Lovely Lisianthus Centerpieces
Published January 10, 2012 | 
As I mentioned last month, Lisianthus is a favorite of mine whenever one of my brides has chosen to include purple in her colors. I love that it is available year round and in so many different colors because it’s a wonderful flower to work with. And it has a great vase life so if you are thinking of using your centerpieces as guest gifts, it’s a wonderful choice that will allow them to enjoy the beauty of your reception centerpieces for up to two weeks after your great day. While I have never created an entire bouquet out of Lisianthus, I can imagine that it might create a very lovely bouquet.
I wanted to share with you some reception centerpieces I have created using Lisianthus. The centerpiece to the left was creating using purple lisianthus for a wedding where the colors were purple and green.
This next one was also used purple lisianthus. This bride had a very brillantly colored wedding which included reds, oranges, yellows, purples and 
blues.
And if you are looking to create your own arrangement, you can check out our sister site, Flower Arranging 101 where I have several wonderful arrangement videos including lisianthus. Check out this preview of one of my favorites.
Flowers for Winter Bouquets
Published January 3, 2012 | 
If you are a Recessionista Bride, one of the best ways to keep your costs down is to make sure that the flowers you are considering for your wedding are in season. And don’t despair if you are a Winter bride, there are some great choices out there for you that are not only beautiful, but in season and therefore easy on your budget.
Roses – Hands down, the most romantic flower going and the best news of all, they are available nearly year round. The only thing that you need to keep in mind if you are planning a winter wedding is that this time of year, red and white roses start to go up in price as growers cut back on shipping these two colors to make sure that they will have enough to met the needs of Valentine’s Day.
Some of the other choices include gerbera daisies, iris, lilies, calla lilies, several varieties of orchids and freesia. Tulips are also in season this time of year, but because of their soft stems, they do not make good choices for bouquets. But they are perfect for reception flowers.
And last but certainly not least, is the carnation. Not only are they easy on the budget, but they are a reliable firmly packed bloom that not only holds its shape well, but has fabulous vase life. While you might not want to have your entire bouquet created out of this popular flower, keep in mind it’s a great as a base for your bouquet. I have used carnations as a base for a hand tied bouquet and used more expensive/prestigious flowers as the flowers you really see above the carnations. It’s a great way to get a nice look without the added cost of an entire bouquet made of expensive flowers.
Kiss the Bride
Published December 27, 2011 | 
Nothing is quite as special as the first kiss as husband and wife. And what better way to celebrate that than to include a kissing ball at the reception. Set over the doorway or even over the bridal table, it’s a lovely way to add just one more touch of romance to your special day.
Usually associated with the holiday season, these attractive decorations are usually made with springs of boxwood or other greenery. One of the easiest ways to create one is to actually start with a potato! Not only will it give you a firm base to insert your greenery and other ornamentation, but the moisture in the potato will help keep everything fresh. Once you have gotten your greenery arranged in an attractive ball shape, it’s ready to be decorated. You can then chose to go with the traditional holiday sprigs if Mistletoe and berries or use flowers to match your wedding and reception decor. You could even sparkle with strings of beads and the very popular jeweled ribbons, giving this traditional decoration a modern update.
You can even create them out of silk greenery and flowers so that you have a permanent keepsake of your wedding day. You can find any number of floral foam balls at your local craft store in a wide variety of sizes.
Bouquet Styles–The Hand Tied Bouquet
Published December 2, 2011 | 
Did you know that one of the biggest crazes in bouquet styles actually got started by accident?
It’s true, the hand-tied bouquet got started by accident. You see, bridal magazines are selling gowns/dresses not flowers. So as not to make you lose sight that you would also carry flowers, some advertiser stuck a small cluster of flowers into the brides hands (not wanting to take away from the gown). But brides looking at these magazines liked the small cluster of flowers and thus the hand-tied bouquet trend was born. This lovely bouquet style lends itself very well to the newest tre
nd of bouquet embellishments. The simple way the stems are put together create the perfect backdrop for the incorporation of everything from a treasured keepsake to the fanciest of rhinestone ribbons. The bouquet to the left is tied with a gorgeous pearled ribbon. The one to the right is wrapped all the way down with a lovely wide satin ribbon.
