selecting the ideal venue, she understands that every detail matters when it comes to creating a memorable and magical wedding experience.
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