Romantic Silk Rose Floral Guide

By on February 9, 2012 in Daily Scoop, How To

Afloral.com Red Rose Wedding Theme

“Which is loveliest in a rose?  It’s coy beauty when it’s budding, or it’s splendor when it blow?” George Barlow

Many poets and writers have alluded to the beauty of the rose.  A symbol of love, passion and beauty.

Approaching Valentine’s Day, the international day of love, countless men will be visiting their local florist to purchase bouquets of roses for their special someones.

Roses aren’t just popular one day of the year.  They are a favorite wedding floral choice.  Roses are a timeless symbol of love and beauty that lend themselves to a classic, elegant wedding look.

Silk rose flowers can get you this beautiful, classic look at an affordable price.  Silk floral stems range from $1.49 to $3.49 a piece, ideal prices for any DIY wedding projects.  An added bonus you can order them weeks or months in advance completing any projects with plenty of time before your wedding day.

Today we’re going to go through a few different types of silk rose flowers so you’ll be able to get the right look using the right type of rose stems for your wedding needs.  Welcome to the silk rose floral guide.

Afloral.com Red Rose Boutonniere

Rose Buds

Rose buds are a petite, rich accent to any floral arrangement.  Available in a variety of colors from traditional red, pink, yellow to blue, purple or gray.  They come on long individual stems with greenery.  Tuck the rose bud stems amongst arrangements with greenery and baby’s breath or accents like feather or rhinestone sprays.

Take the same hue of rose bud and make your own boutonnieres for the groom and groomsmen.  For around $2- $5 a piece, get great savings making your own with a rose bud, greenery, floral tape and a lapel pin.

 

Afloral.com Red Rose Bridal Bouquet

Open Rose

A large, open rose  can be a beautiful focal point to your wedding floral arrangement.  Lush and bold in bridal bouquets and accessories and attention catching in reception centerpieces.  The intricate layers of an open rose are historically a symbol of elegance and beauty.

Both the American Beauty and Suzette Garden silk floral stems are large, lush open roses that will get you that classic look.  Pair larger blooms like these with other medium to large blooms so that the arrangement is balanced.  The afloral.com red rose wedding theme features a 26″ red rose, the same size bloom of the large American Beauty or Suzette Garden stems.  Arrange several silk floral stems in a tall or short inexpensive vase like the mint julep cups and viola you have a simple, beautiful and affordable wedding centerpiece.

Afloral.com White Rose Centerpiece

Garden Fresh

If you’re on the fence about using silk flowers for your wedding, the garden fresh line can sway your vote.  Garden Fresh and Sophia silk floral stems offer a “fresh from the garden” look  with soft, plastic coated wire stems complete with thorns.  The realistic stems and petals can be placed in a vase of water to complete the look or used in a submersible arrangement.

Both are available in large, open blooms with lush silk rose petals.  The afloral.com white rose wedding theme showcases the beauty and versatility of the silk rose stems.  Classic, simple arrangement of 6 sophia rose stems are placed in a clear vase with water and floating white rose petals for a stunning centerpiece idea.  The Princess Mary rose bud stem is trimmed and submersed in a small clear vase for an accent arrangement.  Each element checks in at under $5 a piece, demonstrating how affordable silk flowers and staple and inexpensive pieces like dollar store vases can create a gorgeous yet budget friendly wedding arrangement.

For additional savings look at silk rose sprays offering multiple floral blooms to be used in DIY arrangements.  And as always ordering silk wedding flowers in bulk will save you both time and money.

Happy early Valentine’s Day!  With all the money you’ll be saving ordering silk wedding flowers let your man to be take you out for a romantic dinner……enjoy!

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Dollar Store DIY Wedding Project Ideas

By on January 7, 2012 in Wedding Design Ideas

Dollar store, dollarstorevendor.com

I scream, you scream…. We all scream for the Dollar Store!

Okay, I will try and tone down my enthusiasm but I do have to admit I get just as excited, if not more, than my kids to go to the Dollar Store.

