Cute as a Button.

I keep seeing fantastic decor elements that make ingenious use of buttons, which can be a real moneysaver in items that would traditionally be made of flowers.  Bouquets and boutonnieres made of felt and buttons are all the rage these days.  But it doesn’t stop there—you can incorporate buttons into many more elements of the big day.  Why not try a little DIY and see what you come up with?

Here are some highlights from today’s eye candy search!

Top left: Vintage button and reclaimed leather boutonnieres by Lil Fish Studios; Middle left: button and feather fascinator by Beards and Buttons; Bottom left: Ring pillow with organza flowers and black button centres by Evie S on Etsy; Top right: absolutely amazing felt and button bouquet by Princess Lasertron; Middle right: gorgeous vintage button cuff by Lonkoosh on Etsy; Bottom centre: adorable cake by Peggy Porschen (photo by Georgia Glynn Smith); Bottom right: DIY place cards designed by Lawn Fawn—get the instructions from the Wedding Chicks!

Magnificent succulents

(While trying to come up with a witty title for this post, I briefly considered “Succulents Don’t Suck”.  Should I have run with it?  I’ll never know.)

I have a client who’s DIYing some gorgeous, succulent-laden centrepieces for her August wedding.  While looking for inspiration, I came across a wealth of amazing ideas for incorporating succulents into wedding decor.  Aside from the fact that they’re unique, hardy, and available in more than basic green, the best thing about succulents (in my humble opinion) is that, in many cases, you can plant them after the day is over and have a thriving garden that reminds you of your celebration for years to come.

I’ve divided the eye candy into two separate collages.  The first, bouquets and boutonnieres:

Clockwise from centre left: Kim at Collage created this classic combination of green succulents and white orchids; the bouquet above this features echeveria (bouquet by VanLierop Garden Market; photo by One Love Photo); at the top right is a burst of kale and cacti (photo by Blackbird Photography); Purple-tinged hen-and-chicks with orchids and a pop of yellow (bouquet by Kehoe Designs; photo by Olivia Leigh Photographie); at the bottom right, a “Succulent Bowl” by Organic Elements: look closely and you’ll see that the “stem” of the bouquet is actually the root of the succulent, ready for immediate planting after the wedding—genius!; Last, but my favourite, amazing yellow boutonnieres featuting crespedia balls, yellow yarrow, and papyrus (designed by La Partie Events; photo by Erin Hearts Court Wedding Photography).

But don’t stop at accessorizing the wedding party with succulents!  They make beautiful centrepieces and accents for escort cards, cake tables, ring bearer pillows… you name it.

Top Row: Hen-and-chicks on moss Ring Bearer Pillow by April Hiler Designs; DIY Bride Emma’s awesome escort table, featuring personalized signs poking pleasantly out of mounds of moss.

Bottom Row: Three takes on succulent centrepieces in a square/rectangular wooden crate. First, a rose and succulent centrepiece by Elegance & Simplicity Wedding & Event Designers; Second is my personal favourite—mostly because of the colour!—created by Blossom Floral, Inc. (photo by Jay Reilly Photo); Third, white roses, succulents, green coxcomb, and scabiosa pods combine to make this delightful centrepiece by Hunt Littlefield.

Lovely Biedermeiers!

Here’s a quick post about two things I love: flowers, and German words!  The biedermeier is a style of floral arrangement in which the flowers form concentric circles.  Whether you’re looking for centrepieces or arrangements for a special event, or the perfect bouquet, a biedermeier will inject a little European flair into your floral design.

Now, they’re not for everyone, and they’re not always done well.  A quick Google Image Search will provide you with a number of examples of what I’d call “the biedermeier gone wrong”–a certain red and white one, in particular, looks like it was made for the Target summer picnic.  But let’s focus on the pretty!  Here are some lovely biedermeiers that appeal to my OCD tendency to organize. Everything.

1. The top left is my absolute favourite!  Apricot calla lilies form the heart of the bouquet, surrounded by jade roses, encircled by cymbidium orchids.

2. Top right: ivory mini calla lilies, surrounded by Vendella roses and blue hydrangeas by Papertini.

3. Bottom left: this is about as high-contrast as I like for a biedermeier.  A combination of lisianthus and stephanotis in the centre, surrounded by alternating roses and stephanotis.

4. Bottom centre: classic calla lilies and roses in rich apricot, yellow, and white by Art with Nature Floral Design.

5. Bottom right: this unique design from Madiba combines green hydrangeas and decorative cucumbers with madibas chrysanthemums and an outer wreath of hosta leaves.