making a bridal bouquet (minor emergency)

[SenoraPostrophe]

Getting married next friday.

I saw the florist a few weeks ago, and she said to come back a week before to choose flowers etc. Yesterday I went in there and she said there was no way she could do it (wasn't in a v assertive mood so didn't push it. In fact I didn't even say "but you said..." ).

Anyway I don't mind. I always think it's silly to spend lots of money on flowers. Thought I'd make a bouquet using either:

1. Jasmine from our garden and some forget-me-not like flowers which are spilling over the wall of a house down the road. Maybe also some ribbons and some olive leaves or something.

2. 2 or 3 big flowers (lillies? not sure as my gran always says they're for funerals) with a big ribbon.

Am loathed to go back to same florists, but there is another one - she won't be able to do a bouquet either but may sell me some flowers...

do I just bunch them up? Do I need kitchen roll/tin foil (to keep stems damp)? any other ideas?

SP - I've often thought about wedding flowers and wondered why more people don't just go and buy a bouquet from M&S or Tesco!?!? They do absolutely beautiful ones - just as nice as the ones florists will do for you at 10x the price!!!

Of course, if you are very handy with these things, doing them yourself is a great idea too!!

It's quite fashionable to just have them handtied so I reckon you could just tie them together simply and a florist would probably have some 'ribbon' or 'cord' or something that they use.

If I was getting married again, I think I'd buy them from M&S/Tesco or just buy the flowers and tie them together like you are suggesting.

SP - re the lilies - I've heard that about funerals but loads of people have them wedding bouquets don't they?

no tesco or M&S here, Skate!

There's a small florists in town, or I could get someone to get me a big bunch from Granada. That would be a hassle though.

Oh SP - sorry, what a numpty I am!! Forgot you were in Spain!!!!

Do the big supermarkets not do bouquets?

You could still do them yourself and just hand tie them very simply though - that would look lovely.

I would hand tie them as you're planning - and wrap some damp cotton wool (not wet - you don't want it leaking out on your dress!) round the stems and then wrap with foil. Make sure you have plenty of ribbon and bind the tin foil package with ribbon so the foil doesn't show through, then finish with a big bow.

Jasmine would be lovely, the scent is fabulous and I think it would be really special to have flowers from your own garden. If you had ,say, three lilies in the middle, you could have some olive leaves, jasmine, spilly over forget me not type flowers round the lilies, just tied all together? Ooh, it sounds gorgeous! Afaik, only white lilies are typically funereal. And frankly I don't think it matters anyway - I love lilies!

Whereabouts in Spain?

I think doing your own will be lovely and the Jasmine sounds fabulous. Just have a practise run and see what looks best but remember to look at the arrangement face on in a mirror so you can see how they'll look to others on the big day.

Good luck!

doing yout own would be lovley personally i would go with lillies and then tie some coloured straw to match any other colours you have round them

simple yet elegent

I think the jasmine might be better than lillies. You really want something that is durable (ie that will last in your sweaty hand through the ceremony, photos, dinner etc.). Take the stems and wrap them in a damp cloth and then wrap the cloth with some cling film and then wrap the cling film with a satin ribbon. Just keep wrapping the ribbon until it covers all the other ugly stuff. You might want to use a little spray mount or double sided tape or wood glue to stick the ribbon on so it doesn't slip.
Thinking about it, I think the jasmine, forget me not's with olive leaves sounds really beautiful. Roses are good too and camilias (sp?) as they are durable.