Beautiful Bouquets

(via)

No fun projects this week-- the "spring forward" today caught me totally off guard PLUS I stayed up way too late reading "The Omnivore's Dilemma" (talk about food for thought...). I do, however, have a very nifty DIY for centerpieces that I found today on Pinterest!

I've long been in love with the submerged centerpiece look-- I think it's a great way to add a touch of color and work in floating candles, but without being overwhelming and in-your-face like some taller flower arrangements can be. But, it's a bit of a pain to think about-- getting fresh cut flowers and making sure they're not underwater too long, trying to place them so they don't get singed by the candles, etc. As usual, Pinterest provided me with a "duh" moment today...

(via)

What's that you say? Silk flowers look better submerged in water? Duh. 

So, for a cheap and easy fix to an elegant centerpiece, pick up some silk flowers, distilled water, and dollar store vases-- I'll try this out next weekend and let you know if it looks as good as it does on Pinterest!

This here's a tale for all you fellas...

Tomorrow is Valentine's Day-- day of love, romance and "OH CRAP!" Randall of xkcd had a great comic about it today, in fact...

Now, I know all my ladies are prepared because that's the nature of our half of the population but the gents... well, there's always a wonderful crush of fellas racing for those last few roses at the store! I also know that my loving husband hates buying things for me because I can always find a deal, so this one's for you guys!

Who says you need to spend $50 on cut flowers and a vase? Tomorrow, you can stop by your nearest thrift store/Salvation Army/whathaveyou and pick up a vase for fifty cents, and pick up some pink, purple, and white flowers at the grocery store. Your lady will be so impressed you went to the trouble, it will totally make up for not paying through the nose for the smallest bouquet FTD has to offer! (which is mostly carnations, anyway)

"But Meg!" you exclaim, "I don't know how to do that!" No worries, my friend, here's a basic tutorial on picking up flowers and putting them in a vase. Low on effort, high on reward! You can use the money you saved to take her out for a nice dessert or pick up a bottle of wine!

Get yourself the basics-- a vase, some water, flowers, and scissors!

I had this vase around, but it cost me about fifty cents at the thrift store

I love the colors here, and this was the $5 bunch!

Get an idea of how much taller the original stem is than your vase

On an angle cut off a couple inches to start with

Still a little tall! Cut off another inch or two to get it about right

Cut the rest of your flowers at varying heights-- all one height is boring!

Don't: leave on wilty looking leaves and flowers! They'll make the bunch last a shorter amount of time!

Don't: Feel like you need to use all the included schtuff-- this one was included in the bunch, but I didn't think it was necessary. Simple is good!

Voila! Your bouquet is ready for presenting! 

And pretty from any angle!

Halloween Dream

I. Love. Halloween! AND Thanksgiving, so my fall roots go a lot deeper than I ever thought. When I was a girl, I couldn't decide if I wanted a Halloween wedding or a Springtime wedding. I ended up with neither, but I had decided that a spring wedding would be easily decorated and way prettier. Now, however, I'm not so sure!

The number of pumpkin-based crafts and decorations out there are ENDLESS! From using stockings to spray painting, our favorite gourd is quite the scene-stealer, and with a spray of bleach and water it will even keep a few days. The other amazing thing is the number of colors they come in naturally-- there are white pumpkins at a nearby church every single year! Combine them with other natural elements for some beautiful nature-iffic touches on your tables.

Check out the centerpieces below and more on my Fall Wedding Pinboard at Pinterest!

(via)

(via)

(via)

Fall-ing in Love!

Yes, yes, way to come back from an extended absence-- with a bad pun! But, really, I am becoming more enamored of fall weddings as I find bouquets and other cute ideas on Pinterest. I used to be much more of a Spring Wedding kind of gal, but how could you not love these flowers?!

(via)

(via)

(via)

(via)

I especially love the berries in the bouquet-- you can find them just about everywhere, so they're a beautiful and inexpensive way to dress up any floral decoration you have.

With so many rich colors to add to your palate, how could you go wrong? And the weather is bound to be perfect! Thanksgiving in Indiana was even beautiful, so double check your area's historical temperatures and gear up to fall for fall! 

(plus, who doesn't love saying "autumnal"?) 

Arrangements

So you want some pretty flowers? Just ask Scoutmob! Looking at a grand gesture for a kid-friendly or Hollywood themed reception? Groupon's got you covered! This is one of the reasons I think one year to plan a wedding is just about perfect-- another post for another day, though!

On to business, though-- exactly why are these deals worth the money? Surely it's just a drop in the bucket of a wedding budget? That Scoutmob deal only offers a $35 max discount!

Think about it-- if you're ordering several small bouquets from Foxgloves and Ivy, you're likely to end up getting one for free with $35 off! Going with the Groupon deal will save you as much as you would have spent, AND if you wanted something extravagant but couldn't justify a nearly $500 expenditure, this gives you the opportunity to throw something extra in there that will really wow your guests!

FunFlicks on Groupon

There are hundreds of deals each day, and it takes a little bit of time to look through them all but you can really make this work for you. If you're heavily strapped, then go for the Scoutmob deals since all it requires is a subscription, and if you have an Android, Blackberry Torch, or iPhone you can get the application which will automatically save all the deals even if you don't remember to pick it up through e-mail or text!

Woah mama!

We've all heard about the overbearing mother who wants to run the wedding-- but what to do?! Having someone like myself around (aka, a wedding planner) can help a lot; frequently mothers feel like their daughter's wedding is something they should be helping to plan. Traditionally, it is; times have changed, however, and during my wedding my mother and I were both working more than full time, my mother-in-law to be and almost all my bridesmaids were in different states, and life was generally hectic. I would have killed, even on my limited budget, to have a wedding planner!

If your mother gets upset and you don't have someone to help sort the situation out, explain that you value her opinion and find something she's wonderful at that she can help with. Her feelings may be hurt in the short run, but when she's relaxed enough on your wedding day to enjoy herself she will see that it was all in love! Not to mention, it's not selfish or outrageous for everything to contribute something amazing to the wedding. My mother, who did more than what she got credit for, was given a break until the week of when I begged her to do the flowers. There was miscommunication on the design I wanted, but when I saw them I almost cried-- they were perfect!! I suspect that even if she only does one thing for recognition, your mother will be as thrilled as mine at the love you have for what she's done!