5 Ideas for Bloom-Free Bouquets
While bundles of roses and peonies are certainly pretty, walking down the aisle with a non-traditional bouquet is a stylish, super modern way to give big impact and personality to your big day.
The options are truly endless, but here are five expert ideas to kick-start your flower-free imagination.
Button Bouquet
Assembling colorful and eclectic buttons for your bridal bouquet provides a keepsake that will look just as beautiful on your 50th wedding anniversary as it did the day you said ‘I do,’ says Anna Joyce, the Portland, Ore.-based owner of Anna Joyce Design. “You could gather vintage buttons, craft your own fabric-covered versions, or collect them from all your favorite people as part of your engagement celebration or bridal shower.”
Pile different sizes of buttons on top of each other, cluster them together in organic forms using wire, or attach them to petals made of paper or felt.
Brooch Bouquet
Amanda Heer, owner of San Juan Capistrano, Calif.-based Fantasy Floral Designs, began offering her Vintage Brooch Bouquets online in October 2009. Interested brides-to-be begin the process by shipping 50 to 60 baubles to Heer, and then the two work together to create a gorgeous, themed work of art or a new family treasure. The bouquet may be made entirely from heirloom brooches but also can include other meaningful items, such as earrings, rings, necklaces, watches, beads, military pins, Boy Scout badges or Scrabble pieces. “One bride is having her wedding in a winery so we added their favorite wine corks,” says Heer.
Fabric Bouquet
With a little practice and the right glue (Joyce recommends Fabri-Tac because it dries clear and works on most surfaces), you can build your own beautiful blooms from fabric. “Consider using several styles of fabric, such as silk, cotton, tulle and canvas, that are all in the same color palette for a sophisticated look,” says Joyce. Numerous how-to tutorials for different types of fabric flowers can be found for free online.
Vegetable Garden Bouquet
Your local farmers market can provide just as much inspiration as the local flower shop, says Joyce. Look to produce with vibrant colors, striking shapes and/or great texture, such as radishes, crab apples, persimmons, branched plums or berries, tiny squash, herbs and purple cabbage. Assembled correctly, these lush edibles can look just as chic as a handful of flowers, and the frill-free shapes also make them perfect for stylish, masculine boutonnieres.
Feather Bouquet
For a swanky evening wedding, nothing is more glamorous than feathers tied with a satin ribbon, says Joyce. Find interesting options on eBay, as well as at vintage stores, craft stores and farmers’ markets.
“Etsy is also an incredible resource,” says Joyce. “There are literally thousands of shops selling vintage goodies, crafting supplies and textiles.”
And if you don’t feel confident putting your feather bouquet together yourself, Etsy also offers a wealth of skilled artists who are eager to help you make your crafty bouquet vision come to life.
© Brides365
[Brooch bouquet: Amanda Heer, Fantasy Floral Designs]