If you haven’t been to Café Du Nord in San Francisco, it’s a classic SF joint that hosts all sorts of awesome bands and events. With its dark woods, and red accents, it has a very speak-easy/ prohibition era feel to it.

Crimson colored Dahlias were the flower du jour! Other flowers that the bride wanted included: Crespedia (Billy Balls), Succulents, and Fig Branches. I threw in a bunch of white/green Hydrangea, and some green filler to help fill in the gaps. (I hope you’re all memorizing these plant names, as I will have a pop quiz at some point…. )

Dahlias, Billy Balls, Fig Branches, and Hydrangeas

The main arrangement was tall as it was going to be the centerpiece to the buffet.

A tall arrangement as the main centerpiece

Totally Succulent!

The Bride asked for a small bouquet that she could hold on to for some of the special moments at the reception. She was provided with a classic Nafis Designs yogurt tub holding vase for the moments that she didn’t want to hold on to her bouquet.

A bouquet with a lot of texture

A Succulent Bouquet and a Billy Ball Boutonniere!

The Groom received a small boutonniere made of a couple of Billy Balls, a Quail feather, and a sprig of green filler.

Billy Ball Boutonniere

After all the arrangements were complete, there were enough flowers left for an accent arrangement that could either help amplify the table centerpiece, or could be set aside as a separate arrangement.

Accent arrangements always come in handy

Accent arrangements can always be paired up with centerpieces for extra umph!

I was introduced to a bride that was looking for a bouquet and a few other arrangements by a great San Francisco artist whose mother owns a flower distribution shop at the SF Flower Mart. (If you ever need fantastic roses, you MUST check out “Sunshine International” )

The bride and I spoke over the phone a couple of times, and we went through her special day. The wedding was going to be intimate, with a total of 6 people attending (including the bride and groom) in the foothills of Mount Tamalpais.  The bride had antique blue Hydrangeas in mind as her dress had silver accents on it and she felt that the blue hue would look nice against her dress. She also mentioned that she likes non-traditional flowers, as she’s not a very traditional person, and was adamant that we use the signature Nafis Designs yogurt tubs wrapped in wax paper as her vases! A truly low cost, environmentally friendly wedding!

Total material cost: $80.00

Shopping list: Antique Blue Hydrangeas, Green Hydrangeas, Fig Branches, Sedum, Bells of Ireland, Star of Jerusalem, White Roses, Scabiosa  Seed Pod.

The bride’s bouquet was made up of Star of Jerusalem flower, Sedum, Green Hydrangea, Blue Hydrangea, and Scabiosa Seed Pods, and was wrapped with light silver satin ribbon at its base.

The Groom’s boutonniere was crafted with three Scabiosa Seed Pods and some interwoven silver wire.

There were enough flowers left over for three really full arrangements that could be used as alter pieces, and or table arrangements.

Once again, you don’t have to spend a lot of money to get some great looking flowers that will leave a lasting impact in your wedding photo album!

Tip of the day: If you want Hydrangeas to be in full bloom for your event, place the flower head in cold water and watch the blossoms burst open!

Even the least crafty bride can give her wedding a personal touch by making boutonnieres for the groomsmen and important  guests.  Boutonnieres are one of the simplest ways to add a do-it-yourself element to your wedding without getting in over your head.

To get started you’ll need:

floral wire (26 or 24 gauge should do it—you can get pre-cut lengths or buy a spool)

wire snips

scissors

your choice of flower along with some greenery

floral tape (I prefer the light green)

Creating a boutonniere:

Begin by trimming your flowers to remove any thorns and leaves you don’t want to keep. Take one large bloom, such as a single rose or gerbera daisy, grip the stem just below the flower, and trim about the length of three fingers down (roughly an inch to an inch and a half of stem will be left). Take a length of wire roughly 10 inches or so long (you can always trim the ends later) and insert it where the base of the flower bloom meets the stem. Slide the flower until it is centered on the wire, then fold the wire ends together. The wire can now act as an extended stem plus give the flower added strength and stability. Starting at the base of the bloom, begin wrapping green floral tape around the stem and wire. Floral tape is designed to stick to itself, not the flower, and only when it’s stretched a bit, so pull tightly when wrapping and work your way down the stem. Continue wrapping the tape over an additional inch of wire beyond the end of the stem then cut.

To add a leaf to your boutonniere the technique is much the same.  Insert the end of a wire through the middle of a leaf, catching just a bit of the stem. Bring the ends of the wire together and wrap them together with floral wire.  Place the leaf against the flower and wrap their two stems together.  If you’re using baby’s breath or another spray of tiny buds you don’t need to wire their stems, simply wrap them together with the main flower.

Once you’ve wrapped all components together, create a twist at the bottom using your fingers or by wrapping the end around a pen. Attach the finished boutonniere to a lapel with a long pearl-headed stick pin. Voila!  DIY boutonnieres for beginners. Feeling confident in your skills? Spice up a basic flower by covering your finished stem with a plain or patterned ribbon. Or try incorporating ribbons, herbs, fiddle ferns, or crystals into your design.  The possibilities are endless!