When it comes to DIY wedding flowers, there’s one woman on the web who really knows her stuff. Louann has been a florist for over fifteen years, and her website, Wedding Flowers and Reception Ideas, shows you how you can create your own amazing bouquets and flower arrangements! “Will it be hard work? Yes. Will you save money? Yes. Will you show me how? Yes . . . that’s what this site is all about.”
After buying some books on the subject, she began making her own silk wedding flower creation from her home. After some time, she took a job with a local florist and fell in love with fresh flowers, and moved on to become the manager of a busy flower shop and the head florist designer…. and the rest is history.
What it all comes down to is that Louann has tons of experience she wants to share with the rest of us about flowers, from ordering them to making gorgeous wedding arrangements. I suggest you check out her site, Wedding Flowers and Reception Ideas, for ideas, pictures, advice, and tutorials, to get you started on your own wedding flowers!
Here are a few of my favorite ideas. Your guests will “ooh” and “ahh” over these unique and beautiful designs, in addition to being astounded at your creative genius!
Centerpieces in a Bag!
Something as simple as a brown paper bag, adorned with a cheerful bow can hold a blooming plant as a simple, attractive (but cheap!) wedding centerpiece!
Fish Bowl Centerpieces
Create quick and elegant centerpieces using fish bowls , Oasis florist foam rings, and flowers. You can add colored water and floating candles to the fishbowl, or delight your guests with real goldfish! (Photo courtesy of John Henry.)
Dainty Candle Centerpieces
These small candle centerpieces can be tucked most any where – on supper tables, near dinner reservation cards, bridal showers and more. Here we have a small candle nestled in the center of a rose, (with center petals removed) and an unusually pretty, rustic-looking candle holder made of fresh leaves, such as ficus or lemon, glued to the sides of a candle cup.
Delightful, Fruity Centerpieces
When life hands you lemons… make centerpieces! These over-the-top centerpieces are certainly out of the ordinary! (Photo courtesy of John Henry.)
Black Magic Bouquets and Centerpieces
These dramatic black magic roses create quite an impact, both in your bridal table centerpieces and in your bouquets. When using these flowers, use some bright red or hot pink for contrast.
If you are interested in designing your own flowers, be sure to check out the Easy Tutorial pages and the Supply Store, where you can find all the products you need, from bouquet holders and stands to centerpiece supplies. These products are sometime difficult to find, as they are usually only available to professional florists.
You can also find galleries of inspiration for the following wedding-related themes: Wedding hair styles, bridal bouquets, flower girl baskets, corsage and boutonnieres, wedding cakes, bridal shower ideas, church decorations, weddings by color and season, invitations, and more! Check out Wedding Flowers and Reception Ideas for hundreds of photo galleries full of wedding-inspiration!
DIY Wedding Favors, too!
Are you interested in making your own wedding favors to go along with your hand-made centerpieces? Check out American Bridal’s Wedding Favor supplies for incredibly creative, unbelievably cheap wedding favors your guests will love. Whether you’re looking for edible goodies or luxurious aroma beads, American Bridal has an impressive selection of cheap and discounted wedding supplies to create wedding favors that are fun and functional!
American Bridal also has candles and tea lights that you can use as wedding favors or as part of your centerpiece designs!
i would like the instructions on how to make the fish bowl centerpiece with the beta fish in it. Where can I also purchase the supplies
Joan Onori
joano428 at yahoo.com
Can you tell me how long a 10″ candle will burn? Like if the reception starts at 6:30 will they still be burning at midnight?
I am also looking to do a wedding centerpiece with fish. How would you make the one that appears in the picture in the article above? thanks!
I love the brown paper bag idea what typ of plant is that?
I’m sorry but the betta fish in the bowl is just cruel. Bettas are a labyrinth fish which means they need to breathe air from the surface of the water too? You will suffocate your betta! What about the guests who decide to pour alcohol into the bowl with the goldfish to watch how the goldfish reacts? It does happen and I have seen it happen at weddings before. Don’t begin your wedding with animal cruelty please.
Some really great ideas here for wedding reception centerpieces. I have also seen edible fruit and vegetable centerpieces used as well.
my cousin did teh betta fish centerpeice..it was beautiful…it was just a betta fish in a large vase with marbles at bottom and a touch light under vase. each table took a fish home and we still ahve our fish taht is very well taken care of!! if there are people at your wedding taht would abuse fish or act in that manner , maybe you should reconsider your guest list:)
DO NOT DO THE BETA FISH ONE! That is actually VERY bad for the fish. This causes the fish to live a very painful life and die a slow death!
I am glad I’m not the only one who about died when I saw the beta fish. All I could think about was the drunk people at my wedding. And if I saw anyone disturbing them they would be thrown out!! Animal cruelty no matter how small the animal is just disgusting.
I did love the brown paper bag idea though. And with our wedding colors brown and pink they would be perfect.
it is disgusting that anyone would use a living breathing creature in a center piece.
If a friend had a fish centrepiece at their wedding I think I would seriously have to re-think the friendship. I don’t know who would have a more miserable time – the fish in the bowl or me watching them and feeling sorry for them.
Omg it is not that serious about the fish I’ve been to plenty of weddings and seen them use the fish as their centerpieces I don’t think it’s a bad idea
Any ideas and/or pictures of a unique way to make table kegs? A regular circular table with a half or quarter keg underneath and a tap/spout centerpiece?