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In this issue:
- Editorial: Save Time and Money
- Decorating Your Wedding
- Our Featured Partner - "Diamonds.com"
- Ask the Expert - Gloriosa Lilies
- The Bride's Corner - Irish Wedding Tradition
- Sharing Success
- Laughter is still the best medicine!
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The
DIY Review
Because every bride deserves
beautiful wedding flowers -- no matter what the budget! |
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July 2007
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Editorial:
Save Time and Money
By Jo Lind
With rising wedding costs, many brides-to-be are turning to the do-it-yourself field for wedding planning. Wedding Flowers-DIY works to help busy brides maximize their efforts and minimize their stress.
(PRWEB) June, 2007 -- June is here, which means wedding season is upon us. It means pretty dresses and pretty flowers, to be sure, but those pretty dresses and pretty flowers can cost a pretty penny. According to TheKnot.com, the average wedding costs $10,000 and about 8 percent to 10 percent of that is the cost of flowers. A thousand dollars just for flowers?
Facing high costs for many wedding items, many brides-to-be
are turning to the do-it-yourself field for wedding planning.
However, while it may help bring their budget under control,
many brides simply do not have the time to do it all themselves.
DIY guides and resources help crafty brides maximize their efforts
and minimize their stress.
"Many brides want to do it all themselves, but they don't have any direction," said Jo Lind, a floral designer and instructor from Wedding Flowers-DIY."DIY flowers help brides stretch their budget and add a personal touch to the wedding ceremony and reception. With a little guidance and organization, they can create designs that will absolutely amaze their wedding guests."
There are so many things to plan about a wedding, and the bride
has to make decisions on the details as well as walk down the
aisle as the star of the show. Wedding resources like
http://www.WeddingFlowers-DIY.com help brides to focus their
time and utilize their effort in areas where it counts. Jo Lind's
Website,
WeddingFlowers-DIY, offers resources that include
a number of tips for potential DIY brides.
"It was an all-in-one shop for every question I had about wanting to do this myself," said Melody, a Wedding Flowers-DIY client. "When you're on such a tight wedding budget like we are -- $5,000 for the whole kit and caboodle -- you have to get creative, inventive and resourceful.
"People don't realize how much you pay for convenience and they also don't realize that you can do these things on your own. It's so simple! It's not rocket science. It's just a different approach that requires a little more time and research."
Whether a bride is looking to save some money or just show off her creativity,
WeddingFlowers-DIY has just what she needs to get organized and blow her guests away. For more information on DIY wedding flowers, visit
http://www.WeddingFlowers-DIY.com.
Take a look now!
Browse
our gallery for inspiration, or get
started on your DIY wedding flowers today. |
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Decorating your wedding
Wreaths are not just for the winter holidays. Use them in your wedding, too!
Wreaths can be presented in a variety of ways. Probably the
way that is most familiar to us, wreaths can be made to hang
on a door or wall. But, they can also be suspended freely in
an archway or in the center of a room, and they can be placed
on a table.
When you make a wreath to hang, make sure all the components are securely fastened, so you won't be plagued with parts falling off of the design.
If you make a wreath to hang outside it must be able to withstand the elements - the sun, wind, rain, etc. In fact, wind can tear up flowers faster than almost anything. You will need to anchor the flowers very well. And that applies to all flowers, whether they are fresh or silk.
Even indoors, if the wreath is hung on a door, it must be able to withstand the traffic of the door opening and closing.
Use wreaths to designate special areas:
- Entrance to the ceremony or reception
- Special rooms for guests
- Dressing rooms
- Special seating - backs of the Bride and Groom chairs
- An "Altar" area
- A walkway
 Many
people overlook the fact that a wreath can make a lovely decoration
on a table with very little fuss. When the wreath is being placed
on a flat surface, it can be more loosely designed, less structured.
Even loose greenery and flowers can be arranged to form a wreath
around most anything.
- Try a small wreath on the guestbook table with a single votive
candle in the center.
- Consider a larger wreath on a guest table with a candlestick in the center.
- Perhaps an even larger wreath around the base of a punch bowl,
a serving dish, or an ice sculpture.
Take a look around and use your imagination. Try to visualize where you might like to use a wreath. And, if you don't want to try it freehand, your local craft store will have various types of forms to use as a base.
Browse
our gallery for inspiration, or get
started on your DIY wedding flowers today. |
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Quick Tip!
Droopy headed roses
Fill a container halfway with very hot, almost boiling water.
Cut about 1 inch from the stem of each rose while holding
it under warm water in a bowl or sink. Immediately place it
in the hot water. Leave it for several hours. The head of
the rose will perk right up!
Works great for gerbera daisies, also.
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Our featured partner -
"Diamonds.com"
Love diamonds? Need Diamonds? Just want diamonds?
Take a few minutes to look around Diamond.com
 .
- Design your own wedding and engagement rings!
- Choose gold, silver or platinum
- Choose the color of your stone
- Choose the shape of your stone
- Choose the size of your stone
- Have bride and groom matching bands made
Want a special gift for the maid of honor, a bridesmaid, or the Mother of the bride or groom?
Now is the time! Diamond.com Jewelry Sale - SAVE 20% + FREE SHIPPING
HOT ITEM!
