i keep waffling [mmm, waffles] on whether or not i want to make my bouquet. thankfully i have plenty of time to finally come to a decision and maybe even practice a bit just to check it out. there have been plenty of people who have successfully made their own bouquets and since i’m planning on having a small bridal party [just me and two bridesmaids] this should be a totally doable project. that’s what the friday before the wedding is for isn’t it? and since i’d ideally like to have everything else done the week before the wedding, i’ll have nothing else to do but you know, sit around and just be anxious. i’d much rather be doing something constructive.
i’ve seen quite a few tutorials and pictures of other brides who have designed their own bouquets and i honestly think i can make this happen. with such a small wedding party, i can easily take care of our personal flowers and then outsource the corsages and boutonnieres to a local florist. i’d honestly love to come in under our projected budget for flowers [at the moment i’m looking at non-floral centerpieces so hopefully that’ll help keep costs down] so i can funnel that extra cash into something else, say, catering or photography or videography. or maybe a photobooth!
so diy my own flowers? if i end up doing a one flower bouquet, then most definitely i’ll look into that possibility but if i end up wanting a fancier multiple bloom bouquet…i’ll have to look into getting that done for me. i know when it’s time to cut my losses and look elsewhere. maybe i’ll just spend my days pretending to practice on the silk flowers at michael’s. but man, am i super tempted to just start working on it now. just in case. besides, more practice the better right?
especially when i want something like these ribbons as the bouquet wrap. i should definitely practice that at least.
here are some additional resources if you’re interested in at least exploring the idea of doing your own flowers:
make a wedding day bouquet video
a gorgeous spring anenome bouquet via once wed
a gallery of pictures and instructions on supermarket flowers bouquets via real simple
i hosted a bachelorette party this weekend for my friend akilah. as befitting any bachelorette party, we had to outfit akilah in the finest apparel.
i’m not so into the stereotypical “accessories” for bachelorettes (i.e. anything with peens or rubbers and what not) and i knew that wouldn’t fly for akilah either, but what’s a bachelorette without a sash?
i made my first sash last year for another one of my friends’ bachelorette party. i volunteered to make a sash when one of our mutual friends [and bridesmaid] was worried about finding a nice looking sash for a decent price. you’ve seen what’s available at most party stores; its slim pickings.
the miss america inspired sash is super easy to make with virtually no sewing. i didn’t take pictures of the process but there’s nothing too complicated about the whole thing.
materials:
2 yards of sheer ribbon, 2 ½ wide
4 ¼ yards of silver sequin trim
blue puff paint
tools:
hot glue gun
white thread and needle
1] position the sash across your body and cut the ends as you see fit. i like the angled “fish tail” myself.
2] stretching the sash across the floor [or table], glue the sequin trim on one small section at a time. this makes sure the glue doesn’t try before you can place the rope over it. make sure to press down.
3] repeat on the other side
4] here’s where the minimal sewing happens. put on the completed sash and pin where you want to overlap the edges. sew the outsides of the sash. that’s it.
[source]
5] for the lettering, i picked out a fancy font [this one was Splendid…it’s a free font that can be found at dafont.com and the like] and printed it out. adjust the sizing so it fits between the sequin trims. then tape it to the back of the sash and trace the lettering with the puff paint [this ribbon wasn't as sheer as the previous one so i had a little trouble following along with my guide]
6] let dry overnight and you’re done!
it comes out beautifully every time and it’s pretty impressive, especially when you consider just how little time you spend on it. i can bust one out in about an hour or so. probably in less time if i were ever focused enough to just get it done in one sitting, but i never get anything done in one sitting.
want to know how you can instantly increase the cost of any item in a blink of an eye by saying one magical word? you do? awesome, so here’s the word [and it's not bird]:
wedding.
serious. throw ‘wedding’ in front of anything and all of the sudden the retail price skyrockets to epic proportion. that wic machine is a genius.
obviously this little trick has not gone unnoticed…
but a real life case in point. today i was in my neighborhood joann’s craft picking up some ribbon and whatnot for a sash i’m making for my friend’s bachelorette party next weekend [i'll post pictures of the completed project, i've done it twice before] and meandered through the store looking for a barrette clip or hair comb for another flower hairpiece i’m making. i found one in the wedding section.
[source]
perfect, i thought. perfect until i checked out the price: $9.99. obviously i was not going to drop that kind of coinage for some itty bitty metal comb so i left it there and meandered over towards the jewelry making section and wouldn’t you know, i found a similar comb, in black to match my hair [awesome!] for $1.29 for one. $1.29! the silver one was an astounding $1.49! it definitely pays to wander away from the wedding aisle to collect your odds and ends.
i was watching “the game” this weekend and became tangled in the drama that was the three episodes i ended up watching. i was on the verge of tears, it was so sad. but that’s neither here nor there.
i’ve been a fan of the mowrys for a while now, having first seen taj on full house [what up teddy!] and then his older sisters, tia and tamera, on sister sister. love them all. they are all so beautiful and seeing mixed kids on tv is always a big deal for me. but i digress. i googled the girls to see which one was on the show and came across wedding photos of tia mowry [who's on "the game"] and her husband, cory hardrict of “lincoln heights.”
i couldn’t stop smiling while looking through the photo galleries of their wedding. they look so happy and in love. here are a few of my favorite pictures:
[source]
walking down the aisle with her dad
[source]
her gown was custom made by kevan hall
[source]
her twin sister, tamera, stood as her maid of honor