Then again, they can be one of the most frustrating aspects of planning a wedding. They’re often expensive, and they hold those pesky meanings which might vary drastically from one person to another.

But we can all dream big. I didn’t, but then I’m sometimes a bit unusual in my tastes and priorities. My dream was simple: find pretty flowers and tie them into a simple sheaf bouquet. Oh, and I did want a couple red roses in it. Why? Because they’re the flower Mr. Twistie gives me and always has from day one. He does that because roses are literally the only flower he recognizes from one day to the next and he knows I love red.

So my MOH and I headed off to the open-to-the-public florist’s supply in my hometown, bought a bunch or two of whatever happened to be long stemmed, pretty to me, and fairly inexpensive along with a roll of florists’ tape and some corsage pins. I had some pretty red ribbon at home to tie decoratively around the sheafs at the end. And BAM! we were done.

In fact, while I’m a lot better versed at flowers than Mr. Twistie, the only blooms I recognized in my bouquet were the aforementioned roses and some lavender snapdragons. I have no clue to this day what the yellow or the pink flowers I carried were. All I know is I carried the perfect bouquet for me. It was the right shape, I thought all the flowers in it were pretty, and it had a couple red roses. If I’d had more money, I might have had someone else put them together, but I would have wanted something very similar to what I carried.

But I’m curious. What sort of flowers do/did you dream of? Will you/did you get them? What if money were no object?

Tell me all about it!

Dessert tables are expected to continue to be a big deal in weddings. Variety is the spice of life, and a wonderful way to end a reception meal.

A further wrinkle on this trend that’s on the rise for parties that last late into the night is a second spread of snacks offered to guests on their way out. Doughnuts, cookies, sliders, coffee and cocoa… this is the chance to offer up a tasty final gift to your guests.


Alternatives to flowers are another trend on the rise. Paper, brooches, fabric, feathers… if it can substitute for flowers, someone’s using it. This is a great trend if you’re dealing with allergies or want to DIY your bouquets and centerpieces over time. But real flowers are hardly going anywhere.

More brides have been doing DIY projects for their weddings, and that isn’t changing anytime soon. Whether it’s to save money, add uniquely personal touches, or honor a family tradition, using your own hands to put at least a couple pieces of your wedding together can be tremendously satisfying.

Green is clearly the way to go in the coming year. From invitations of recycled paper to living plant centerpieces, to packets of wildflower seeds as favors, brides and grooms everywhere are getting eco-friendly and loving it.

More weddings than ever are happening in the great outdoors. Whether it’s a garden, a beach, the woods, couples are choosing the sky as the ceiling they prefer. As someone who had an outdoor wedding and loved it, I say go for it… just make sure you have a backup plan in case of inclement weather.

Of course trends are fun, but never follow one if it feels wrong to you. You should do what matters to you.

Over the years, pretty much every wedding planning book, magazine, blog, and zine I’ve ever read has suggested using more filler and less flowers to save a couple bucks on this major accessory… but how about we just cut out the flowers altogether?

(Illustration via The Wedding Talk Blog)
Gorgeous, isn’t that? All those delicious herbs! Dry it and use the results in cooking for months to come. Talk about savings plus repurposing!

It also has historical precedent behind it. You see, once upon a time bridal bouquets weren’t masses of flowers: they were handfuls of herbs meant to ward off bad luck and evil spirits. Over the years that simple gesture to luck has turned into an accessory that ranges from simple to sumptuous, minimalist to maximalist.

(Illustration via Floral Verde LLC)
For a rather spectacular display on the minimal side, I love this bouquet of silver tree with just a dash of ribbon and a pretty pearl pin.

Or consider using another sort of traditional filler to make the bouquet. For instance, I’m quite entranced with this gorgeous cloud of baby’s breath and stephanotis:

(Illustration via Kirsten’s Wedding)

A little bit of outside-the-box thinking can show you all kinds of wonderful ways of making your wedding special without breaking the bank.

Whether you’re looking to make centerpieces, design and make your own veil, or coming up with handmade favors, chances are you can find inspiration and instruction somewhere on the net. So I’m going to hunt down some of the coolest ideas and clearest instructions to help you get started finding what projects are right for you.

