DIY Flowers

[akw94]

Here''s a new thread to compile our resources on DIY flowers, websites, comments, questions... whatever! Maybe even pics when we actually do the test bouquets.. but first have to actually pick some flowers!

Instructional Video: http://www.videojug.com/tag/flowers
Another video + they sell flowers: http://www.bigrose.com/use_wedding_bouquets.asp

Sites w/info. on how to DIY
http://www.jrroses.com/weddingflower3.0.html
http://www.weddinggazette.com/content/005010.shtml (this site didn''t work when I just tried it but could be my computer)
http://www.wedcraft.com/ (has lots of crafts and a section on flowers)

Other flower sites:
http://www.freshroses.com/volume.html
http://www.vanderbloom.net/wholesale.html
http://www.theflowerexchange.com/shop/scripts/prodList.asp?idCategory=15
http://www.sommerflowers.com/do-it-yourself-wholesale-wedding-flowers.html
http://www.romanticflowers.com/buy_the_box3.html (great guide on different rose types)
http://home.proflowers.com/wedding/index.cfm?ref=splitahomenoref&pagesplit=splita (I know you know about this but might as well add to the list)
http://www.freshrosepetals.com/fresh_flowers_and_greens_3_ctg.htm
http://www.samsclub.com/shopping/navigate.do?catg=1539

 

[akw94]

Here''s a great site I forgot: http://www.bridesnblooms.com/
I spoke to someone here and she was so helpful. She says they have much more available than what''s on the site. I spoke to her about flower options and she suggested roses given the vast array of colors, easy to work with and best cost.
So she recommended: www.sierraflowerfinder.com to look at varieties of roses and other flowers to get a feel for colors and styles.
They use premium, Ecuadorian roses.
16" which would be fine since we''ll cut them: 125 for $100 and 250 for $170

So Happy, the site offers many styles of lavendar roses and many pinks for me to look at, no darker purples though.

She said you need anywhere from 24-50 roses for the bride bouquet (depends upon your height and weight), then 1/2 as many for the MOH bouquet and another half for the BM bouquets. 5 for mother''s bouquets and 3 for grandmother''s, 1 or 2 for the bout''s.

She said roses are also great for centerpieces w/floating flowers b/c they will open up in the water and be beautiful.

Also suggested Ground Glitter to sprinkle on the roses in the centerpiece b/c she said it will work perfectly w/the light from the candles and make everything sparkle.

She was so helpful! Her name was Dorel (I think ...sounds like door-el).

 

[So_happy]

Thanks, Dixie! I''m on my way to check out your new find

 

[So_happy]

Here''s one on using Lady Oasis to make a bridal bouquet. It has pictures, which I highly appreciate

bouquet using lady oasis

 

[So_happy]

Well, here''s one I just found that allows you to pick your own roses and has free shipping, too! For $335 you get 300 roses plus filler and petals!

Mr Roses

 

[akw94]

Darn it! I hate when I lose a post before it sends. I was trying to attach a pic. of different kinds of roses but I can''t get it to work. Very annoying!
Anyway, I like the video from bigrose.com a lot. The bouq. looks very sturdy and I like that it''s just the flowers w/no filler, since that''s the look I''m going for. Also, the bout. video from videojug is great b/c it doesn''t seem that difficult, but certainly I''ll need to practice.
I am pretty sure I switching my colors from darker purple and sage green to darker pink and sage green. I am constantly told that roses are the way to go w/DIY bouq. and I can''t find the darker purples in roses but have found plenty of very pretty, darker pinks.

So I''m thinking of pink sashes on my black bm dresses (maybe) and somehow incorp. the green but not sure where. I was thinking of maybe doing a ribbon around the floating candle bowl in green. I''m going to have start testing some of these ideas.

So Happy, any decisions on if you''re DIYing the bouq.''s too?

 

[So_happy]

Good question. I am still debating it. What I''m not debating is centerpieces. I will do those myself. And I''d really like to avoid having to do bouts. It''s mainly my own bouquet that fluctuates so much. I figure if I do roses I will want a pro do do it because when I did my rose trial last week, it was not easy to get them to all bunch togehter the way I like (maye they weren''t open enough?) and in trying to really bunch them tightly, 2 outer rose heads broke

My problem there, after watchign the videos, might have been that I was holding them up too close to thier heads. I keep thinking that if I choose flowers that don''t look best as a perfect sphere then I''ll have room for error y''know?

I have two "leads" as of yesterday the could help with my flower decisions. One, there is a retired florist in my area who posted on weddingchannel.com that she wants to help with wedding flowers. I don''t know how much she''ll charge yet but if I can provide her the flowers I could really have the best of both world here. The other option is my brother''s girlfriend'' aunt is a florist and owns her own shop. This girlfriend is also one of my BMs. I was thinking that, because of the networking factor, maybe she''d not charge me AS much as she would another customer. Who knows, right?

We''ll see..........

 

[So_happy]

I''m really loving this particular set of instructions as they apply specifically to making a cymbidium orchid bouquet which I LOVE

. I could do the all green or maybe the white ones with the mauve-y centers. YUM!!

