Having Fun with Wedding Crashers

Having Fun with Wedding Crashers
A wedding crasher can be an unexpected wedding guest that no one really knows. This is a person that is looking for some fun and would like to do so at your wedding. They will usually be nice people that mean no harm and are just looking for a good time. When this is the case, you can have a lot of fun too.

There are certain people that are called wedding crashers and they are not so nice. They are the people that you want to keep out of your wedding because they are looking to wreck your special day and make it a nightmare. These people need to be watched for so that they can be kept out and kept

silent.

The bad wedding crashers can be anyone from an old boyfriend to a crazy family member that wants to ruin the wedding all together. These are the ones to watch out for because they can turn a beautiful day into a complete disaster. Getting married is stressful enough without having to worry about who wants to make it a bad memory instead of a good one.

You may also get the wedding crasher that wants to steal your money and other gifts. If you see someone that is out of place, keep an eye on him or her to make sure that they are not there to steal from you. This would be a terrible way to start your new life together.

Wedding crasher that is fun can be a real enjoyment. These are the people that will sing, dance, and be the life of the party. They will be the ones out there on the dance floor living it up and getting the rest of the wedding guest excited too. These types of people will be a dream to your wedding and if they are not hurting anyone, let them alone. Chances are they are just out for a good time and there is no real harm in that.

Getting a wedding crasher at your wedding is not that likely. They are in fact very rare and if you do have one attending, chances are they will be the good kind. The one thing that you should do is keeping an eye out for anyone that looks different. If they stand out in the crowd or bring a lot of attention to themselves, this could be a hint.

By Morten Flatner

Make Your Own 12 Stem Flower Rose Centerpiece

This is a beginner-level arrangement. With proper preparation and planning, you can expect to complete this twelve-stem Demi centerpiece in about 10 minutes.

Materials
To create the centerpiece, you'll need the following items:

12 fresh roses.
Sharp utility scissors.
A 4" glass rosebowl, available at craft supply stores,
Hex wire or chicken wire, available at home and building supply stores.
Lightweight wire cutters.
Spray bottle filled with clean water.
A tall kitchen garbage bag.
Preparation
Prepare each rosebowl by cutting one piece of the chicken wire into a 4" by 8" strip. Roll it into a tube shape and twist the ends to secure. Insert the tube into the rosebowl and rotate it 90 degrees (horizontally). You might have to bend the ends to make it fit securely inside the bowl. This wire form will help hold the stems in place when you assemble your flower arrangements. Repeat for the number of rosebowls you are using.
Recommendation: If there are many rosebowl containers to be readied, consider preparing all of the wire inserts well in advance of the wedding day. If you complete that job beforehand, you will have more time to enjoy the fun part - actually arranging the flowers hours before the ceremony...
The day your roses are delivered remove all foliage and snip the tips of the thorns if your roses have them. You may also want to read How to Care for Fresh Roses for more tips and tricks.
If you are doing more than one or two arrangements, enlist the help of a few friends and relatives. They will help the project move faster and keep the focus on fun.
If you are planning a morning or early afternoon wedding, add the roses to your centerpiece the night before. For a late afternoon or evening wedding, plan to assemble the roses early that morning.
Instructions
Fill the rosebowl with clear warm water.
Using the utility scissors, cut the stem of one rose at a 45 degree angle about 6" below its head. Place the rose in the rosebowl with the stem resting on the lip and the head about 1/2" over the edge. The chicken wire will help to hold the stem in place. Repeat with five more roses, placing them close to each other. If there is space between the roses, trim the stems again to make a smaller circle. When finished, you should have a circle of roses about 8" in diameter.
Using five more roses, make a second inner circle that is slightly smaller than the first. They may not all fit directly next to each other which is perfectly fine. Just stagger them to fill in.
Trim the one remaining rose and place it in the center of the arrangement. Adjusting to eliminate any gaps.
Spray the arrangement lightly with water.
If you have space, place the arrangement(s) in a refrigerator covered loosely with a plastic bag. If there's no room in the fridge, don't worry; your flowers will be absolutely fine if you keep them stored in your workspace.
Success Tips
Blow a puff or two of air - as if you were blowing out a candle - down into the center of each rose just before adding it to the arrangement. This helps the petals open out a bit more and gives a fuller look.
When you are cutting stems, it is best to snip them a little longer; you can always trim them shorter if necessary.