Today, we’re talking about flowers. I’ve been looking around and I’ve discovered some fun projects that nearly anyone can do.

First up, see that picture at the top of this article? Wouldn’t those be delightful on the tabletops at a spring wedding, particularly with a Japanese theme? They’re also origami. This is the sort of project you can do over time or organize a party to play with.

For a more last-minute project, eHow has a really clear and simple video class on tying bouquets. Trust me, I tied my own the night before the wedding, and it was simple. As long as you’re not trying to do something elaborate and tiered, chances are you can do your own if you’d like to.

How about these fun and fabulous fabric flower garlands? I could see stringing these while watching TV or chatting with friends over the course of weeks or even months. Find out how it’s done at Once Wed.

For something really different, consider freezing flowers in ice and displaying them around the room. You can find tips on how to do it at From Sparkly to Spouse.

Whether you’re going for sophisticated or down home, a riot of color or tone on tone monochrome, you can do all or part of your own wedding flowers. It’s all a matter of finding the right idea and practicing a little.

But of course, not everyone wants a bridal bouquet that very specifically is not trying to be real flowers. And some of those people don’t want to resort to tacky looking faux blossoms, either. So what’s the middle minded, possibly allergic bride-to-be who wants an alternative that’s not too alternative when it comes to her wedding flowers to do?

Here’s where I come back to paper. Specifically paper bridal bouquets and arrangements created by The Crimson Poppy. Inspired by her family’s genetic black thumb, the artisan behind the company went from 0 to expert in the paper flower realm, always striving for a realistic looking bloom that wouldn’t wilt or die. And judging by these examples, I’d say she succeeded admirably.

Pro 1: Flowers in any color you can imagine

Pro 2: Roll the cost of preservation into your bouquet

Pro 3: Nothing fussy about these flowers

Pro 4: Will survive transport and then some

Anyone out there going for wedding flower alternatives over real blossoms? What are you opting for and where are you buying it?

A guitar pick bouquet in the wild, snapped by Joe Hendricks Photography

Picks come in just about every color you can imagine, so yes, they have your wedding colors

Custom bouquet packages and even printing are available

True story: I didn't know they were picks the first time I saw them

In addition to guitar pick bridal bouquets, Flowers That Rock creates arrangements that could work as centerpieces and hair accessories and single blooms, which could be very interesting as part of a more traditional bridal bouquet. I love them! But what say you: Yes? No? Great for the right bride? Too silly? I never know how far some of you are willing to go when it comes to the alternative ideas that I think are so fantastic, so do feel free to tell me to take it down a notch!

A colorful paper bridal bouquet

Paper flower pew bouquets

HUGE flower wedding table centerpieces

And classic paper roses

Very cute, no?

Alternative, but similar idea: wedding pinwheels!

Edible button wedding favors from Sugar and Meringue, YUM

Button wedding cake by The Caketress: http://thecaketressblog.com

Vintage button bridal jewelry from http://www.charm-boutique.com

Easy=peasy button wedding invitations from http://nikkabelle.com

Can't beat this for an easy DIY table number! via The Knot

Great idea, in buttons, for the sweetheart table

Aren't these button napkin rings fab?

A sweet button bridal bouquet found on Tumblr... source?

Wedding buttons for the groom as photographed by Angelica Glass

A button wedding theme is a pretty sweet choice for the DIY bride who happens to have inherited her gram’s button collection… or is just one of those gals who can’t help snapping up big bags of buttons from junk shops and Amazon and elsewhere. You def. don’t have to be a seamstress to rock the button wedding theme. If you can thread a needle, you’re golden!

No, no, no. When I think wildflower bouquet, I think of something like this:

Or this:

Or this:

Of course, I understand that it’s the type of flower and the arrangement that makes a wildflower bouquet. But why go through all the trouble of gathering wildflowers (or paying someone to do it for you) and then put them into an arrangement so polished that the significance of the blooms themselves is lost?

Images: 1, 2, 3

Images: Portobello; Love My Dress; OkaySK; The Budget Savvy Bride; Instalytes