Bridal Wedding Bouquet Stand
Part of the 1414 Mulberry Woodwork Collection
Making a Live-Edge Bridal Wedding Bouquet Stand
Bridal Wedding Bouquet Stand
Read below to see how we made a live edge bridal wedding bouquet stand out of a branch from the 1414 Mulberry Tree. You can also see out other live edge wood collections. Get plans to craft items yourself or contact us at [email protected] for custom orders.
- Author: Jim Ramos, Ph.D.
- Photography and photo editing by: Jim Ramos, Ph.D.
- Videography and video editing by: Jim Ramos, Ph.D.
- Published: 1/29/2023
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Imagining the Live-Edge Bridal Wedding Bouquet Stand
Every time I cut down a tree, the hoarder in me wants to keep every part of the tree, from the thickest part of the trunk to the thinnest branch. It must be possible to bring out the stunning beauty of the wood to make a unique piece of functional art. I am convinced I can do something with each element, turning the old rotted trees standing in place into something beautiful. Following this passion, without the ability to mill planks and slabs, I have used wood rounds from a tree to make some tri-wood round stands, coasters with bottle cap openers, cardholders, and lazy Susan’s. Taking these endeavors a step further, I used a unique part of the 1414 mulberry tree, a thick piece of a branch, to make a gorgeously rustic live-edge bridal wedding bouquet stand.
This was a project that emerged from my wife’s creativity. She made her bridal bouquet out of wood flowers for our wedding. She also made my boutonniere out of the same type of wood flowers. It was a stunning bouquet that would last a long time, so we needed some way to display them. I had previously made some smaller diameter live-edge wood vases out of branches from the 1414 Mulberry tree I cut down to use alongside the wood flowers left over from her bouquet. Using a thicker section of those same branches, I decided to make a unique wood stand for her beautiful bouquet.
Use a Miter Saw to Make Wood Slices and Chisel to Remove Bark
I found the tree section that would be perfect, the perfect height and thickness, which can be adapted to the individual’s needs. I took it over to my miter saw and carefully cut it down to the size I wanted. The 1414 Mulberry tree I cut down for this wood had died in place in the middle of a parking lot, so the bark was peeling in places. I used an old chisel I inherited from my grandfather and peeled away the rest of the loose bark. It left a pleasant contrast of sections with bark and others showing bare wood.
Press play below to see us using a miter saw and chisel to prepare the wood
Drilling holes in the wood display
Once I was done peeling away the bark, I needed to make the hole for the bouquet stem to sit in. I clamped the base of the piece of wood and secured it in place by standing on the clamp. I then bent over and used my power drill and some speedbor drill bits to drill out a 1-inch diameter hole in the top section of the bouquet display stand. There was a smaller section of branch sticking out at the bottom, and I used a smaller speedbor drill bit to make a smaller hole in that mini branch. I could use this section to display the boutonniere my wife had made for me. This was not the best way to do this, as it made my back really sore. I bought a drill press soon after this as I would have more projects like this one.
Press play on the video below to see us drilling out holes in the wedding bridal bouquet display
Cleaning and Oiling the Wedding Bridal Bouquet Display
After the holes were made, I took the wood piece to my workbench and cleaned it with soapy water. This helped remove a lot of the dirt that had packed onto the wood. It also helped accentuate some insect tracks that ran along the wood. After it was cleaned and dried, I then added the finish I wanted to the wood. I used Danish oil to protect the wood and to give it a stunning look. I was generous with the oil to provide the bouquet display a nice shine.
Press play below to see us cleaning and oiling the wedding bridal bouquet wood display
Carving and burning initials and a heart
Once the oil had dried, I added a slight touch to this display. My wife and my name start with the letter J, so I carved out a heart in the bouquet display and added our initials. I drew the heart and a “J + J” on the wood with chalk. Then I used a Dremel with a carving bit to carve out along the chalk drawing and letters. After I carved them out, I used a wood burner to burn the carved-out bit. This would help ensure that the heart and letters stood out against the oiled wood.
Press play on the video below to see using a dremel to carve and a wood burner to burn the carving
Finished
It was as simple as that; I was done! After letting the oil dry a bit more, the wedding bridal bouquet display was ready. I used an aqua epoxy resin mulberry branch disk I had made previously as the base for the presentation. I set it up as a beautiful accent piece in our entryway. The bouquet my wife made fit perfectly in the hole I drilled in the top, and my boutonniere fit nice and snug into the lower branch section. This was a great project to add rustic beauty to our entryway. There is no better way that I can think of to display my wife’s stunning wood flower wedding bouquet than a rustically elegant display stand.
Finished
Press play to watch the full build
1414 Mulberry Wood Collection
Take a look below at all the items I’ve made out of this Mulberry tree that comprise the 1414 collection. Click on the links to read more about the functional art, or follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and TikTok to see what we are working on. Or you can message us at [email protected] to commission custom pieces from the wood in your yard.
You spent time in its shade. We’ll make sure its memories never fade
Learn more about Mulberry trees and see out other Mulberry Wood Collections. Or View some of our other Live Edge Lumber Collections.
