Ranunculus Bouquet

Posted by Khris in Bouquets + Flowers, DIY Projects & Tutorials

For this bouquet project I wanted something easy, ultra-feminine and delicate. I chose ranunculus because it’s one of my all-time favorite flowers and, sadly, is underused in weddings. It’s my new mission to give it some high profile flowerly love.

The ultra-wonderful team at FiftyFlowers (a DIY Bride advertiser) provided these beauties. I had not yet worked with ranunculus in a project setting so I was a bit unsure what to expect. Ranunculus turns out, are pretty easy to work with. Unlike many white flowers their petals did not bruise easily and they stayed fresh and vibrant for days. (Tip: Be sure to check the care instructions provided by FiftyFlowers before you place your order. It’s helpful to be prepared on delivery day with proper tools and containers.)

If you’ve never worked with flowers before, a simple “all the same flower” bouquet is the best way to go for most.

Step 1: Remove leaves and stray offshoots from each ranunculus stem. Place the stem back in water to keep it hydrated while you work through your bunches.

Step 2: Once you have 40 – 60 stems prepared take 4 flowers in one hand, at an even height, to create the center of your bouquet. Holding the center bunch in one hand, begin adding flowers around the center, one by one. You’ll be creating a dome shape as you go along; each row lower than the next. Depending on how big your flowers are and how big you want your bouquet, it’ll take 3 – 6 rows to get a standard bouquet size.

Step 3: This is the toughest part of the process – place a rubber band around the stems to hold them in place, about 3 inches below the blooms.

Step 4: Wrap it up! I used 1.5″ velvet ribbon to wrap the stems. I tucked one end of the ribbon under the rubber band and wrapped the ribbon around the stems, moving from top to 1″ from the bottom of the estimated length of my bouquet.

Step 5: I then secured the end of the ribbon with a long floral pin and trimmed the ends of the stems to a uniform length.

The final touch was to add DIY Floral Pins (new from FiftyFlowers). They’re much shorter than regular floral pins which makes them super for decorative use. I have a post coming up to show you some ways to use them to make all sorts of pretties.

The flowers in this project were provided by

Daily Candy Adds Weddings

Posted by Khris in Fab Finds Friday

Daily Candy is my go-to source for all things neat and nifty. As a longtime fan of the site I was thrilled to learn that they’ve launched a new wedding section!

I look forward to seeing what wedding goodness they have to share with us. Please do check out the new DailyCandy Weddings section at http://www.dailycandy.com/weddings/

Epicurious, How I Love Thee

Posted by Khris in Crafter's Toolbox, DIY Projects & Tutorials

If you’re considering going DIY on any of your catering or baking items, you must visit Epicurious.com. Not only do they have incredibly yummy recipes for, oh, EVERYTHING, they have a section devoted to weddings . Featuring everything from tips and ideas for showers to easy-to-follow video tutorials, this is a must-visit spot on your wedding surfing journey.

Sewing Your Own Gown

Posted by Khris in Attire + Beauty, DIY Projects & Tutorials

It’s no secret that sewing is my Sworn Mortal Enemy. Oh, I’ve tried learning. Even bought a machine. I can reattach buttons and mend the odd seam but, otherwise, sewing is just a skill that eludes me.

If you don’t share my fear of needle ‘n’ thread, I have some great resources for those of you considering sewing your own gown (and aren’t accomplished seamstresses).

* Sewing.Org – The official site of the Home Sewing Organization has some excellent tips and tricks for bridal sewing projects.

* A Vintage Wedding – Not only a neat little resource for researching vintage weddings, they offer a collection of vintage sewing patterns for sale.

* Fashion-era Forum – Another awesome vintage wedding resource, the Fashion Era forums offer a whole bulletin board topic dedicated to weddings. Lots of great projects and helpful peeps.

* SewBridal – A resource for that highlights tips and hints for creating your own gown from McCall’s sewing patterns.

The 10 Cent Tea Light Photo Holder

Posted by Khris in Ceremony & Reception Accessories, DIY Projects & Tutorials

I ran across this great little project from atelier v. {via Photojojo} this morning. The project could be used for seating cards, pictures, and table numbers. The metal bases can even be painted if brushed silver just isn’t your thang.

If you haven’t been to Photojojo yet, rush over there right away. They have great DIY projects that can be used for weddings and an abundance of tips for taking great pics.