How To Make (And Wield!) Your Own Sword Bouquet

I’m a creative person who always seems to be driven by my ideas, and when one hits me, I find it difficult to resist bringing it to life. A recent inspiration was for bridesmaids’ bouquets with an unconventional handle – a sword hilt. I’ve just completed the first iteration of this design concept, and while there are some elements I’d like to refine, I’m excited to share my process so that others can create their own unique wedding day accessories.

Supplies

To create your own unique wedding bouquet props, you’ll need a few essential tools and materials. A metal cutting tool or saw, such as a Dremel, can help you shape your sword or dagger hilt into the desired design. If you’re short on time, consider using a Dremel instead of a jeweler’s saw to save time. For the bouquet itself, choose flowers or leaves that fit your wedding theme, which can be fabric, silk, or even real blooms.

You may also want to incorporate brooches into your design, with some creative adjustments. When it comes to swords and daggers, focus on the hilt alone, as this is what will ultimately be used in the bouquet. Consider using smaller daggers for your bridesmaids, or opt for a unique option like Machone’s katana or Link’s sword for a themed wedding. For safety, wear safety glasses, gloves, and consider using a ruler to measure your props accurately.

A Styrofoam ball will provide the base for your bouquet, which can be adjusted in size depending on your design needs. To refine your metal cutting skills, use metal files or a sander tool with your Dremel.

Step 1: Cutting your sword

While I wouldn’t have chosen this sword initially, it was ultimately the best option for our project. The T-hilted sword’s finger guard presented some challenges, but we’ll only be using the hilt, so find one that suits your style. Consider any additional designs on the hilt that might interfere with your final product. In my case, I had to work around a peculiar angle where the hilt extended into the blade past the hand guard.

Once you’ve selected your sword, it’s time to cut off the blade – unless you’re okay with having 8-30 inches of steel protruding from your bouquet, which is an option if you prefer. Most swords have a sharpened edge that doesn’t extend the full length of the steel, so I chose to cut mine just before the sharp part starts. Now it’s time to get cutting! Initially, I tried using my jeweler’s saw, but after 20 minutes of steady work, I’d only made minimal progress.

Clearly, this wasn’t the most efficient approach. Instead, I switched to my Dremel and managed to complete the task in about 10 minutes – although, I must admit, the result was a bit rough-looking. Be sure to wear safety goggles and gloves when working with power tools and sharp objects. If you’re not comfortable with this step, please don’t attempt it. Once you’ve removed the blade, take care to smooth out the cut edge using files or a sander tool on your Dremel.

Please exercise caution during this process as well. As for my original bouquet holder, I started with a plastic one from Hobby Lobby but ended up disassembling it to retrieve the Styrofoam ball inside.

Step 2: Adding the Styrofoam

To transform a useless sword hilt into something more substantial, we can incorporate Styrofoam. Simply insert the blade into the foam ball, taking care not to apply too much pressure that might cause the ball to break apart. Depending on the size and type of Styrofoam used, this process may be messy, but with caution, you should be able to achieve a secure fit. Ensure your blade is proportional to the ball, as excess length can lead to difficulties in handling.

Once the blade is fully seated within the ball, approximately two inches of it will remain exposed, which can be easily concealed by flowers or other decorative elements. When cutting the blade, consider its height and how it will interact with the diameter of the ball and any surrounding foliage.

Step 3: Adding flowers

To create your unique sword bouquet, start by crafting fabric leaves and flowers with a wire backing that can be inserted into the Styrofoam. You can substitute alternative materials like feathers, silk flowers, or even real ones if you use special water-holding Styrofoam. Begin attaching the embellishments at the bottom of the hilt and work your way up, adding layers of leaves, flowers, and smaller blooms to create a visually appealing arrangement.

The key is to strategically place the elements to conceal the wire backing and provide stability to the overall design. Consider forming your wire into a corkscrew shape or using glue to secure the flowers once you’re satisfied with their positioning.

Step 4: WIELD YOUR SWORD BOUQUET

With a sense of accomplishment, I finally put the finishing touches on the project, clocking in at around an hour from cutting the blade to completion. Meanwhile, crafting the intricate flowers has been a labor of love that spanned several weeks – I’m making seven of these stunning bouquets for my bridesmaids, with a possible upgrade to a larger one for myself. The end result is well worth the time and effort, as I’m thrilled with how they’ve turned out.