Weddings come with wedding events like wedding receptions, bridal teas, bridesmaid luncheons, and the desire to decorate beautifully without spending a fortune (after all, the wedding itself is a significant expense for everyone involved).
One great way to cut costs is to DIY your floral designs. Yes, seriously. It's as simple as finding a beautiful container that you can turn into a vase. Then let your creativity flow.
I worked with a floral designer to round up four of this season's trending decorative items and decided to use them as vases. Already used. After all, a vessel is a vessel. To me, if it can hold water, it can also hold flowers.
Design “failures” tend to occur just as frequently as successes, and I noticed this all too well with these four trending items (all antique). Extra large glass pitcher, Julep Cup (Wedgewood specifically) Champagne bucketand Flower Frog.
These trendy items just couldn't be relegated to the cupboard, so after two trips to the floral section of the grocery store with no luck, I finally contacted my favorite florist, Marija Babic of La Fête in Houston, and asked, “What would actually go with these items?” Eagerly collecting these items, I rushed over to Babic for help.
Extra Large Glass Water Jug: For the oversized pitcher, she chose bright yellow Blooming Forsythia, which adds a pop of color to any space. “This arrangement perfectly captures the vibrant essence of renewal that is spring,” says Babik. “The delicate golden flowers and the simple yet elegant contrast of the glass pitcher create a stunning centerpiece that is fresh yet timeless in beauty.”
Flower Frog: Although beautiful, flower frogs can have a problem: their size restrictions make picking flowers a chore rather than a pleasure. No one wants to play roulette with stem size, but what is guaranteed to always be fit for purpose?
“I chose pink Scabiosa and white Nigella (Love in a Mist) in a simple crystal vase that holds eight stems. Symbolizing love and delicate beauty, these charming flowers fit the vase perfectly, adding a touch of whimsy without stealing the spotlight from the artistic elegance,” Babic points out.
A common mistake is to always choose flowers in bloom – the greenery, seed pods and more delicate flowers are often overlooked, yet still have a clear presence.
Champagne Bucket: “I decided to create a whimsical French country feel with an arrangement of orange Buddleia globosa, Nigella (Love in a Mist), and Solomio dianthus in a vintage silver champagne bucket. These flowers radiate vibrant color, delicate beauty, and timeless appeal,” she says.
“While creating this arrangement, I imagined myself preparing an intimate dinner in the French countryside, getting ready to entertain my most beloved family and friends. It's like taking a delightful stroll through a flower-filled meadow, picking flowers to create a casual, yet sophisticated centerpiece, and letting my creative imagination run wild.”
Julep Cup: Because this is Texas and not Kentucky, locals have little need for delicate julep cups, and the beauty of these little treasures is that they're so versatile: They can be used unobtrusively on a nightstand, in a powder bath, or anywhere a delicate placement would be welcome.
“I arranged pink chrysanthemums, which symbolize joy and brightness, and white Solomio dianthus, which represent pure love and grace, in small Wedgwood cups,” the florist says. “These flowers add a beautiful splash of color and elegance, making them easy to beautify any space.”
Who knows. Maybe DIY bridal flower arranging will spark new passions and opportunities, just like Babik's.
Babic, a professional in the oil and gas industry by trade, says her “burning passion to create something special and make dreams come true with flowers” led her to start her own company, whose name, La Fête, means “to celebrate” in French.
“It's not just about the flowers and the arrangements, it's about creating delicate masterpieces that capture the spirit of special moments,” she says.
—
Emily Cotton is a Houston-based home and interior design writer.