Every bride wants her reception to be uniquely her style and the last thing anybody wants to overhear at their wedding are the guests talking about how much your centerpieces look just like somebody else’s. And face, tha is a possibility. But one way you can add a little of your own personality into your arrangements is by adding something special to the vase itself. Whether you are planning to use a bubble bowl or a tall stately glass vase, there are literally hundreds of different things you can use to help secure your flower stems into place and create an added splash of color.

River rocks are very popular. Available in a wide variety of earth tones, these polished stones work very well with almost any type of vase you are planning to use. Readily available in every craft store and department store with a silk flower section, river rocks come in three general sizes, small, medium and large. River rocks also work well to help secure your arrangements into place.

Glass and acrylic beads are also a very popular way to add color and pizazz to your arrangements. They come in a variety of colors, shapes and sizes. Like river rock, glass beads and shapes depending on their size will also help support your arrangement in the bottom of the vase. Most acrylic beads are usually added for splashes of color. Their lighter weight will not always support heaver stemmed flowers so they’re used more for their decorative appearance that as additional flower support. Acrylic and glass beads are also available in a variety of gem shapes, which make them just perfect for a wedding reception. Not to mention that they are available in a wide assortment of colors.

Shells, marbles, wood slices, even aquarium gravel, just about anything you can think of can be used to create a unique setting for your arrangements. I have actually even used broken windshield glass with spectacular results.

Okay, admit it….when you think of organic flowers do you think of weeds? I do! Many of the flowers that are grown organically are not the type of flowers you would typically use for centerpieces. But, with some careful planning, they can be. I recently visited an organic farm near me. To my surprise they had sweetpeas growing wild (and organically) all over their property. They also had delphinium, roses, irises and sunflowers growing organically. They showed me mint, fever few, echinacea and lavender; and incorporated into a bouquet look very nice together. I purchased a couple of their medicinal bouquets, which included the herbal components mentioned above and made a bouquet for someone in the hospital. I was greeted by three employees at the front desk who couldn’t stop asking me about this bouquet. Yes, they noticed it had mint in it and couldn’t get over how nice it looked and smelled! The bottom line here is it is very possible to have organic centerpieces that look elegant and you will be proud to display.

One element of using organics that you should be aware of is that you can’t always count on something to be available. Organic farming is more sensitive to pests and weather. So if an unforseen pest attacks the crop, you may not be able to get the flowers you were anticipating. They also tend to be a little more expensive than non-organic flowers. Always have a plan B!

If you are planning to create your own wedding reception centerpieces, one of the best things out there for creating arrangements is Floral Foam. It’s great for holding stems together and retaining water to make sure that your reception centerpieces stay at their freshest.

Floral foam is generally sold in blocks, is soft and has an almost clay like appearance. It should not be confused with the Styrofoam product that is used for holding artificial flowers in place which is a lighter green color, porous in appearance and hard to the touch.

You are going to want your floral foam to fit snugly into the container. You can shape your foam by either cutting small sections away at a time or by pressing the foam to the opening of your container and then trimming it to fit. Floral foam should extend about an inch over the top of the container.

Once you’ve got your foam in the right shape and size, you will need to soak it in water to prepare it for use. A good rule of thumb for how much water to use is to fill your bucket or sink with enough water so that you have 2/3 more the amount of water to the height of the foam. For instance, if your foam is 5 inches high, you should have about 8 inches of water in your bucket or your sink.

Place your foam carefully into the water. It is important to remember to not push down. The foam will sink as it absorbs the water, turning a darker green. Once it is completely saturated, it will bob back up to the surface. This whole process shouldn’t take more than 1-2 minutes depending on the size of your foam box.

There are so many wonderful touches that can be added to a fall flower arrangement. This time of year brings an abundance of natural touches, from acorns to gorgeous fall foliage to using ornamental gourds as accents or in some cases as the vase itself. Our sister site, flowerarranging101.tv has a number of videos to chose from that give you all the details you need to create lovely arrangements with ornamental gourds and pumpkins.

Using ornamental gourds to accent your arrangements gives you the chance to not only add in some great fall colors, but also some textures as well. There are so many places you can pick up ornamental gourds, from your grocery store to your local greenhouse and you can even grown them yourself. Ornamental gourds are generally 3 to 5 inches around and not over a foot in length. They come in a wide variety of colors, textures and shapes as you can see by the picture to the left.

