Do It Yourself Wedding Flowers

 

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Wedding flowers and arrangements can be expensive, but great savings can be found in do it yourself wedding flowers. Some brides choose to either handle the flower arrangements themselves or assign the task to a willing and talented friend or family member. Do it yourself wedding flowers are not for the beginner or for those who are easily stressed.

However, if you or someone close to you wants the job, do it yourself wedding flowers could save you lots of money and offer unique beauty for your wedding day.

To begin, do some research on different types of flower arrangements and wedding flowers. Look online and in your local florist shops to get a feel for which type of flowers for wedding arrangements you like. Check out the local library and your favourite bookstore for books about basic flower arrangement design. See if you can locate some pictures that are close, if not exactly, like the flower arrangements you have already seen. Use these photos as guides for your do it yourself wedding flowers.

Design magazines are another great place for floral arrangement ideas, design tips, and instructions. Many craft stores offer classes in flower arranging. Sign up for a class that appeals to you and use it as a way to get some hands on experience arranging wedding flowers. Put together a detailed notebook including any pictures or articles you found to be helpful and expect will be useful to you later.

Once you have decided on the type of arrangements you want to make, and which wedding flowers are your favourites, start practicing. Two days before the wedding is not the time to try your centre pieces for the first time. Hold your practice run several months before the wedding. This will give you lots of time to work out any kinks, make changes and refine your technique.

Try to practice in the same place you will be doing the actual flower arranging and make a list of items you will need for the project. For example, if you are going to need two different pairs of scissors and a pair of pliers, make sure you have all of the items listed on your checklist the week before the wedding. Practicing will give you a lot of information about what floral supplies you will need including flowers, tools, florist's foam, tulle and ribbon.

There are several places to get your wedding flowers. You can order them online, from your local florist or pick them up at the farmers market. If you live in a large city, check out the wholesale flower markets. Green embellishments such as baby's breath and ferns are important in any type of arrangement, so make sure you have plenty of them available to give your arrangements a professional look.

Before you pick up your flowers for wedding arrangements, make sure you have large buckets filled with water available to receive the flowers. Have more buckets than you think you will need. Once you have your wedding flowers, cut 3/4" off each stem and place the stems into water as soon as possible. To keep your wedding flowers fresh, place them in water and store them in a cool place.

Finally, arrange with a friend or family member to have them deliver and collect all of your arrangements. Give this person a detailed list of what is to be kept and what is to be thrown out. For example, if you have rented all your vases or used your grandmother's collection, let this person know and give them directions as to where to return them. If arrangements are to be given to friends and family, be sure to leave instructions with this person.

Do it yourself wedding flowers are a lot of work, but you will have the joy of knowing that you created the flowers for wedding beauty that surrounds you on your wedding day and your wedding flowers will be exactly what you wanted.

How to arrange your own bridal bouquet

There are as many possibilities for a bridal bouquet as there are types and combinations of flowers. These suggestions will help you create a one-of-a-kind bridal bouquet that can be preserved and cherished for years to come. Use these steps to create the bridesmaid bouquets and the bouquet the bride tosses as well.

Instructions

·         STEP 1: Do some research and plan ahead. Look through bridal and floral magazines and books for information on different types of flowers and ideas for bouquets. The Internet is a wonderful resource.

·         STEP 2: Choose flowers that will complement both the wedding colors and any other floral arrangements planned. Incorporate the bride's favorite flowers, if any, into the bouquet as well.

·         STEP 3: Consult with a florist about the availability of the chosen flowers, and order the flowers well in advance of the wedding. Also order filler flowers and greenery in advance.

·         STEP 4: Use a purchased bouquet holder. Bouquet holders are usually made of white plastic, are cone-shaped and have an attached handle. They come with floral foam already inserted into the cone.

·         STEP 5: Place the bouquet holder upside down on the surface of a large bowl of water. Hold on to the handle and let the holder gradually sink to the bottom of the bowl. This will saturate the foam. Remove the bouquet holder from the water and dry the exterior.

·         STEP 6: Begin the placement of the flowers, greenery and filler items at the bottom of the bouquet holder and work your way up.

·         STEP 7: Hold each flower and stemmed piece up to the arrangement before you cut the stem. Determine how much of the stem you'd like to have above the foam, and then cut the stem 1 1/2 to 2 inches below that point.

·         STEP 8: Cut each stem at a very sharp angle and insert it 1 1/2 to 2 inches into the foam. If you want to rearrange an inserted flower, remove the flower, cut the stem once more and reinsert it in a different spot in the foam.

·         STEP 9: Create a cascade effect by inserting various lengths of greenery such as ivy or fern at the bottom of the bouquet holder. Trim as needed for a symmetrical look.

·         STEP 10: Add a bow at the point where the handle of the bouquet holder joins the cone portion. Use a 2-inch-wide silk or satin ribbon in a color that complements the wedding colors. Add a pearl spray or two as well.

·         STEP 11: See "How to Preserve a Wedding Bouquet," under Related eHows, for information on having your wedding bouquet professionally preserved, as well as some suggestions for doing it yourself.

Tips & Warnings

• Make a note of the types and numbers of flowers used in bouquet samples that you come across. This will help you gauge the number of flowers needed for your own arrangement.

• Order extra flowers in case you find that you need more than anticipated. Add extra flowers to the bridesmaid bouquets or wedding corsages.

• Look for bouquet holders at floral supply and craft stores. Some holders come with a lace collar that fits underneath the cone portion of the holder.

• Arrange flowers in the floral foam immediately after saturation. Once the foam has been saturated and then dried out, it's no longer usable.

• Incorporate items such as baby's breath, heather and fern into your arrangement. Both dried and fresh stems need to be cut and inserted the same way as the flowers.

• Assemble the bouquet as close to the wedding day as possible. This will help to ensure that the bouquet remains fresh. Keep the bouquet moist and cool until it's ready to be used.

• Keep your hands protected from thorns by wearing gardening gloves.

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