If you have a creative eye for arranging flowers, this is one area you might decide to do yourself, or for a friend or relative, to save some money on the wedding budget. This book is ideal for finding ideas for bouquets, centrepieces, buttonholes, and corsages.
In addition to 20 specific projects with full instructions, including wire mounting techniques, there are many photographs of other designs to give you ideas for flower type, colour, combinations, and shapes. The designs presented range from very modern to classically romantic with a strong emphasis on making use of unusual colour schemes for increased impact. Even if you go for traditional colours, there are ideas for using shape to modernise the look of your floral decorations. Here you might find your flowers influencing your theme choices rather than the other way round. I would never have thought of using hydrangeas as wedding flowers, but the blue hydrangea headdresses and ball posies for the two flower girls on page 47 look so fresh and unusual, as does the accent of the aubergine-coloured calla lilies in the bridesmaid bouquet on page 49.
The bridal bouquet projects include the easier gathered posy style, a simple but sophisticated long stem sheaf, as well as the more complex teardrop bouquet using a bouquet handle and oasis to form the design. Simply by altering the colours or types of flowers, these instructions will help you create your ideal wedding bouquet. If you’re doing the flowers for someone else, these ideas are sure to help you both get a clear concept in mind of exactly what the bride wants.
The reception flower projects include three variations on the centrepiece, decorative ideas, and flowers on the cake.
The final section of the book includes dozens of additional tips and advice on working with flowers and an alphabetical list of flowers, with their seasonal availability in the UK, and suggested use.
Creating beautiful wedding flowers is written by former Vogue writer Antonia Swinson and the projects were created by contemporary flower designer Nancy Ursell, and their high fashion, modern style is clearly apparent. I was impressed with the elegant designs in this book, the hundreds of beautiful photographs, and the clear instructions for the 20 projects.
Creating Beautiful Wedding Flowers by Antonia Swinson and Nancy Ursell is available from Amazon.com
