Weddingbee boards

I would definitely do it again. For all of my flowers (100 roses, greens, spray roses, and hypericum berry) I spent less than $150 (delivery was free from Blooms by the Box).

The Thursday before the wedding the flowers arrived and my sister and I prepped them all (trimming, dethorning, etc). The flowers that would be for the ceremony (just in vases) were arranged.

The night before the wedding I did my hand tied bouquet. I arranged it in a vase and then gathered it up and wired it.  I also wrapped it in ribbon and attached my rosary to it. Then I left it sitting in a vase with water.

The morning of the wedding, I got up, washed my hair and then sat to do the rest of the flowers while my hair dried.

I started with the BM bouquets (4 of them).I had purchased tussie mussies (http://www.weddingdepot.com/catalog/default.php/category/Tussy%2BMussy/cPath/23_52?source=google&kw=tussymussy) for their flowers, they were only $7 a piece. I used some floral clay to make sure they were snug in the holders and wouldn't fall out. It worked well, because even one BMs 2 year old didn't manage to ruin it.

Then I made 7 bouts (2 dads, 1 groom, 4 GMs). I had ordered bud pins for theirs (only $2 a piece)- again using floral clay to keep them in place.

All told- flowers and supplies I spent well under $200.

(The mom's got floral broaches in lieu of live flowers)

Disclaimer: I worked in a flower shop in high school and had some experience with handling large quantities of flowers. Still, I practiced several times in advance of the wedding so I knew exactly what I was doing.  Also- I ordered a little extra- I gave the extras to my DoC and she used them throughout the reception.

See pictures below:

I planned on making my own, and at the last second opted out.  I'm glad I did opt out... I had WAY too much on my plate the day before the wedding!

If you do hand tied bouquets and don't wrap the ribbon all the way to the end (you can see stems peeking out near my hand) you can make all the bouquets the day before (maybe even 2 days before- when you practice check them 24 and 48 hours later and see how the flowers are holding up) and just put them in a vase with water.

I would have done that with the BM bouquets, but they were in the tussie mussies, so it wasn't an option.

I don't want to know what all my flowers would have cost me if I went through a florist.

I actually found it calming to do the flowers the morning of the wedding.  Since I had practiced several times, I knew exactly what I was doing- so that wasn't stressful.

Just sitting and arranging the flowers was quite calming for me (I was up first- the rest of the family was asleep, so it was peaceful).

And it was nice to be able to write a little note to my husband for him to find when the bouts were delivered to the guys!

Here are some other pics from my 'practices' (including some for a friend's
wedding):

http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b8da31b3127ccec380f564d4b100000010O08IctmrJuyag9vPgQ/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D550/ry%3D400/

http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b8da31b3127ccec381e4bd358400000010O08IctmrJuyag9vPgQ/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D550/ry%3D400/

http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b8da31b3127ccec3816520f4f100000020O08IctmrJuyag9vPgQ/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D550/ry%3D400/

http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b7ce08b3127ccec22ebcddd66300000010O08IctmrJuyag9vPgQ/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D550/ry%3D400/

http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b7ce08b3127ccec22e4172171a00000010O08IctmrJuyag9vPgQ/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D550/ry%3D400/

driftslikesmoke- I actually got it from Oriental Trading Co. and they were only $7 a piece!  I don't think they have them anymore.  They are called tussie mussies.

After I had already purchased those I found a large selection of much nicer ones (almost more expensive!).

http://www.weddingdepot.com/catalog/default.php/category/Tussy%2BMussy/cPath/23_52?source=google&kw=tussymussy

Amber- I don't think it will be too hard.  The only challenge I can think of is that you might have to wire wrap the center most flowers.  A lot of sun flowers are bent at the top (like a shepard's hook), so to get the flowers in the middle of the bouquet to face upwards- instead of to the side- you may have to wrap the stems with floral wire.

Also just something to keep in mind- the petals of the sunflower are pretty delicate.  My sister's bouquet included sunflowers and after being handled and passed around, by the end of the ceremony, some of the sunflowers were looking a little beat up.

If you are concerned about wire wrapping the sunflowers, you may want to include some other flowers that can fill the center and have the sunflowers on the sides.  That's what the florist that did my sister's flowers did. 

Here's a photo of the flowers from my sister's wedding (these are not DIY), but do incorporate sunflowers.

I love the pictures of the DIY bouquets!  I'm having a DW so I can't make my own (I want real flowers).  But I did make the guys bouts out of shells!  The Fi even helped!

Bees - you inspire me.  I'm teetering with the idea.

You ladies did a great job! I just bought a cheap bouquet today at the grocery store to practice with. 

@Maureen and Angee - where did you get your flowers from? 

@Rosy - that's a terrific price! I'm going to check Blooms by the Box! 

Bridget- I used www.bloomsbythebox.com for my flowers.  They were very reasonable and I was very happy with the quality of the flowers.