3 ways to arrange supermarket flowers

Now and again, I treat myself to a bunch of flowers from the deli, but when I put them in a vase at home, they look...blah. The flowers hang haphazardly over the vase, the stems are too long, and the whole bouquet looks messy. Happily, my friend Kendra Smoot, a prop stylist, agreed to share three beautiful ways to arrange flowers at home...
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How to make wedding flowers

Catch that bouquet of flowers! It is always a thrill lining up in a pool of bachelorettes swarming to catch those bouquets thrown by the bride. Just being one of the audiences can be just as exciting.  Tradition says that anyone who catches the bouquet would be the next bride.

Flowers play an integral part in any wedding ceremonies. They have been a symbolism of new hope and a good future ahead. The bride and the groom would surely feel like heaven with flowers blooming everywhere on their reception. More than a decoration, wedding flowers have now been a tradition. A wedding will be quite incomplete without these fragrant gifts of mother earth.

Hiring a wedding coordinator or a florist so that your bouquet will be professionally done can be considered as an option. But if you are on a strict budget, and have some creativity hidden deep inside you, there is no hurt in making them on your own. They can still look elegant and stunning as long as you know what color and kind of flowers to use. The tips below will help you in customizing your wedding flowers.

Choosing flowers
In picking what flowers to choose, keep in mind the theme and the color premise of the wedding. It should match and blend well with the entourage and the bride’s gown too. Another point to consider is the availability of the flower type. Depending on the season, you can order the freshest, the most available and the cheapest kind of flowers. Flowers like baby’s breath, orchids, gardenia and roses are readily obtainable no matter what time of the year.

Preparing the materials
The bouquet that the bride carries on the aisle is where the flowers play a major part. It is very easy to create your own. First, gather up your materials. You will need about three dozens of your chosen flower, a sharp scissor, florist tape, and ribbons.

Making a bouquet
It is advisable to order your flowers on the day of the event and get the freshest pick possible. Start by choosing three roses that you would use as the centerpiece of your arrangement. Puff air into the center of each flower to give it a fuller look. Put them together, creating a triangle. Stack each flower unevenly; each one should have a slightly different level of height. This technique adds dimension to your arrangement. Just continue adding up two to three flowers at a time until they form a dome. After which, you can tie them up with a florist tape at least 8 inches below the flowers.

Be sure to ask some help taping the stem, you might have a difficulty holding all 36 flowers and tying them together at the same time. Finally finish out with a suitable ribbon that matches the color of the flowers and your wedding dress. You can tie them up in a bow. Be sure to cover all the florist tape with ribbons. Carefully cut the excess stems with a sharp scissor approximately an inch below the ribbon. Place the bouquet on a plastic container or a vase with a quarter inch of water or you can store them inside a fridge covered by a loose plastic bag. Finally, spray the flowers with water avoiding the ribbons.

That’s it! That’s how you can customize your bouquet. Remember to check your arrangement in a mirror with you holding it so you would picture how it would look like to someone else’s view. Wedding flowers can still look stunning without sacrificing your budget. Now you are ready to walk down the aisle with that pretty and personalized bouquet of flowers in your hand.

Beautiful flowers and vintage trains..

Another beautiful wedding at riverstation photographed by the ever amazing Rosie Parsons.
I love the bride Hanne's flowers, they are so very pretty. The bride did them herself and Edward Allen riverstation's in-house florist matched the bouquets and table decorations with the large vases.
Hanne and Justin went for a very simple design with no tables cloths or too much detail so I complemented this using simple lanterns and tealights in small classic clear glasses.
I also kept the chair covers simple and complemented her purple flowers using a yellow and stone colour theme.
The pictures taken down the road next to the old trains are just stunning!

Flowers

I feel that flowers or plants are a very important part of any wedding. Some people think that they are luxury and can be substituted for candles or balloons but flowers or plants bring a wonderful ambience and shouldn't be under estimated. I would even suggest that you cut other items from the wedding to insure having flowers or greenery but If cost is a concern, then there are ways of using fresh flowers that would match the cost of any alternative decorations anyway.

Before picking your flowers make sure you know what's in season so you don't get disappointed.

Spring flowers include 

Lily of the valley

Tulips

Daffodils

Primroses

Hyacinth

Bluebells

Summer

Hydrangea

Peony

Delphinium

Sweet William

Autumn

Snapdragons
Gladioli
Dahlia
Sunflowers
Arum Lily

Winter

Snowdrops

Fruiting Ivy

Dogwoods

Pussy willlow

Catkins

Heather

If you are on a low budget one large flower such as a Hydrangea or Gerbera in a fish bowl with grasses work well. Most florists will loan vases if you purchased your hand ties etc. from them or why not collect your jam jars up, go to a supermarket a day before the wedding and buy up all the flowers that are reduced to clear? This vintage/mis-matched style is very popular at present.

I'm a big fan of plants as table centres. These can then be given as thank you gifts afterwards. 
I recently worked on a wedding where we used no table cloths just beautiful wooden table tops with lavender in pots as centre pieces. Sunflowers in pots and little green plants or herbs look great too.

Photo taken from toastandtables.blogspot.com

We are very lucky to have some great florists in Bristol and recommend the following;

Edward Allen best for a fabulous design!

Lisa Elliott best for the professional touch.

Tilly Tomlinson best for a city centre florist.

Bella and fifi best for local flowers.

1st choice flowers best for budget.

Pompon just the BEST.

Georgina from PomPon flowers really does have green fingers. Her designs are professional, unusual and so so beautiful. 

Georgina when asked;

WHAT FACTORS SHOULD A BRIDE CONSIDER WHEN CHOOSING FLOWERS FOR HER WEDDING?


Came up with these 4 main points :
~ +1~ In season~ Less is more~ Foliage as a flower
To elaborate on these a little;~ +1Think of your flowers for your wedding as a guest! They must feel part of the events atmosphere. You must feel comfortable having them there and they must sit well among the other guests. Discreetly noticeable! They affirm your past and the new lifestyle you are embarking on.
~In SeasonWhile England is not known for its endless sunshine what you do have are amazing seasons. Take advantage of this! With this comes a richness and contrast of flower produce at high availability and lower cost. For me flower arranging is very like cooking ; picking different ingredients and combing them to create something delicious! Eat strawberries when its strawberry season…combine with a vase of Sweet peas on the table while eating strawberries = life’s simple pleasures!
~Less is MoreThis is my most important point! Nature is so beautiful, because it is just that…natural. Do not over complicate!!! Keep it simple. By doing so you create an air of informal elegance. My way of achieving this is by providing quality, considered produce, with the design ethos of subtle repetition. Repetition acts as a powerful design tool.
~Foliage as a flowerVariegated hosta leaves in a low trough vase, heaven! A bridal poise of silver dusty miller foliage bound with sage green velvet ribbon = natures interpretation of fine lace. Magnolia leaf pedestals, striking and sophisticated. Ivy sandwiched between glass and placed as trays/coasters on the table. Beautiful rosemary herb, green on the surface of the leave, silver colour on the underside. When placed in vases on a white table cloth and with a set up table, the mirrored cutlery reflects the silver undertone hue of the rosemary, pulling the whole environment together…. 
I love foliage! I want more people to love foliage!We are so dazzled by flowers we forget to notice the foliage. Do no underestimate foliage! Separate from the flowers, and then we begin to focus on the foliage and thus we realize how detailed and beautiful, in colour, form and texture leaves may be. A flower within their own right.