What Makes a High-Quality Handmade Wreath?

"Handmade" gets used a lot in wreath shopping, and it doesn't always tell you much about the quality of what you're buying.

A wreath can technically be handmade whether someone spent hours getting every detail right or assembled it as quickly as possible.

I've made enough wreaths over the years to know that you can't judge quality from the word "handmade" alone.

So when I'm looking at a wreath, mine or anyone else's, here's what I pay attention to.

1. How Full the Wreath Actually Is

This is usually the first thing your eye picks up on, even if you don't consciously notice it.

A well-designed wreath should look full without looking like someone simply stuffed as much material as possible onto the frame.

Look around the inner and outer edges. Large unintended gaps, exposed sections of the frame, or areas that look noticeably thinner than the rest can be signs that the wreath needed more attention.

I also like to look at a wreath from an angle instead of only straight on. That's often where you can really see whether the design has depth.

2. The Quality of the Materials

Not all ribbon is the same. Not all mesh is the same. And artificial flowers can vary tremendously.

For ribbon, I like materials that hold their shape well enough to create defined loops and bows. Wired ribbon is especially useful because it can be shaped when the wreath is made and fluffed again later if needed.

With deco mesh, I look at how well it holds the shape of the design and how cleanly it's been worked into the wreath.

Florals are another place where quality becomes noticeable. I look for good color, convincing details, sturdy stems, and flowers that fit naturally with the rest of the design.

You can't determine everything from an online photo, but close-up product pictures can tell you quite a bit.

3. How Everything Is Attached

This is one of the things customers may never see, but it's one of the things I pay the most attention to when making a wreath.

A beautiful bow doesn't do much good if it's barely attached.

Ribbon, florals, signs, ornaments, and other decorations need to be secured well enough to handle normal movement, hanging, and handling. Depending on the design, that can involve wire, ties, picks, adhesives, or a combination of attachment methods.

There isn't one attachment method that's automatically best for every part of every wreath.

What matters is whether the maker used the right method for that particular piece and whether everything feels secure.

4. What the Back Looks Like

Turn a handmade wreath around and you can learn quite a bit about how it was made.

I don't expect the back to look decorative. That's not its job.

But I do want it to look finished.

I'm looking at how things are attached, whether anything sharp or unnecessary is sticking out, whether loose ends have been dealt with, and whether the overall construction looks intentional.

The back isn't the glamorous part of wreath making, but it's one of those details that tells me whether someone was paying attention all the way through the project.

5. Balance and Proportion

A good wreath doesn't have to be perfectly symmetrical. In fact, some of my favorite designs aren't.

But it should feel balanced.

Your eye shouldn't immediately go to one area because it's overloaded while another part feels empty. Colors and patterns should work together, and larger pieces such as bows and signs should look like they're part of the design rather than something added at the end.

This is also why choosing the right wreath involves more than finding colors you like. In our guide to choosing a fall wreath for your front door, we talk about how size, color, style, and the door itself work together.

6. Whether It Can Be Fluffed and Reshaped

This is something I'd add because it's especially relevant when you're buying a handmade wreath online.

A wreath has to survive shipping.

Ribbon loops and mesh may get compressed somewhat inside a box. A well-constructed wreath should have enough structure that you can gently fluff and reshape those areas after you unpack it.

That's different from a wreath actually falling apart or losing its construction.

And it's one reason good wired ribbon and secure attachment points matter so much.

7. How It Holds Up Over Time

Some differences in quality don't become obvious until the wreath has been hanging for a while.

Construction, materials, weather exposure, and care all affect how long an artificial wreath lasts.

A well-constructed wreath has a better starting point, but even a very good handmade wreath isn't immune to Texas sun, direct rain, strong wind, or poor storage.

We cover those factors in How Long Does an Artificial Wreath Last Outdoors?

And if you're specifically wondering about moisture, our comparison of silk, deco mesh, and faux floral materials in rain explains why the individual materials on a wreath matter too.

8. The Person Behind It

This one's harder to measure, but I think it matters.

When I'm making a wreath and something doesn't look right, I don't want to leave it that way just because technically it's finished.

Sometimes a bow needs to be redone. A ribbon needs to move. A flower looks better two inches to the left. Those little decisions don't necessarily show up on a materials list.

They show up in the finished wreath.

That's one of the things I appreciate most about handmade work. You're not only buying the materials. You're buying all of those little decisions someone made while putting them together.

What Should You Look for When Buying a Handmade Wreath Online?

You obviously can't turn the wreath over or tug on a ribbon when you're shopping online.

But you can still look for clues.

Look for multiple clear photos rather than relying on one carefully positioned image. Zoom in and look at the ribbon, florals, signs, edges, and attachment areas you can see. Check whether the seller provides dimensions and describes the materials.

Customer photos can be especially helpful because they show the wreath outside of the seller's product photography.

And don't assume price tells you everything.

An expensive wreath isn't automatically well made, and a reasonably priced wreath isn't automatically lower quality.

What you're really looking for is evidence that someone paid attention to the details.

That's What Handmade Should Mean

To me, "handmade" shouldn't just mean somebody assembled the wreath by hand.

It should mean somebody cared how it turned out.

That's what I want people to notice when they receive one of our wreaths, the fullness, the little details, the secure construction, and the parts you probably wouldn't notice unless they weren't done right.

You can browse our handmade wreath collection to see the different styles we make.

Shop Handmade Wreaths →