Flowers for Winter Weddings

Sure, most weddings take place in spring, summer and fall when flowers are more plentiful but that doesn't mean the winter bride can't still have the flowers she loves. Read on for how to select the best blooms for a winter wedding.
While it's true that most weddings take place in spring and summer, many couples choose a winter date for the "big event."
According to the Society of American Florists, 13 percent of weddings take place in the winter, with 11 percent of those being Christmas weddings. Summer weddings account for 35 percent, spring weddings 29 percent, and autumn weddings 23 percent.
But even though fewer weddings take place in the colder months, that doesn't mean the winter bride is faced with a limited selection of flowers for her bouquet, the wedding party's flowers, and floral arrangements for the ceremony and reception. Traditional wedding flowers, including roses, lilies, orchids, and daisies, are available year-round, as are many exotic ones. However, the cost usually is higher for out-of-season or unusual flowers.
When planning a winter wedding, as for a wedding in any season, personal preference--and budget--will play a large part in what you chose for flowers. Some brides pick their favorites or follow the long-standing tradition of an all-white bouquet, symbolizing purity.
Others base their choices on what's available locally, what complements their color scheme or bridesmaids' dresses, or on what each flower means. Gardenias symbolize joy, daisies innocence, and roses represent love and happiness, for example. Red tulips say "I love you" while white ones signify "I am worthy of you."
The colors of the season also come into play in decisions about flowers. Christmas brides often choose red or burgundy as one of their colors, using red roses, carnations, calla lilies, and other red flowers in their bouquets with accents of silver, white, and green, other colors traditionally associated with this holiday.
Poinsettias, amaryllis, and evergreens are popular choices for decorations while holly branches and other plants with red berries are ideal for use in floral arrangements. For a seasonal touch, iridescent or frosted glass balls, snowflake ornaments, and glittery ribbons can be added.
If you choose red or green for the attire of your attendants, bring along a sample of the fabric when you meet with your florist to select your flowers. The "wrong" shade of green foliage or red blossom can clash with a gown of a different shade of the same color. For emerald green, for instance, you'll want to pick a true red rather than a maroon or burgundy for the bouquets. Limit the amount of green foliage although a variegated leaf might work well.
White is a popular winter color with flower choices including roses, tulips, freesias, hellebores, and mums, among others. But again, it's important to pick the right white varieties to go with your gown. White flowers come in varying shades from pure white to ivory and even a faint pinkish white. In addition, choosing the right foliage will help the bouquet stand out against the dress.
White can be used as an accent color for a bouquet of darker colored flowers or for floral arrangements and accessories to lighten up a room, especially one lit with candles for a romantic evening wedding. If your gown is beaded, incorporate tiny strings of white beads or pearls into your bouquet and table centerpieces. Frosted glass balls, mirrors, and acrylic icicles can be used as stand-alone decorations or incorporated into arrangements to complement a lacy gown.
Blues and purples, especially in combination with shimmery white, metallic silver, and glittery gold accessories, also create an illusion of winter and are popular with brides seeking a more contemporary look for their winter wedding. For flowers consider iris, freesia, statice, and heather. Or use blue or purple as an accent color, such as for iridescent ribbon on a bouquet or church pew; glass vases or bowls to hold arrangements of sparkly glass balls and greenery; or candles on mirrored surfaces.
These are just a few suggestions for flowers for a winter wedding. For other ideas, browse through bridal and decorating magazines, or ask your local florist what he or she would recommend to help you realize your dream of a perfect wedding day.

How to Care for Fresh Roses

If you plan to do your own wedding flowers, knowing how to care for fresh flowers is as important as learning how to make the arrangements. Here are my top tips for keeping roses looking fresh and beautiful.

The first step in caring for your roses is called "conditioning". This process is designed to fully hydrate the roses, perk them up and get them ready for arranging. Conditioning should be done soon after you bring your roses home.

Set aside a special room for conditioning, storing and arranging the flowers. Your workspace should be a room where you can maintain these ideal conditions:


Temperature: between 65 and 70 degrees.
Protected from direct sunlight and away from direct heat sources and drafts.
Off-limits to pets and children.
Big enough for all of your helpers and supplies.
The workspace should include these basic items:

Five-gallon buckets. Plan on one bucket for every three to four bunches (75-100 roses). You can buy these for about $3.50 each at your local hardware store or online from the big home improvement stores. Please do not use buckets that have been used for cleaning because they may contain detergent residue that will harm your flowers.
Drop cloth. If your workspace is on carpet, lay down an old bed sheet or a plastic painting drop cloth or even an inexpensive shower curtain liner.
Sharp utility scissors. Available from craft or home improvement stores. We recommend several pairs so your friends and family can help.
Chairs and a table. You'll want to have a few places for you and your helpers to sit, and if you're making large arrangements you'll need a table with plenty of room to work.
Garbage bags. For easy clean-up
We recommend that you some enlist friends and family to help with this process. Not only will it make the work move much faster, it is also fun to socialize as all the lovely flowers emerge from the box looking and smelling wonderful.