Hand-tied bouquets really cover a variety of bouquet names including a tussie mussie, nosegay, clutch, carry, round hand-tied, free form hand-tied and toss bouquet. Its versatility in both size and design made it an immediate hit. And, it remains the front runner for bouquet styles still today.
Decisions, Decisions, So Much Lovely Greenery
Published November 29, 2011 | T
here are just so many different types of greenery to add to your wedding flower arrangements this time of year. And just because it’s the holiday season, you don’t have to go for the traditional holiday evergreens. Especially in your bouquets. The sharp needles of most evergreens might cause some irritation and some people are highly allergic to them. But if you still are looking to add that holiday sparkle to your bouquets, you might try one of these.
Magnolia leaves are wonderful for larger flowers. These thick dark green glossy leaves add great body to your arrangement and make a perfect picture frame for your f
lowers. Because of their deep color, they are great for using at a holiday wedding.
Ivy is often used in bridal bouquets, especially cascade bouquets because it not only adds great color, but adds great visual appeal. Ivy is available in a variety of sizes.
Eucalyptus is a very popular choice for greenery at any time of the year. There are so many different varieties and color options. It has a lovely aroma of it’s own so if you are planning to use evergreens in your reception flowers, you might want to select other greenery that has little or no scent of it’s own.
Lambs Ear is a soft leaf that makes a wonderful filler. The velvety green leaves go with so many different flowers.
Ferns bring a dainty touch to your arrangement. They have a very good vase life which makes them extremely popular, especially when combined with roses. And there is such a wide variety you are sure to find the perfect match for your arrangement no matter what color your flowers are.
I also love using decorative branches in arrangements in place of greenery. Manzanita and curly willow make a wonderful addition to a larger arrangement and lend themselves very well to being dazzled up for a holiday feel at the reception.
A Sweet Idea for Flower Girls
Published November 22, 2011 | 
There are just so many options available to today’s bride for her attendants flowers. One adorable alternative to the traditional bouquet that I just love is the use of a pomander or kissing ball. This precious creation is the perfect choice for your flower girls as it is smaller than a traditional bouquet. The ribbon holder makes it very easy for little hands to hold. Or you could use a holder such as I have done in the photo on the right.
Creating a pomander for your attendants is lovely alternative to the traditional attendant bouquets. While they do use a lot of flowers, you can chose to add additional ribbons or other fillers such as berries or beading. The floral ball base can be found in any craft store along with a huge variety of ribbons at a very good cost. Pomanders also are great for use on the end of the pews and make a lovely addition to your ceremonial flowers.
Queen Anne’s Lace-Dried to Perfection
Published November 18, 2011 | 
Adding dried wildflowers into a fresh flower arrangement can add some extra texture and eye appeal. This works especially well if you are having a Rustic Chic, casual or even a good old fashioned Victorian theme wedding. Queen Anne’s Lace, one of the more versatile filler flowers lends itself very well to the drying process. And this can be done very easily and inexpensively right at your own home, making it a perfect fit for any Recessionsita Bride.
The most common method for drying flowers is air drying. To get the best results with Queen Anne’s lace you should select blooms that are just at their peak or even just before full bloom.
Cut the stems to the length that you want them for your project. Once they are dried, they will be more difficult to cut and it might cause some damage to the dried stem. Always remove the leaves. They do not dry well and could issues with the stems. Using rubber bands, group the flowers into threes or fours and secure them together tightly.
You’ll want to make sure that the area you are planning to use for drying is dark, dry and warm. Humidity can promote the growth of mold and prevent the flowers from drying properly and direct sunlight could cause them to fade. A closet or an attic area will work perfectly for drying flowers. Hang them upside down either on a hook or a nail. The drying process takes about 2-3 weeks to complete.
