Confused by all of the choices there are for a bridal bouquet? I have tried hard to make each wedding I ever designed (34 years designing) special and unique to each bride.
If you are not sure what type of bouquet to carry or trying to save some on cost, take all of the cards and love letters and notes that you saved from your groom and tie them together. Have some one make a fabric "envelope" to match your colors. Slide in all of the cards and letters, use a button to close it off. Have the florist make a larger "corsage" with trailing ribbons and attach it to the top of the "envelope" with corsage pins. This will truly give you a bouquet unique to you alone as no one else has the cards and love notes as you do from your beloved.
This is sentimental and very elegant, all the while being very cost effective as well! Say nothing to your groom until you are at the altar or after the ceremony. Tell him that you carried these items with you as they mean more than any bridal bouquet ever would and you get to keep them as well, secure in their special "envelope"! You may even choose to have the envelope embroidered with your names, initials, a sentiment, your wedding date etc.
Best of luck on your wedding day.
Source: It was my idea, you have to be creative when dealing with brides that all want a wedding unique to themselves.
By Beau from Vancouver, WA
Lavender is a symbol of love and devotion, as well as said to bring good luck. It is also an inexpensive addition to a wedding bouquet. If the fresh lavender in your wedding bouquets keep drooping try the idea offered on this page.
These are sample wedding bouquets that I made myself.
This is a hand tied bridal bouquet I made. Being a certified wedding planner, I keep my business "all inclusive"! I sometimes am the florist too!
Is there a local wildflower you can add to your wedding flowers? At my wedding back East, we gathered wild Queen Anne's Lace, which was lovely with the roses we bought for small nosegays on the tables (and less than the baby's breath they sold.)
I saw the most gorgeous bouquet for the bride to carry instead of flowers. It was completely made from vintage brooches, costume jewelry, earrings that had no mates.
Thank goodness the days of HUGE Bridal bouquets has passed! Small, round bouquets with stems showing are being used more often in Weddings.
My daughter wants to use lavender at her wedding. Has anyone ever used it in their bouquet? Maybe with some baby's breathe?
By mary osborn from Monmouth, IL
We used wonderful fresh lavender that we bought on ebay for my daughter's wedding. We used it in the bouquets & the table decorations. The smell was wonderful & everything has stayed fairly bright & with that great smell for several years (spray a bit with hairspray to keep everything together nicely).
What a wonderful idea! Hope it goes well! Wish I had a daughter to share this idea with, too!
Lavender in a bouquet is lovely and it smells divine! My sister-in-law had little tulle bags of lavender on the pews in the church. It made a wonderful smell as you entered!
If you're using it in your bouquet, then it will preserve well afterwards as well. It will go well with irises or other small headed seasonal flowers.
Great idea.
I was a floral designer for 34 years and have used lavender in many weddings and bridal bouquets.
Make sure it is FRESH! or it will shatter all over and what a mess. In the bouquets to make more impact use "shocks" bunches tied or wired together and inserted in to the bouquet, this will give a statement for sure, if you are wanting it to be just an accent try using two or three stems and spread it all over the bouquet. I have done one bouquet that was ALL lavender with only 3 or 4 larger fresh or silk orchids in the center and trailing down was one additional one, you can make all lavender nosegays as well for the attendants, same for corsages just add a beautiful french wired ribbon and tadah!
Boutonnieres are sophisticated made of only lavender and an ivy leaf to cover the mechanics (stem), elegant, different, cost effective and best of all you can make them yourself ahead of time and save the cost of a florist doing all the "personal " flowers. If you can arrange time and care use large pots of fresh growing lavender or pots filled with floral foam soaked and filled with cut fresh lavender for all centerpieces in a clay pot sprayed the color you like and also larger pots filled for the ceremony! Pews can be decorated with simple 5 loop bows with lavender hot glued into the centers.
Good luck and it will be relaxing as well with the lovely scent of lavender filling the rooms for every one to enjoy!
Here is an alternative to florist prices for flowers. While I don't have a photo I am sure you will get the idea! My son is getting married in April and the wedding is on the cheap. What I did for bouquets is the following: took a toilet paper roll and inserted Styrofoam to fit snugly.
I'm getting married in August and I'm looking for some patterns to go by on how to make my own bridal and bridesmaids bouquets. I'm on a very limited budget and I'm trying my hardest to get everything and make it myself with help from my wedding party and close friends.
My wedding colors are Victorian lilac, purple, periwinkle, and white. I was wondering if someone has suggestions on flowers and flower colors, too. I hope there is someone on this site who can help me. Thanks for your time.
By Sharon from St. John's, Newfoundland
It would be very easy to make them yourself! You could use any flower that is complementary to your colors and dress style. Roses are more formal, daisies, gerbera daisies more casual. Talk to the florist about colors, hardiness (don't get anything too fragile), etc. Find out what kind of flowers will be available for a good price at that time of year. Gather them together arranging nicely, cut the stems off the same length, and use a nice ribbon to wrap the stems, finishing with a knot or bow. It couldn't be easier! Google "nosegay" and check out some pics. You CAN do it yourself and they'll be beautiful!
As a silk wedding flower designer and certified wedding planner for over 10 years, I have a couple of suggestions and tips for you. I would suggest creating a simple hand-tied bouquets. To be more formal, reduce the amount of greenery and choose a single large bloom and accent with baby's breath or stephanotis. For a more casual look; grasses and mixed smaller blooms work well.
Also, you have 2 basic color scheme options when creating bouquets. (1) Make all the bouquets the same in terms of flower colors and mixes, but perhaps make the brides larger in size. (2) Make the brides bouquet different by style, color, and/or flowers, yet all the bouquets should look complimentary. So if for example your bridesmaids are wearing Victorian lilac, than reserve that color for the brides bouquet and use the remaining colors in the bridesmaid bouquets. This way the bouquets will stand out on their gowns and match the overall wedding color scheme.
To stay within your budget here is what I would suggest for flowers and colors. If you have access to a Sam;s Club or Costco they are happy to order bulk flowers for a great price.
Baby's breath & Stephonatis in white as accent flowers.
Roses (Lavendar)
Hydrangea (periwinkle)
Alstroemeria (purple)
Carnations (Purple) - these in mass look really high end.
If you have further questions, let me know. I am glad to help. Congrats on your upcoming wedding. I wish you continued succes in your planning.
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