HELP w/ willow branch centerpieces....

[jfus]

I am looking to create willow branch centerpieces for my wedding.. maybe with something like berries or something attached to some of the branches.. (Oct 2008 wedding)

can anyone show me pictures.. or tell me if they have created or seen anything like this before? I haven''t seen anything in person but LOVE the few pictures I have seen. THANKS!!!

 

[happilyeverafter]

I haven''t done them yet but I am doing something VERY similar this weekend for my wedding. I have three large vases that i''m putting willow branches (spraypainted metallic gold) in, and sprinkling tinsel and a few gold ornaments. I''m also putting votives around the bottom to light them from the bottom up. They will be floor centerpieces.

Here were some of my inspiration pics...

 

[happilyeverafter]

and another more simple one... I had more but i'm not sure what i did with them??

 

[misysu2]

I''m working with manzanita branches which are similar. There are beautiful examples on http://www.etherealdecor.com/projects.html (copy-protected photos).

 

[jfus]

Thanks happily.. Keep them coming... I''ll take whatever you can give me! I love the first one you sent!!! Here is one I found online but I don''t know where? It''s making me crazy too because I can''t find it now.. I''m sure from a knottie profile..


I found willow branches fairly inexpensive online too at:
http://www.driedflowersrus.com/curly-willow-c-129.html

The way I look at it.. it''s cheaper then flowers!

 

[happilyeverafter]

Haha, no kidding it''s cheaper! I went to my future FIL''s farm and cut down some of his branches off his willow tree! And not only are they cheap, but they are large so have great visual impact!

 

[jfus]

I am so jealous.. can I come and cut from the tree too?? hehe..

I have to say this wedding stuff is hard. I am a graphic designer by day and design for EVERYONE.. do stuff for my friends weddings etc etc... but when it comes to do it for yourself.. OMG it''s SO HARD!

I need to hit barnes and noble tonight and get a wedding planner or something..

When is your wedding????

 

[happilyeverafter]

my wedding is in 17 DAYS!! OMG! and i''m definitely not ready. but it''s small and low-key so i''m not too worried. and you can definitely come cut some branches if you want to travel to canada and enjoy the -35 weather we''ve had the last few days!! Geesh

it better warm up a bit before the 16th!

 

[portia]

We had curly willow branches with orchids and hanging votives. There were also a handful of orchid blossoms glued to the branches. Here are some pics...

 

[portia]

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[hopefulheidi]

I know these aren''t willow branches persay, but it''s a similiar branch inspired centerpiece that I''ve been working on for my Fall 2008 wedding in upstate NY...

I didn''t really want to spend a fortune on flowers and there aren''t a ton of florists in my area to chose from, so I decided to get creative (and cheap!). The branches for the mockups were taken from behind my house and for the big day I''ll be using branches I find on my parents property. The vases are $5/piece from Walmart. I picked up the votive holders cheaply at Walmart as well and I used some simple wire and beads to dress them up a bit and allow them to hang from the branches. There''s some glass gems in the vase along with some fake flowers as filler (not sure exactly which way direction I''m going there hehe). The little heart shaped mirrors were a few bucks/12 at orientaltrading.com and I added a handful of freeze dried rose petals and some more votives around the base along with 4 "floating" candles which I won''t actually be burning but that add to the autumn theme. Right now I''m planning on using 3 different fall colors for my reception: red, orange, gold so one table will have all red decos, one all orange, and one all gold. I''ve also picked up 9 tall glass votive sets so half the tables will have these tree centerpieces and half will have just the tall candle holders.

~Heidi