Reader Question: Colors for My Bouquet

I got a lovely little email from reader Kathy and thought it would be a great one to share on el bloggo:

“Hi! My fiancé asked me to marry him while we were backpacking a 47KM trail, so our wedding theme focuses on our boots. We asked my fiancé's father to draw an image of our boots that we could use for invites and other stationary for the wedding.

I've attached the picture to this message. I love the image and am going to use it but I am experiencing difficulty deciding on a color scheme.

Originally I was thinking I would have a green and white bouquet do you think that would still work with this drawing? Our wedding is planned for May 21st, 2010.

Thanks so much,
Kathy.”

Photo Courtesy of: Kathy's Cutie-Patootie Future Father-in-Law

Reader Question: Colors for My Bouquet

First off, Kathy, I just want to say – I think I might be in love with your fiancee. Screw rose petals and limos… that is the best engagement story ever.

You are my kind of people. Second, the idea and execution of the invites is genius (and lovely to look at) – definitely an original idea and one that will ultimately save you a bundle.

Alrighty… now that I've properly flattered you – onward to your wedding dilemma. I definitely like the idea of tying the colors from the drawing into your bouquet.

And yes, it will completely work. For example, these lovely green and white bouquets:

*1. Martha Stewart. *2. Real Simple.

These bouquets feature not only the colors green and white but also mostly spring season-friendly (aka: cheaper) flowers.

*1. The first arrangement is made up of white hydrangeas* (not strictly a spring flower but, in May, they may be available in your area) and tightly bunched green carnations (an inexpensive year-round favorite).

The bouquet is finished off with a simple ivory ribbon but you could easily replace it with a lovely chocolate brown or steel blue colored one and it would look amazing (and pick up a few more of the colors from the drawing).

*If you are lucky enough to live in a temperate climate, check and see if anyone has a flowering viburnum shrub – they closely resemble hydrangeas and generally grow year-round.

*2. The second bouquet is a bit more complex but uses several different greens to help it look lusher and more expensive (the key word here is “look” – you can easily fake this on the cheap).

The key element of this bouquet? Intermixing two sizes and colors of the same flower – seen here are large white roses and smaller, dyed green roses (both are available year-round for a decent price in the floral section of your local supermarket).

Also seen here, small bunches of green hypericum berries (these generally run between $1.oo to $2.00 each) tuck in amongst the roses. If you cannot find these at your local florist then try tucking a few fresh leaves or herbs in your bouquet for a nice nature-inspired nod.

I'd finish this one off with a lovely ribbon wrap of chocolate brown or a pretty, clean white.

If you're open to other ideas, try these more unique bouquets:

*1. & *2. Real Simple

*1. The first bouquet is a wonderfully woodsey-feeling arrangement that I thought would be a great extension of your wedding drawing. It is made up of the more expensive hydrangea but! you should only need to pay for 5-10 bunches (depending upon how full you wish your bouquet to be).

Look for the classic blue hydrangea and pair it with not-quite purple ones (look for bunches with lots of brown undertones). Pair these with some lovely green leaves and finish off with a ribbon (the sky blue one seen here is a nice contrast to the darker hues of the flowers and still maintains the colors of the drawing).

This is definitely the most expensive arrangement for your May wedding but, if you have a family member or friend with a talent for floral arranging – this is a fairly straight forward arrangement that would not need to be done up by a professional (and save you the cost of labor).

*2. The second bouquet is totally the easiest, most inexpensive, and simplest but…I really think it would be great for your wedding. All this bouquet is made up of is baby's breath (yes, that baby's breath).

Before you start having horrible '80s flashbacks – hear me out. When used alone and bunched tightly together, baby's breath is a great floral option. It looks delicate and full but is super, super cheap (you'll find it year-round in any floral section anywhere).

I like that you can see bits of green peeking in through the white – I think it makes it very woodsy and chic. The best part? Click Here for step-by-step instructions from Real Simple on how to DIY this baby yourself – I'd finish it off with a lovely sage green ribbon wrap.

Well, Kathy, I hope that helps you out. Thanks for your email and, as always, send us pictures of your wedding!