If you are in a hurry and need them to dry faster, try using the Desiccant Method. The Desiccant method allows you to greatly speed up the drying process by use of white cornmeal and borax as drying agents. You’ll need some additional items You’ll prepare them the same way you do for the standard drying method, using blooms near or at peak and making sure the stems are the length you will need for your project. Place the flowers in a cardboard box and cover them in a mixture of equal parts of white cornmeal and borax. Your dried Queen Anne’s Lace will be ready in about two days. The only real draw back to this method over the standard drying method is that white blooms may darken in color anywhere from a cream to a tan color.
Adding A Little Sparkle To An Old Stand-by
Published October 28, 2011 | 
As I mentioned last time, wrist corsages are making a comeback. Partly due so some of the changing fashions, but also because there are now so many wonderful ways for the wrist corsage to be attached. If you wanted to add an additional sparkle, you can even get rhinestone and crystal wristlets. Another style that you might want to consider when creating wrist corsages is a bangle or cuff style base. Once again, these can be worn after the event as jewelry and provide an extra special reminder for the mothers of the bride and groom of that very special day.
If both mothers are coordinating their outfits with the colors of the wedding, then their corsages, no matter what style chosen should match the other floral arrangements. If they are not, then you want to make sure to compliment the colors of their dresses but use the same flowers that are in the other arrangements if at all possible.
And, if your moms don’t want to wear their flowers, consider giving them a small nosegay to carry instead. I always bring mine in small vases, because flowers need water like we need air. When the mom is done carrying her bouquet, she can place it back into the little vase in front of her at the table she sits at. Here is an example of small nosegays that the moms carried for a wedding I did a couple of years ago.
Balancing Act
Published October 14, 2011 | 
We’ve all been here. You’ve just created a gorgeous arrangement, taken your time, bought the perfect flowers, cut your stems, put everything in place the way you imagined it. You take a step back to admire your handwork and it happens, there is just no zing. The arrangement you saw so perfectly in your mind’s eye just doesn’t have the pop you were looking for.
But before you toss in the shears and walk away, let me give you a simple quick fix that will help put that sparkle into your arrangement. Most of the time this happens because the overall arrangement is too light or too dark. Adding in a little contrast to your arrangement will help to balance the colors you’ve chosen. For arrangements that appear too dark, try adding some white flowers. Right away the arrangement will brighten up and the white flowers will add great contrast, making your darker blossoms stand out the 
way you had imagined they would.
If your arrangement feels too light or washed out to you, add some dark purple. Dark purple booms help add the needed contrast in an arrangement that is too light. They give that added contrast and frame out the lighter blooms to create that much needed focal point.
Be sure to cut the stems on an angle. Cutting them off straight or hammering the stems will increase the chance that bacteria could grown and cause your flowers to wilt prematurely.
Place your cut flowers loosely in a bucket of cool clean water that has been prepared with flower preservative in it. If you are making a large arrangement, having a second and possibly a third bucket available will help to keep your flowers from being crushed in on each other. This will also help eliminate the risk of bruised petals.
If you have purchased your flowers from a local florist, flower market or wholesaler, they will come to you already cut and wrapped. Once you get them home, you will need to re-cut them on an angle, so that the fresh cut stems will be able to absorb water more readily. You can then place them in buckets just like you would do with flowers chosen from your own garden and get ready to start your creation!
A Quick Fix to Prolong Flower Life
Published August 19, 2011 | 
Would you believe that you can prolong the life of your flower arrangements by using an every day household item? That’s right you can. These days every flower delivery comes with that special packet of flower food, but suppose you are doing your own arrangements? You’ve purchased your flowers, you’ve conditioned them, the vases are all lined up and ready to be filled and you realize that you didn’t think to pick up flower food.
Let every day household bleach come to your rescue. That’s right, just a little bit of bleach in each vase, anywhere from 3 drops to a 1/4 of a teaspoon depending on the size of the vase and you’re good to go. Your flowers will stay fresh longer than they would in just regular water. This is because bleach minimizes or kills the bacteria in the water.
Bacteria is the number one reason that flowers fade too quickly. Even if your vase is squeaky clean, the bateria that may be in your tap water can cause stems to rot and flowers to fade much more quickly.
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