Choices in seasonal, party, craft, household items and more at an inexpensive cost results in endless possibilities for party and wedding planning.  Some items are no- brainers to pick up at your local Dollar Store, like glass vases featured on our DIY Thursday post.  Others you have to get a little creative and think outside the box for DIY party or wedding projects.

For those more creative, crafty project ideas the Dollar Store has a helpful resource, a website: dollarstorecrafts.com. A site filled with DIY ideas for products you can pick up at most Dollar Store locations.  On a side note, a great tip to remember order items online in bulk to ship to stores and pick up at your convenience.

Dollarstorecrafts.com is one of my favorite online stops for fun, creative project ideas.  But I have to warn you it’s addicting before you know it you’ve spent an hour searching the site.  My other current online fix, Pinterest.com an online personal bulletin board.  If you haven’t heard of it take a look at afloral.com’s pinterest profile, then request your own invite.

Now back to our dollar store discussion.  I’m going to go over a few DIY wedding project ideas using dollar store products.  First some of the basics, items you’d most likely pick up and then a couple fun ideas off their website.  Both will offer you great savings with easily accessible and inexpensive items.

glass vase project, marthastewart.com

Get the Basics

Glass vases are the perfect example of items you should pick up at the Dollar Store.  Why spend $5-$10 a vase when you can get them for a fraction of the cost?  Most dollar stores offer a variety of styles, shapes and heights of vases.  They are the foundation to any great DIY centerpiece, featured in many afloral.com DIY wedding project ideas.  See Thursday’s How To post for a complete run down of centerpiece ideas using glass Dollar Store vases.

 

DIY candy bar, dollarstorecrafts.com

 

Items for a DIY dessert or candy bar can be picked up in your Dollar Store household aisle; plates, bowls, trays, jars and vases.  Don’t worry if they don’t all match take a high gloss spray paint in color or a metallic and you’ll have a custom set.  The example shown uses craft paper and ribbon to create a more uniformed look using plates, jars and bowls.

 

 

DIY cake stand, strawberry-chic.blogspot.com

 

Make your own cake stand display for wedding treats like assorted cakes, pies, cupcakes or cookies.  Remember our non-traditional cake post, any of those options would look great on a cake stand.  Here’s a  tutorial with step by step pics; make the to stand alone or tiered.

 

 

wine glass lamps, decorate.tipjunkie.com

 

Wineglasses have all sorts of uses outside of the holding beverage; here are two of my favorites.  Set the mood with custom mini table lamps.  Make your own lamp shade using velum craft paper, drop a tea light candle into the wineglass and viola.  Or take a literal flip, turning a glass upside down to showcase a trimmed floral bloom, with a votive candle set on the base.

Have Some Fun

Show off a little personal style or quirky fun with a few DIY wedding projects.  Guests will appreciate your craftiness.  This is where you get to think outside the box, think of some uncommon uses for your everyday common Dollar Store products.

cupcake liners shades, dollarstorecrafts.com

 

Twinkle lights are an inexpensive wedding item that adds a touch of romance and DIY lighting.  Step up the look of your lights with an accessory that will cost you pennies.  Mini cupcake liners.  That’s right use this common baking item as mini light shades.  Pick one pattern or mix and match.

 

wine glass tags, dollarstorecrafts.com

 

Make your own glass ID tags, use them as part of the theme décor at a bridal shower or as small favors at the reception.  To make get a template and cut the shape out of assorted colors of foam or felt, available in the craft aisle.  Add a little sparkle with adhesive rhinestones or beads.

 

 

 

faux chalkboard, dollarstorecrafts.com

 

DIY Chalkboard projects are a popular new trend.  But don’t have the time or money to buy expensive chalk board paint?  Fake it.  Use black scrapbook paper or poster board to slide behind a frame.  This would be cute in a small frame as shown, larger frames to designate guest book sign ins or even as little tags on favors.

