Pomander Power

I just discovered pomanders today. Or rather, I discover that those flowery puff balls that grace the ends of church pews or hang from tree branches are called pomanders (or kissing balls). And as far as I can tell, they are dead-simple to make (at least a basic version). Martha Stewart and Design*Sponge both have good tutorials on how to make your own with Gerbera daisies and mums, respectively. You could make some for your flower girls, bridesmaids, table centerpieces, or even as an alternative to the traditional bridal bouquet.

Gerbera daisy pomanders from Martha

Here are a few more  for inspiration:

Arrangements by Poppy's Petalworks

Rustic Kissing Ball/Pomander by April Hiler Designs

Or for a longer-lasting version, check out KensieKate’s paper poppy pomanders at her blog, Something Old, Something New. You know how I love paper lanterns…she transforms plain old paper lanterns into fabulous pomanders with a little hot glue and LOTS of paper and fabric flowers. Here’s a peek at the transformation:

Paper poppy pomanders from SO,SN

Friday Favorites

Yesterday I wrote about clay flowers as a long-lasting alternative to your standard ephemeral wedding bouquet. Today, I’ve found another: Amanda1986’s funky vintage-inspired bouquets.

Amanda takes vintage finds-gorgeous fabrics and trims, millinery flowers, brooches-and creates the most unique and romantic “bouquets” I’ve ever seen. (She also makes boutonnieres, hair accessories, cake servers, and corsages.)

Here are a few of my favorites:

A Fresh Take on Fake Flowers

If only your wedding bouquet could last as long as your marriage…

Dried flowers can be a nice reminder of your perfect day, but they lack the vibrance of their former fresh-cut state. Silk flowers rarely look authentic enough to live up to the real thing. But I am continually amazed by the intricacy and realism of clay flowers. 

White and Green Elegance by debashri

Would you have ever guessed that these blooms by debashri weren’t real?!

Arrangement by Petal By Petal

I’ve stumbled upon several people who make similarly gorgeous and vivid clay flowers. Interestingly, many of them are based in Hawaii. They all offer a variety of colors, flowers, and types of arrangements, including bouquets, centerpieces, cake toppers, and boutonnieres. 

Bouquet by Midori Designs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In addition to lasting beyond the wedding day, clay flowers give you a lot more flexibility, allowing you to get exactly the arrangements you want. Perhaps you are set on tulips for your fall wedding. Rather than pay for out of season blooms, you could consider clay instead. Or maybe your favorite flower is narcissus, but your wedding colors are pink and green. Go faux, and get the best of both!

Bouquets by DK designs

 

Whether you decide to get all clay flowers or just a keepsake bouquet, clay flowers can be a unique touch to a handmade wedding. 

 

These clay anemones by Clay Creations by Cherrie make elegant cake toppers.

 

 

 

Lantern Love

I’ll be the first to admit it…I’m a sucker for paper lanterns. To me, they are the perfect wedding decoration. Their soft glow gives any venue instant romance. Whether used indoors or out, lanterns are an easy way to transform a space from standard to stunning. They come in a myriad of colors, and since they are fairly inexpensive, you won’t blow your budget when filling the night sky (or ceiling). Try mixing and matching different colors, shapes, and sizes for some extra visual appeal. The more the merrier, I say.

 

Obviously, I’m not the only one who loves paper lanterns. But just because they have become popular wedding fare doesn’t mean you have to shun them. I’ve rounded up a few clever ways to make your own lanterns or  spice up the store-bought variety. 

The now-defunct Bluelines blog has a great tutorial on making a lantern out of wallpaper. And Instructables shows you how to make mini origami lanterns that can be attached to christmas lights. 

These simple table lanterns from Design Sponge totally brought me back to third grade. But with some pretty Japanese paper or vintage wallpaper, these would be a fun way to make your own lanterns in a snap.

This is such a great idea from Curbly to add some color and texture to a plain paper lantern. While they use dots, this technique could be applied whatever patterns and shapes you can think of.

Manzanita Madness

If you’re planning to make your own centerpieces and you have a flair for the dramatic, you really can’t go wrong with manzanita branches. 

Arranged in a tall vase, they are simple and elegant. But these versatile boughs look fabulous dressed up as well. You can wrap them in white lights, drape them with moss or garlands, or adorn them with flowers. These smooth, twisting branches often come in whites, browns, and oranges, but there is no reason you can’t spray paint them to any color that suits your palette. 

Here are a few favorites.

 

The Wedding Chicks have a great post on how to create your own wedding tree. For more how-tos, check out Nettleton Hollow to learn everything you might want to know about decorative branches. These guys are manzanita masters!

Instead of a centerpiece, you could also use manzanitas to hang seating assignment cards or make a guest “book” or a gorgeous wish tree.