My First Bouquet - Hydrangea, Alstromeria, Mum and Solidago

My supplies thrived overnight and I set out to make my first bouquet around mid-morning. I was a little bit stressed, because I really DO NOT underestimate floral designers. As a wedding planner, I've worked with a lot of talented designers and never ever encouraged a bride toward DIY wedding flowers and other such misadventures in added stress. I take this seriously. If I didn't I would just call myself a floral designer and start marketing myself as such right now.

I still probably did exactly what a DIY bride would do though - I looked on Martha Stewart Weddings and did a google search about making bouquets. I didn't find the tutorials very helpful, as they were not really specific, and only involved roses. The one piece of advice that I did glean is that it's best to make small bunches and then bunch those together - bunches become bouquet, voila.

I would normally like to show pictures of the process, but I had to use my husband's iphone camera (real camera still at the bottom of Gulf of Mexico), so I only have the finished product. But I will tell you this about the process - I started once and had some issues with the shape of the hydrangea bunches, so I took it all apart and started to make Turkey Chili out of ADD tendencies and frustration. I tried again once the chili was simmering and was successful! I held the raw, finished bunch up for my husband - who was working from home - and must have looked pretty proud because he said, "I want to be doing what you're doing. You look so happy!" And that about sums up the experience.

Here is the first completed shot, sans ribbon, in my kitchen. I just used floral tape to keep it together. Not a great background and the light is weird - I should take some photography classes.

And here she is, clipped and wrapped. I found the best natural light is on my bedside table, so I had to play with the angles to not include my unmade bed in the shots (for shame!).

I've put her in a Ball jar for safe, hydrated keeping and have been moving it around from room to room because I like looking at it. I wish I had a dining room table...or a bride who could walk around after me holding it.

Finally, I'm happy to report that after being manhandled, laid down, re-positioned and kept overnight, it is still in great condition!