 

 

It’s easy to see way I’m so in love with the Dollar Store, inexpensive party items, creative DIY projects which results in affordable, stylish wedding décor.  Get planning your perfect wedding day today, using the right resources for products and project ideas like afloral.com and dollarstorecrafts.com.  With the right DIY projects, inexpensive materials and a little personal style you’ll have a fabulous wedding look.

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Winter Wonderland Wedding Theme

By on December 31, 2011 in Daily Scoop, Wedding Design Ideas

winter wonderland wedding

The magic of the season doesn’t have to end after the holidays.

Winter is a beautiful and magical time of the year, especially for those in the northern states.  It’s time for cooler temps and fluttering snow flakes that fall, glisten, and sparkle in the sun.

These colder winter months set the stage for more formal indoor weddings.    From our Winter Red Rose Wedding theme we discussed, “ winter weddings are known for their glamour and more formal tone.” Guests will come out dressed for a ceremony and reception to remember.  Make your special day memorable; capture the magic of the season with a glamorous Winter Wonderland wedding theme.

Get a Winter Wonderland look with the right key elements, color palette, and special extras to provide just the perfect finishing touches.  DIY wedding projects, ordering items in bulk, inexpensive wedding extras, and a few tips will set you on your way to planning a fabulous wedding at an affordable cost.

winter wonderland elements, afloral.com

Winter Elements

Afloral.com’s Crystal and Feather wedding showcases what you’ll need for a Winter Wonderland look; translucent crystals or rhinestones, white feathers and branches, crushed acrylic ice, votive candles, with white and metallic accents.  Like a crisp winter’s day, you want to capture the beauty of a snow blanketed earth with a touch of sparkle and frost.  Crystals found in decorated jewels, brooches, decorative beads, or acrylic ice add a touch of sparkle.  Go glam with a chic faux diamond runner, a newer item from afloral.com’s accessory line.

Feathers and branches are a play on the magical season.  Branch centerpieces featured in Thursday’s DIY post give you a unique wedding look with stature that demands attention.  Branches are easy to work with, and available to order in bulk which translates into great savings for budget brides. A feathered spray is a versatile accent; easy to tuck in a bridal bouquet or to create a stunning winter chair back.  The second installment of the DIY winter chair back post showcased the glamorous Winter Wonderland chair back, 3 easy steps using Afloral.com tulle, a silk white rose, a feather spray, and a globed jewel.

winter chair back, afloral.com

Winter Palette

A winter wedding is more formal and glamorous.  Take a cue from what’s always in; classic looks never go out of style.  Go for a white wedding with a touch of color as an accent.  You can make more of a play with textures than going overboard with a variety of colors.  With a white wedding palette, play with different textiles like silk, tulle, satin, and even fur.  It will create an intriguing look that is subtle yet rich.

Metallics like silver and gold provide a charming and modern accent.  Sterling silver pots or white and gold charlotte votive holders will give you a touch of glam while setting the right ambiance with softly lit candles.

Your white wedding can also be accented by a touch of color.  A muted or frosted tone of soft pink, frosted blues or cooler tones will result in a romantic tone. Pair with romantic touches like pearls, roses and draped tulle for even more romance.  Deep blues or rich purples will add more drama. For a timeless, beautiful theme, take a few ideas from our Winter Red Rose Wedding theme like a DIY lush red rose hair piece or build your own red rose silk bridal bouquet.

In love with them all?  For help narrowing down your winter wedding palette with floral choices email Mindy[at]afloral.com for a custom inspiration board.  It’s the perfect starting point for planning your special day.

votive candles

Inexpensive Extras

Don’t rack up your wedding budget with all the little extras.  There are guaranteed to be things that you didn’t plan for running up your wedding budget.  Give yourself a little extra cushion by saving big bucks with the right inexpensive wedding accessories.

Items like votive candles and twinkle lights are essential in setting the right mood and ambiance for your wedding.  Remember  we saw those back in our DIY Wedding Lighting post.  They are also fabulously inexpensive wedding items you can pick up in bulk and dollar stores.

