I'm a big fan of the amazing DIY Bride website, which features fun, creative projects that help you personalize your wedding - and save money while you're at it! I was really excited to find The DIY Bride: 40 Fun Projects for Your Ultimate One-of-a-Kind Wedding at my wonderful local library the other day. I had to check out the book and found some fantastic projects that I was pretty much drooling over.
One of my favorites was the "Buds & Blossoms Bridal Bag," pictured here. It's a beautiful alternative to the traditional bouquet. Not only is it really pretty, but it can save you a bunch of money! The book says that, while a traditional bridal bouquet can run up to $200, this floral bag will cost you about $50 to make (or less, depending on the flowers you use).
It's made by using floral foam as a base, which is cut into the shape of a purse. You add fresh flowers and a ribbon strap, and voila! - you have a lovely flower "bag!" What's great is that the bag has a flat base, so you can put it down anywhere. Very practical.
I think this idea would also be great for the bridesmaids' bouquets. You can use less expensive flowers and have beautiful bags for each attendant. Also, if the bridesmaids place their bags in the middle of their table, they would end up making a pretty table decoration. This project just keeps getting better!
I'm thinking about doing a variation of this project as a decoration for my mom's 80th birthday party coming up in June. Maybe a topiary of fresh flowers for each table? Hmm.... I'm going to have to give this some thought.