Pearl Necklace at less than 1/3 the price!
Visit Diamond.com
today!
[Note: Wedding Flowers-DIY has teamed with reputable companies
to provide you with quality resources. You can access all of
these companies from our website. Visit our Partners
Page, our Links
Page, or just click on the logo links below our Main
Menu.]
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Ask
the Expert
Submitted
by: Mhaske
Question:
I have a few vines of "Gloriosa Lily" in my house garden. It normally blooms in August.
I am a florist from Chinchwad India.
How can I effectively use the gloriosa superba lily in flower desigining?
Thanking you in advance.
Mhaske
Answer:
This plant is native to South Africa, but it grows very well in many parts of the world. It has a few common names; Climbing Lily, Gloriosa Lily, Flame of the woods and Flame Lily.
Blooms from this plant can be used as cut flowers. Flowers cut just before the petals bend back may last a week in an arrangement; splitting the stem end before placing it in the vase will improve water uptake.
Gloriosa lilies can be used in most any type of arrangement. However, with their unique shape and bright colors, they are best suited to more contemporary designs
Their stems are thin, but sturdy, giving them a graceful appearance in most wedding designs. (You can add a wire if you are concerned about breakage.)
- Try using larger stems of the lilies in a vase.
- Add individual flowers to a table arrangement.
- Float a single lily in a martini glass or shallow bowl.
NOTE:
The plant contains chemicals called colchicines which are toxic. This poison is a problem if any part of the plant is swallowed. However, all parts of this plant are toxic and may also cause skin irritation if handled. When handling these lilies, wear gloves to protect your hands.
Be cautious about where you place an arrangement with these lilies if there are children or pets around.
Jo Lind
[Ed note: You can read more of Jo Lind's design tips in
the Wedding Flowers - DIY Planning Guide, and also get one-on-one
attention with personal email consultation. Both come complimentary
with every Step by Step Tutorial Package. Order
yours today! ] |
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Do you have a question for Jo Lind?
Drop her a line at newsletter@weddingflowers-diy.com
-- and you might see your question answered in an upcoming issue
of The DIY Review -- Ask the Expert! |
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Sharing Success
You may reemeber from last month that Cheri had been kind enough to share a picture of an Urn Arrangement
that she did over Mother's Day weekend.
She did another "Footed Vase Arrangement" about the same time. You can see that picture here.
__________________________
These pictures are a means to help celebrate Cheri's success.
They are also offered as a source for ideas, and to encourage all of us in our endeavors.
Thank you again, Cheri! Great work!
[Editors note: A design like this, from a florist, could
very well cost several hundred dollars. You can rent an urn
and make it yourself for 1/3 of what you'd pay a florist.] |
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The Bride's Corner
From Deirdre - County Wexford, Ireland
Deirdre shares a traditional Irish toast with us.
Toasts
A traditional Irish wedding usually ends with a toast that has been recited for many years. When it's time, the reception the guests gather around the couple for the final toast.
The bride and groom begin the toast by saying:
"Friends and relatives, so fond and dear, 'tis our greatest pleasure to have you here. When many years this day has passed, fondest memories will always last. So we drink a cup of Irish mead and ask God's blessing in your hour of need."
The guests then respond to the toast with the following answer:
"On this special day, our wish to you, the goodness of the old, the best of the new. God bless you both who drink this mead, may it always fill your every need. Friends and relatives, so fond and dear, 'tis our greatest pleasure to have you here.
And then the couple again:
"When many years this day has passed, fondest memories will always last. So we drink a cup of Irish mead and ask God's blessing in your hour of need."
The guests respond:
"On this special day, our wish to you, the goodness of the old, the best of the new. God bless you both who drink this mead, may it always fill your every need."
[Irish Mead is a type of "Honey Wine"]
Send your tradition to: newsletter@weddingflowers-diy.com
Subject Line: Traditions |
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Laughter is still the best medicine
Advice for the New Couple
It was Anna's granddaughter's wedding.
The D.J. polled the guests
to see who had been married longest.
It turned out to be Anna
and her husband, Bob.
The DJ asked Anna, "What advice would you give to the newly-married couple?"
She thought for a moment, then said, "The three most important words in a marriage are, 'You're probably right.'"
Everyone then looked at Bob. He grinned a little, and quickly said, "She's probably right."
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Marriage
The child was a typical four-year-old girl - cute, inquisitive, and bright as a new penny
When she expressed difficulty in grasping the concept of marriage, her father decided to pull out his wedding photo album, thinking visual images would help.
One page after another, he pointed out the bride - arriving at the church, the walk down the aisle, the ceremony, the recessional, the reception, etc.
"Now do you understand?" he asked.
"I think so," she said. "That was when Mommy came to work for us?"
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Share your ideas with the DIY Community!
Do you have ideas, design tips, solutions, or anecdotes you'd
like to share with the DIY Community? Do you have a special
wedding tradition in your country that you'd like to share?
Send a comment to: newsletter@weddingflowers-diy.com
Subject Line: Bride's Corner
Only your first name will be used. Your comments will appear
in the next issue. |
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What is the DIY Community?
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We also share successes.
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Your country not listed? We'll add it!
Email: newsletter@weddingflowers-diy.com
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