Pinpoint the right DIY wedding projects that take a little bit of your time but in return give you a ton of savings.  Little touches like DIY hair accessories, chair backs, and escort cards can cost under $10 a piece.  Planning ahead will help you get things done and save you from spending extra cash you haven’t budgeted for.

Table accessories like the crushed acrylic ice featured in the Crystal and Feather wedding theme are just as affordable and easy to purchase in bulk as candles.  They are great to scatter on the table as an accent or to fill glass vases.

Pulling it All Together

Today we got to take a look back at several of our recent posts.  From the Crystal and Feather wedding theme, that holds elements perfect to set the stage for a winter wonderland look, the Winter Red Rose wedding theme, for formal tips and accents of color, to a few DIY wedding project and idea posts.

Afloral.com has all the right resources to help you plan a glamorous Winter Wonderland wedding.  The holidays might be over, but you’re just about to start your magical journey through life together.  Make sure it’s memorable and fabulous, but still affordable.

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DIY Winter Wonderland Centerpiece

By on December 29, 2011 in How To

winter wonderland wedding table, afloral.com

Are you looking for the perfect DIY wedding centerpiece that is unique, gorgeous and easy to assemble?
Branches are a great centerpiece alternative to a floral arrangement.  They give you a unique wedding look with stature that demands attention.  Branches are easy to work with and available to order in bulk, which translates into great savings for you budget brides.

For any winter brides afloral.com has bleached mitsumata branches,4 feet tall and pure white.  Afloral.com has created some stunning winter wedding looks including today’s winter wonderland centerpiece and the black and white sphere centerpiece featured a few weeks back using these branches.

Our winter wonderland centerpiece is the ideal height for reception tables.  They will wow guests with their stature as they walk into your venue to see 4 feet tall branches adorning the tables.  The allusion of traveling through a wintery forest will be given by these tall branches decorated with the sparkle of crystal garland.  As guests are seated they’ll find the centerpiece an ideal height; tall enough not to block their view of each other around the table.

So are you ready to get started?  Here’s the complete how to guide for the Winter Wonderland Crystal Branch Centerpiece, using 3 products, a couple of tools and only 4 steps.  Followed by some great ideas to style your Winter Wonderland wedding tablescape.

crystal and branch centerpiece, afloral.com

Centerpiece How To

  1. Take 3 branches and form a tripod.  You need to bring them together at the right height so that they are balanced and will stand on their own.  Joining them a little higher than the middle will allow the bottom to support the top, remember these branches are 4 feet tall. See example.
  2. Once you have them joined at the right height take floral wire and wrap them together until they are secure.
  3. Take your crystal garland and wrap it up each of the branches.  Trim the garland as you go to be able to do each branch.  Ends of the garland can be secured with a dab of adhesive or double sided tape.
  4. Finish the whole look off by wrapping the crystal garland and a bit of the crystal spray around the point where the branches meet; hiding the floral wire that holds them together.

faux diamond runner with votive candles, afloral.com

Style This Look

The DIY Winter Wonderland Crystal Branch Centerpiece would be a fitting wedding project for any winter wedding.  The frost and ice of the winter season is captured in the sparkle of the crystal garland and white branches.  The whole look is reminiscent of magical winter day walking through a forest of bare trees with the sun catching the fresh snow glistening in the tree branches.  Any bride would love to scatter a bit of sparkle and glam throughout her wedding.

For a few inexpensive wedding accessories to complete the winter wonderland wedding theme think  crystals, crushed ice, frosted glass, votive candles, rhinestones and feathers.  Step up the look of your reception bridal table with this great faux diamond runner, only $13.99, paired with a few softly lit votive candles and your tablescape will sparkle.

Stop back this Saturday for a complete run down on how to get a Winter Wonderland Wedding, from centerpieces, bridal bouquets, bridal accessories and more wedding design ideas.  See you then!

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DIY Wedding Hair Accessories

By on December 22, 2011 in How To

red rose bride

 

Hair accessories are a small wedding detail that can pull your whole bridal look together.

