Might DIY Real Flowers....Grocery Store Special! LOL

[TangoWedding]

So, I went to the grocery store today and looked at their flower selection. They had callas 3 for $10. So I bought 2 bundles, a bundle of...something red...and came home to start playing.

I made this in about 5 minutes.

I might just be doing something like this! It may not be super freaky awesome, but it looks pretty darn good for $25.

For the actual wedding I might just do the callas, though...these red things don't look like they'll hold up very long. I've had them for about half an hour and they look wilty. *shrug* LOL




http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v257/zennymountain/pics019.jpg





http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v257/zennymountain/pics015.jpg

[hummingbird521]

They turned out nice.

[ME&HIM]

thats beautiful..wow

[smileyone2002]

That looks great and cheap too!!:laugh:

[SerendipityCrafts]

Good job and as you have discovered, totally do-able! I did all my own bouquets, corsages and boutonnières for about $55.

[Dani]

That did turn out great! Go for it!:bblol:

[BrideInCuffs21]

I really love that bo-k, just not all kosher on the red thingys... What about doing just white callas and keep the black ribbon on the stems and maybe adding a red ribbion to it, or a red jeweld brooch????

[Kfancii]

Tango- Those red things are the alstroemeria we talked about before and those aren't opened up yet. Those need to be cut and placed into warm water for a few hours and they would start to open up.

Now, about your designing skills- you said you didn't have any and your bouquet looks very nicely put together. I think you didn't give yourself enough credit. :flower:

One caution about planning on grocery store flowers is that they tend to rotate the stock with whatever is in season, so you need to talk to you florist in the grocery store and make sure they are going to have callas the date of your wedding.

[kemalc2]

Those are beautiful!!

[lucas'sfuturewifey]

Oooh! I really like those...I think the red thingies add a little something something. You're very talented too! :bbmrgreen:

[Danielle9608]

wow ... this is really beautiful. I really love the red thingys too. To bad they don't hold up though.

[IDoTwo]

I really like them. That's an awesome deal.

[brendalin]

Those turned out really nice! I like to touch of red, i wonder if you could find soemthing similuar thta would hold up better....

[Kfancii]

Alstroemeria (the red flowers) are actually very hearty and will hold up quite well, but those don't look like they had a chance to get a good drink of water and open yet. They will look more like an orchid when they are open and be much fuller than they are in Tango's picture. I love Alstroe in wedding bouquets because they do hold up so well.

[Krimangel]

I Love The Color Of The Red Aginst The White, But Those Poor Things (red One) Look A Little Tired.

I Love The Lillys. Beautiful!

[WebLady]

One caution about planning on grocery store flowers is that they tend to rotate the stock with whatever is in season, so you need to talk to you florist in the grocery store and make sure they are going to have callas the date of your wedding.I was thinking the same thing; I always see different things at our local stores, but have never seen callas. They may even be able to order what you want; worth asking about!

And if you can get blooming red Alstroemeria, I think it would be a great filler

http://www.desirableplants.com/Alstroemeria%20tall%20long-flowering%20red.jpg

Otherwise there are other red filler flowers you could get; or just use the callas with red and black ribbon.

You did a great job though!

[dawsmi]

Wow they turned out beautifully!! What a great find! Congrats!!!

[TangoWedding]

Alstroemeria (the red flowers) are actually very hearty and will hold up quite well, but those don't look like they had a chance to get a good drink of water and open yet. They will look more like an orchid when they are open and be much fuller than they are in Tango's picture. I love Alstroe in wedding bouquets because they do hold up so well.

Those need to be cut and placed into warm water for a few hours and they would start to open up.

I had no idea about the warm water! Awesome! You've been SUCH a help for me! Thank you! :flower:

I've had them sitting in cool water since last night...I'll try to get some warm water and see if that opens them up. I could've sworn they were more open when I bought them...maybe they closed back up. (Which means I shouldn't use them for my bouquet anyway since they'll close up that fast, I guess!)

[Kfancii]

I'm glad I can help! It is good that my year in floral design school is paying off! :flower:

Make sure to recut the stems at an angle when you put them into the warm water too. Flowers need a fresh cut to open up the stems to allow the water to get in.

Here is the little secret about warm water- it has less air in it so it travels up the stems of the flowers faster and better. Since there is less air in the water, you have a much better chance of avoiding air pockets in the stems which causes flowers to die faster and in the case of roses and gerbers you see "bent neck syndrome" when an air pocket collects at the base of the flower head.

ETA - Alstroe shouldn't close up on you either. I just don't think those ever got a chance to open properly. When opened, they should look like the picture Brandi posted above.