Rinse out several of your clean buckets and fill them halfway with warm water.
Using your utility scissors, snip the straps that hold the flowers in the box. Remove the cellophane from the first bunch and snip the rubber bands that secure the bottoms of the stems. Remove the corrugated paper that is wrapped around the blooms by gently unrolling it.
Remove excess foliage with your utility scissors. If you are creating a bouquet remove all the foliage now; for other types arrangements, leave on the top 2-4 sets of leaves. Tip: Don't let any of the foliage fall into water. Foliage exposed to water will begin to decay and introduce bacteria that will shorten the life of your flowers.
Some varieties of roses have more thorns than others. If you clip the tips off the thorns now, it will make the flowers easier to arrange later.
Remove any damaged petals. You may notice that the outermost petals of the roses, called guard petals, may be a bit bruised and/or broken. This is completely normal, so you just need to gently pluck off any of the outer damaged petals with your fingers and discard them.
Now, trim the stems by placing the stem of each rose under water (you can use an extra bucket) and using sharp utility scissors, cut the stem at a 45 degree angle. Place the first rose in one of your prepared buckets. Keep on going until all your flowers are done.
All the leaves and stems and packing material can make a little bit of a mess so be sure to leave 20-30 minutes to clean up.
Next, leave your roses undisturbed in their buckets for 2-12 hours to hydrate. Remember to keep your workspace conditions ideal, maintain a consistent water level, and resist the temptation to handle the roses until you are ready to create your arrangements.

Choosing Flowers In Season

Our friend Heather MacGregor of MacGregor's Garden in upstate New York told me all about what flowers are inexpensive, most readily available, and freshest in which season. Then, for kicks, she threw in the meaning of each, so you can be humble with lily-of-the-valley or say "I love you" with roses.

Our friend Heather MacGregor of MacGregor's Garden in upstate New York told me all about what flowers are inexpensive, most readily available, and freshest in which season. Then, for kicks, she threw in the meaning of each, so you can be humble with lily-of-the-valley or say "I love you" with roses.
Easy To Get All Year
Baby's Breath white and delicate, used to mix with other flowers.
Bachelor's Button available in white, pink, red, or blue, symbolizes hope.
Carnation available in a million colors, means you'll "love many".
Gardenia white and fragrant, this lovely bloom represents joy.
Gladiolus million colors, stands for sincerity.
Lily of the Valley white and pink, and symbolizes humility.
Orchid pink, white or purple orchids mean beauty.
Rose any color of the rainbow, almost, and will always mean, "I love you".
Stephanotis white and delicate, this flower symbolizes a happy marriage.
Winter Wonderland
Calla Lily white, purveyor of purity.
Camellia lovely in pink and white, this flower represents gratitude.
Forget-Me-Not blue, stands for remembrance.
Holly luscious green with deep red berries, holly brings domestic bliss.
Ivy mostly green or variegated, with the true quality of fidelity.
Orchid pink, purple, and white, symbolizing beauty.
Poinsettia traditional holiday flower, comes in red, white, and pink.
Tulip many colors, means "perfect lover".
Spring Flowers
Anemone available in many bright, poppy-like colors, it means "forsaken many".
Apple Blossom soft, romantic, and white.
Calla Lily available in a few colors, but most popular in white, this elegant flower symbolizes purity.
Daffodil yellow, means unity.
Forsythia yellow, and symbolizes anticipation.
Geranium most common in red and pink, this traditional flower stands for unity.
Hyacinth purple, pink, or white, this flower stands for constancy.
Iris in many colors, this flower always means good health.
Jonquil perfectly spring pale yellow, means affection shared.
Lilac fragrant in violet or white, lilacs are the sign of new love.
Larkspur comes in blue, and means decidedly fickle.
Magnolia thick white blossoms, symbolizes love of nature.
Narcissus this white bloom represents formality.
Orange Blossom traditional white wedding flower, symbolizes happiness.
Tulip any color you wish, give this to your lover and tell them they're perfect.
Violetrichly purple, symbolizes faithfulness.
Summer Blossoms
Aster white, pink, and rose colors, means daintiness.
Calla Lily several colors, most popular white for purity.
Daisy bright and white with a touch of yellow, means you'll share your feelings.
Hydrangea purple, symbolizes understanding.
Forget-Me-Not delicate and blue, this is the flower of remembrance.
Peony get them pink, magenta, or white, and they'll symbolize a happy marriage.
Sweet Pea comes in many colors, perfect for someone you're just meeting.
Zinnia red, orange, or pink are most popular, and means "thinking of you".
Autumn Blooms
Aster white, pink, or rose Asters represent daintiness.
Chrysanthemum whether it's gold, red, or white, it means a good friend.
Dahlia tons of colors for this traditional autumn flower.
Marigold blazing gold/red, marigolds harbor sacred affection.
Zinnia red, orange, or pink, symbolizes "thinking of you".
Leaves and Foliage symbol of wedded love.
Dried Flowers represent sadness