Some of the most readily available gourds include:

Apple – This is a white gourd, round and about the size of an apple

Crown of Thorns – This gourd is either cream colored or green stripped. It is oblong in shape and has a ring of thorns around the blossom end. It is also known as the Finger Gourd or Ten Commandments.

Nest Egg or just Egg – This gourd is approximately the size of a hen’s egg and was traditionally used to replace eggs in the nest to trick hens.

Flat – This green striped gourd is button shaped and usually about 3 inches in diameter.

Orange – Like the Apple Gourd above, this one also minics the size and shape of an orange.

Pear – This gourd is available in white or green striped versions and is also named for the fruit that it resembles.

Spoon – This gourd is one of the larger variety of ornamental gourds. Shaped like a dipper, it is a vivid yellow and green in color. Because of the shape, it can be used as a doll’s head or split in half and hollowed out to resemble spoons.

Warty – This particular gourd is most often orange in color and of course, named for it’s texture.

And don’t be afraid of incorporating fall foliage into your arrangements either. Their rich brilliant colors can created the perfect frame for your arrangements. This is also a fantastic time to work fruits and vegetables into your arrangements. Apples are perfect, as are pumpkins, artichokes, eggplant and squash. And for our Recessionista Brides, what a great way to put splashes of color into your receptions and keep the cost under control

Are you having trouble finding sources for all the right accessories to dress up your bouquet?   Have you found just the vase you want to use, but you need a dozen of them?  I have great news for you.  Our sister site, flowerarranging101.tv has just expanded its product line to include not only all the fun accessories to add to your bouquets, but also vases, greenery, even floral lights.

I am just so excited to be able to offer you the ability to purchase all these great items.  I know how hard it can be to find the all the specialty item on the retail market.  And if you can, they are usually rather expensive.   But now you have the ability to purchase vases, a wide variety of floral accessories including water beads, pins and picks, crystals and even rhinestone ribbons to had that perfect touch of bling to your bouquet.  Some of the other things you can now purchase include mirrors for placing vases on and even two different styles of  floral lights so you can highlight those gorgeous arrangements at your reception.

And if you are looking for ideas for the perfect bouquet or arrangement, flowerarranging101.tv has a great selection of videos on creating wedding flower arrangements and bouquets

From the moment you got engaged, you’ve been dreaming of that perfect fall wedding.  How your dress will look, where the ceremony will be and most of all what your flowers will look like.  But there is just one little problem.  Your favorite flowers are out of season in the fall.

One of the best ways to avoid a wedding budget crunch is to use in season flowers.  Fall has some incredible options for creating classy floral arrangements both for your reception and for your own bouquet. Asters, Chrysanthemums and dahlias are all at their peak in the fall.  They can create a stunning display of rich colors ranging from white all the way to those deep coppery oranges and velvety dark reds.  Roses, the most loved choice for weddings are available almost year round.

Another thing to think about when thinking about your arrangements and bouquets is that fall offers the opportunity to incorporate richly colored fall fruits and vegetables.  Ornamental gourds, crab apples, ornamental cabbages, acorns and fall foliage all can add a unique flair to your arrangements and bouquets.  And because they are in season, including them along with your flowers can help keep costs down.

But don’t worry, if your heart is set on having Tiger Lilies in your arrangements, check with your local florist.  They just might be available in a greenhouse environment.  Be prepared, though to add some extra to your flower budget though.

Last time I talked about the origins around the tossing of the bridal bouquet and that now, many brides are opting to have a second or ‘toss’ bouquet created for them so that they can keep and preserve the actual bouquet. But many brides have been looking at new and different twists on this old tradition.

A number of couples are using the toss bouquet in a special way to honor a special guest or family member that has come to the wedding.  Presenting the toss bouquet and garter to newly engaged friends is a very special way to bring their new happiness into your celebration, not to mention, it actually fulfills the old prophesy that the woman who catches the bouquet will be the next to marry.   Another variation on the theme is to have all couples stand and ask who has been married 1 year, 5 years, 10 years, etc until there is only one couple left standing and present them with the toss bouquet and garter in celebration of how long they have been wed.   Or having a toss bouquet that breaks apart and presenting one half to the bride’s mother and the other half to the groom’s mother as a token of love and appreciation.

So whether you opt for that traditional toss over the shoulder or create something fun and uniquely you, enjoy your special day to the fullest!