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Paper Wedding Flowers: DIY Wedding Centerpieces and Bouquets

wedding paper flowers

Michelle did not have real flowers at her wedding. Instead, she opted for paper wedding flowers.  Hundreds of them.

A week after Michelle got engaged she bought origami paper. (Most of it came from kimscrane.com.) Her mom used a lily origami pattern that came from a calendar featuring origami designs to make the paper wedding flowers.

lilycouple“I’ve never really cared for cut flowers, but my mother and I have always been crafty,” says Michelle, whose mom folded every origami lower.

Michelle points out that it was her mother’s first attempt at origami.

“When she gets into a project like that she just doesn’t stop. I think that’s why we had so many extra flowers to decorate other places,” says Michelle.

paper flowers weddingThe paper wedding flowers were used for centerpieces, as well as bridal bouquets and even boutonneires. And guests got to take them home as keepsakes.

“I am really glad we made them instead of getting real flowers. They were more personal, customizable, and durable,” she says, adding that she and her hubby recently celebrated their first annivesary and the flowers are still thriving all over the country (with a few in Japan).

Want to learn how to make origami paper lilies? Check out this step by step tutorial. Or watch the video on how to make origami lilies.

Looking for more paper flower ideas? Check out this tutorial on DIY wedding centerpieces made from egg cartons.

DIY Centerpieces Made Out of Egg Cartons and Vintage Buttons

diy centerpieces

I made these whimsical DIY centerpieces from egg cartons and vintage buttons.

My Blue Box is nearly always overflowing with egg cartons. I’m always dreaming up ways to turn them into craft projects – and this is one of my latest.

These were inspired by my post last month on Cute as a Button weddings. I’ve got heaps of vintage buttons and I couldn’t wait to put them to good use.

If you are looking for DIY centerpieces that are super cheap and easy to make (albeit a bit time-consuming),  give these a whirl.

Cost: $2 – $3 per dozen (Assuming you already have acrylic paint and buttons on hand.)

Materials:

One paper egg carton

12 pipe cleaners

24 gauge wire

Buttons

Acrylic paint in your choice of colors

Floral tape

Scissors

Paper clip

Varnish (optional)

Glue (I used wood glue, but regular white glue should do the trick.)

eggflowerscartonweb

Find a paper egg carton.

eggflowerscupsweb

Remove the egg carton cups using scissors.(I also cut a few of the triangular parts of the egg carton that are between the cups.)

eggflowerscupscutweb

Cut the egg carton cups into various flower shapes. (I fringed some, made some rounded and others were made into daffodil shapes.)

eggflowerspaintedweb

Paint the cups using acrylic paint. Let dry. Coat with glossy varnish. (This step is not mandatory, but if you want them to be glossy you will need to varnish them.)

eggcartonpokeweb

Take the end of a paper clip and poke two holes into the back of one of the flowers.

eggcartonwireholeweb

Take 24 gauge wire and pipe cleaner and poke them through the bottom of one of the holes.

eggcartonpipecleaner

If you are going to add one of the triangles to the center instead of the button, weave the pipe cleaner through the other hole.

eggcartondaffs

Glue the triangular shape to the middle of the flower and let dry.

eggcartonbuttonweb

If you are using a button for the center of the flower, place a button on the wire/pipe cleaner.

eggcartonbuttonpipe

Forming a loop, bring wire/pipe cleaner through the other hole.

eggcartonwrapweb

Take floral tape and begin wrapping just beneath the bottom of the flower. I hold the flower in my right hand (I am right-handed) and the tape in my left. I spin the flower with my left finger and thumb until the tape covers the length of the flower. This is a bit tricky at first, but after doing a few you will get the hang of it.

eggcartonsingleflower

Presto! Your egg carton flower is done. Repeat 12 times and you and you’re on your way to creating some wonderful and whimsical DIY centerpieces!

eggcartonbouquetfarboost

The DIY Centerpiece: Spring Flowers Make Gorgeous Centerpieces

diy centerpiece wedding

diy centerpiece

What better way to celebrate the pending arrival of spring than with a DIY centerpiece tutorial using spring flowers? This is an excellent 20-page tuturial from Epicurious (complete with pictures), on how to make three different centerpieces that you could use for your wedding tables. I’m sure you could save a bundle by taking the DIY centerpiece approach. Check it out.

Photos: Epicurious.com

DIY Centerpieces: Branches and Bird’s Nests

A demo on how to make a branch and bird’s nest centerpiece for your wedding from the Canadian Steven and Chris show. I’m not crazy about the bird’s nest favors with the french soaps (who is actually going to use these teeny soaps?) wrapped in cellophane. I think there are much better favor ideas out there, but I think the tutorial on the DIY centerpiece is worth watching. You could really make this DIY wedding idea your own by decorating the branches any way you like. You could paint the branches silver and add sparkly snowflakes for a winter wedding, or paint the branches gold and add faux leaves in autumn hues for a fall wedding. The ideas are limitless.

If you are having trouble viewing the video try the youtube.com link here.

Looking for Inexpensive Centerpiece Ideas? Try Flower-Free Centerpieces

inexpensive centerpiece ideas

inexpensive centerpiece ideas, fruit centerpiece, lantern centerpiece, chocolate truffle topiary, diy centerpieces

Sure, flowers are gorgeous, but they’re not the only way you can dress up your reception tables. Check out these inexpensive centerpiece ideas:

Branches – Arrange branches in a glass vase. Willow branches are ideal. Keep natural or spray silver or gold.

Potted Herbs – Place potted rosemary, lavender or thyme in pretty pots. Decorate pots with ribbon or paint pots to match wedding colors. This is a wonderful eco-friendly wedding idea.

Wheat – Earthy and beautiful. Wheat will look good with any color combination.

Fruit – For a summer outdoor reception, arrange lemons, limes, or clementines in a glass vase. For an autumn wedding use apples, pears (gilded pears look gorgeous) or gourds. For a winter wedding, use pomegranates or cranberries. Easy and inexpensive!

Illuminarias or Paper Lanterns -Use illuminarias or paper lanterns that match your wedding colors.  Place several at each table.

ChocolateCreate an edible topiary with chocolate truffles. Give away the centerpieces to your guests at the end of the wedding reception.

Photos #1 illustration: (L-R) Branches, MarthaStewart.com; Wheat, MarthaStewart.com; Rosemary Tree, 1800Flowers.com; Potted Herbs, MarthaStewart.com

Photos #2 illustration: (L-R) Gilded Pear, FoodChannel.com; Lime Centerpiece, RealGreenWeddings.com; Lanterns, MarthaStewart.com, Chocolate Truffle Topiary, Betty Crocker.com.

DIY Wedding Bouquets: Flower Power Step-by-Step

DIY Wedding BouquetsDIY Wedding Bouquets

I will never forget the sight of the laundry room floor the night before my wedding. It was  COVERED with flower stems, leaves and petals! In fact, the stark white vinyl flooring was barely visible beneath the greenery. And this was at midnight! My mother, my maid of honour, and I had spent the better part of the evening creating the floral centerpieces for my wedding. Thanks to some beautiful wholesale flowers and my talented mom, they turned out beautifully. (Without my mom’s help we would have be lost amongst the stems and leaves.)

DIY flowers can save you a bundle. But not everyone has a family member or friend adept at floral design. That’s where Real Simple’s Wedding Flowers: How to Create Beautiful Bouquets from Supermarket Flowers comes in. The article provides some great visuals on how to create your own wedding bouquets. Carnations never looked so good! Check it out.

Photos: Real Simple

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