Happily, I was married in June of last year. As a professional gardener, I felt confident in creating my own centerpieces. Let’s walk through the steps.
Collect a quantity of vases that are the appropriate size. I went with red vases under 6 inches in height, since I wanted guests to see over the bouquets to easily visit with one another. The vases were sourced at local thrift shops, keeping a strict budget of under $5 a vase. The narrower the neck, the less flowers needed. Make sure the vases are clean and ready to hold bouquets.
Order the flowers. You’ll want plenty of green filler to hold space for the showy, more costly blooms. Choose multiple flower species with a variety of colors, sizes and textures. Plan for more flowers then you think you’ll need.
Assemble the centerpieces with a few helpers as this does take time. Plan on making a mess, and don’t overcrowd the vases—let the flowers speak for themselves. I created my arrangements in a garage, bringing in a window air conditioner unit to keep the space cool. We arranged flowers on Wednesday for a Saturday wedding. This gave the blooms time to open.
Note: Don’t forget to use plant food, keeping the flowers at their peak for as long as possible.
Alison Feik of Excelsior has a degree in landscape architecture and holds a wealth of knowledge about local plants and gardening. Grow more at beingstronginnature.com.