This project would be more ambitious than hand tying some roses but I don''t know..........sure looks lovely.


How to make a cymbidium orchid bouquet (This set of instructions makes alot more sense if you''ve already SEEN the instructional videos above showing how to create stems with wire.)

 

[akw94]

Ok, these are some of the roses that I really liked.
So Happy, were these similar to what you were talking about in the other thread? When you're talking about tying roses, do you just mean for the centerpieces or for your bouq? I think that for centerpieces, you don't need the perfect shape, you can just arrange pretty in a vase, they don't have to be all the same height, etc... so lillies, roses or whatever should work fairly easy. Or am I confused?
Btw, I love the orchids and they would be so pretty as bouq. and bout.
ETA:

That pic came out very, very small. Hmmm, maybe I'll try to cut it into 2 pics so they're bigger.

 

[akw94]

Ok, I'll try again, this is the first 1/2.
ETA: The types for the bottom row are: Kiko, Hot Princess, Big Fun

 

[akw94]

Ah, much better. This is the 2nd half.

 

[akw94]

Date: 3/29/2007 2:40:37 PM
Author: So_happy
Good question. I am still debating it. What I''m not debating is centerpieces. I will do those myself. And I''d really like to avoid having to do bouts. It''s mainly my own bouquet that fluctuates so much. I figure if I do roses I will want a pro do do it because when I did my rose trial last week, it was not easy to get them to all bunch togehter the way I like (maye they weren''t open enough?) and in trying to really bunch them tightly, 2 outer rose heads broke

My problem there, after watchign the videos, might have been that I was holding them up too close to thier heads. I keep thinking that if I choose flowers that don''t look best as a perfect sphere then I''ll have room for error y''know?

I have two ''leads'' as of yesterday the could help with my flower decisions. One, there is a retired florist in my area who posted on weddingchannel.com that she wants to help with wedding flowers. I don''t know how much she''ll charge yet but if I can provide her the flowers I could really have the best of both world here. The other option is my brother''s girlfriend'' aunt is a florist and owns her own shop. This girlfriend is also one of my BMs. I was thinking that, because of the networking factor, maybe she''d not charge me AS much as she would another customer. Who knows, right?

We''ll see..........

What sort of trouble did you have getting them to bunch together? Do you mean you didn''t like the look? Was it not full enough or not all one length? What method did you use to keep them together? Any pics???
Both of those leads sound good!
Now I''m realizing that you''re talking about the bouq.''s when tying roses, right? I think I''m confusing myself!

 

[akw94]

More links to gain info. about flower types (disclaimer-got these from a magazine so don't know how useful any are):

www.aboutflowers.com - Photos and descrip. of popular cut flowers and blooming plants
www.growerdirect.com - click on Flower Varieties for photos and handling tips. Also extensive glossary on filler flowers
www.ccfc.org - month by month guide of what's available when
www.kelleywholesale.com - Galleries section offers portfolio of roses, callas, lilacs and flowering branches
www.fischerandpage.com - View-by-color feature
www.greenleafwholesale.com - go to Floral Gallery for pics of cut flowers. Lots of gerbers and carnations.
www.stevensandson.com - Encyclopedic section of greens, branches, flowers, fillers, etc...
www.calyxandcorolla.com - browse by Flower Type, includes tropical section
www.flowerparade.ca - go to Flowers and Plants
www.twigsandblooms.com - in-depth portfolio of tulips, sunflowers, daffodils
www.simply-thai.com - click on Orchids for photos and tips

 

[akw94]

Great site for vases, floral supplies and other crafty stuff:
http://www.save-on-crafts.com/vases.html

I found a glass bowl for floating candles (2x10) for $3.49 --> see below
Also found something similar at www.orientaltrading.com for 3.95

 

[So_happy]

Dixie~ those roses ARE pretty

I''d like to add this place for containers: www.blumebox.com Very modern, affordable, and very cool

 

[So_happy]

FYI to those who want DIY peonies, fiftyflowers.com carries white, pink, coral, and red ones: 50 for $299 with a $90 surcharge during the peonie''s off season. Not cheap, especially if you''re like me and only want to pay for just enough for your own bouquet, but pretty exciting in that it''s available; I hadn''t found an online place before this that carried peonies during the off season. Too bad I can''t just get 10 of those beauties

 

[So_happy]

Here''s another video on how to create bouquets and corsages. Elegant TV

And another rose source: www.rosesource.com

 

[akw94]

http://www.americanfloraldistributors.com/catalog.html

Here''s another site for bulk flowers. They have pictures of the flowers they carry (at least for the roses they have pics). They also offer a test bunch for $40.00

Bridesnblooms and fiftyflowers don''t offer test bunches so I''m a little annoyed at that! You have to double your wedding budget to do any trials

I think I''ll prob. order a sample from the place above. You can pick 8 different varieties in your test bunch. Then they have 250 roses for $220. More than I need but they also offer by the bunch (25 roses) for $25. These are sale prices so I have no idea when/if their sale ends.