Brides can often spend just as long searching and contemplating their bridal hairstyle options as their bridal gown options.  Once you’ve spent the time to narrow down the perfect look for your special day don’t forget to accent your choice with just the right hair accessory.

Whether you plan own doing your on hair or have enlisted the help of a friend or skill of a beautician, a DIY wedding hair accessory will add a touch of pizazz to complement your look.  It’s an easy and affordable wedding project that lets you craft a little personal style into your ‘do.

We have 3 afloral.com DIY wedding hair accessory looks featuring silk flowers, rhinestone and feather sprays, hair clips and combs.  Each look can be completed in 3 or less steps and price out under $10 each.  Affordable style that will add just the right touches for your bridal look.

DIY orchid wedding hairpiece

Elegant Orchid Spray

Do you remember back to our elegant and modern orchid wedding theme?  We featured the hot new submersible centerpiece using white dendrobium orchids, for a bride with a chic, modern style.  Or a more classic take with white orchid trumpet vase, exploding with 3 types of beautiful orchid stems.  Both decor items brilliantly showcases the exotic, yet timeless beauty of the tall, slender orchid stems.  But now what about the orchid theme bride’s look?

Afloral.com’s DIY orchid wedding hairpiece has got to be one of the easiest wedding projects that look truly gorgeous in two simple steps.  All you’ll need is a dendrobium orchid silk wedding flower stem, $2.79 a piece, and floral wire cutters.  Trim the stem, which is wired and leave your desired amount of dendrobium blooms no buds.  Pictured are 3 blooms.

This is the ideal hair accessory for an updo.  You are going to twist the wired floral stem around your hair whether it is pulled into a ponytail or bun pictured in our example.  The stem will hold because it’s wired, tuck your end in around the stem just to make sure it’s secure.

Pair this will a white orchid arm bouquet and you’re all set to go!

DIY white rose wedding hair piece

Lush Rose

Classic and elegant afloral.com’s white rose wedding theme is simple yet eye catching.  Just like this DIY white sophia rose wedding hairpiece.  One big, lush rose bloom attached to a hair clip for floral piece is a beautiful for a casual up do.

The weight of the flower bloom does require you to make sure it is secured to a hair clip.  Afloral.com offers hair clip designed for floral accents.  Remove the silk floral rose bloom from the stem taking floral wire to run through the base of the bloom.  Then with the hair clip open wrap the wire tight around the clip securing the bloom in place.

Simple, yet elegant and beautiful.  The white rose wedding theme is the perfect look for the bride who is looking for a timeless look without a lot of fuss.  The right accents like rose petals and votive candles will pull the look together just like this lush white sophia rose hair accessory.

DIY rhinestone wedding hair comb

Sparkle and Glamor

So far we’ve used wired floral stems and a floral hair clip, now let’s take a look at how to make a DIY wedding hair accessory using a hair comb.  This glamorous. sparkling rhinestone hair accessory is a versatile accent to just about any wedding theme.  Whether you go with a classic red rose look, glamorous black and white theme it adds a little something extra.

The hair comb would work great for an up do as shown in our example, use a smaller comb to sweep hair off of your face or secure a small veil.  Purchase the hair comb at any dollar store or drug store.  This look features rhinestone and beaded jewel spray both under $3 each, trim each so you don’t have too much wire to work with.  Once trimmed wrap the pick/spray pieces in between the comb tines.  Arrange the wire pieces as you like, using a little adhesive if you’d like to secure them in place.

Check out a great twist on this look using feather spray.  A soft, whimiscal look for any winter wedding.

That’s a Wrap

That’s a wrap, clip or comb; 3 different DIY hair accessory options that can meet the needs of any stylish and budget bride.  Choose from an easy floral spray orchid wrap, a lush, rose tucked up with a clip or a woven spray of sparkling rhinestone comb.  Each DIY option is an inexpensive wedding accessory that will give you a fabulous look while also saving you some cash.  I say splurge on a great pair of shoes!

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