DIY Black and White Bridal Bouquet

It's hard to find flowers that go with a black wedding. There are black orchids but they are very costly. Another option would be to find the darkest red/maroon roses possible. I have seen some roses that looked almost black from a distance. The best way to incorporate black into your wedding in an upscale way is to use white flowers and accent them with touches of black.

Materials List:

- White roses: I used cheap silk in the tutorial but you can purchase fresh white roses for about $20.00 at Walmart or another grocery store florist.

- A bucket to keep the roses in with some water in case you won't be working with them right away.

- A vase to help keep the bouquet upright while you are working on it.

- Ribbon Black: Ribbon is a good way to bring the color black into the bouquet. I would buy at least 2-3 yards to make sure you have enough.

- Black feathers: I bought these at Michael's for $1.99. I am not sure what kind of bird they came off of. They are nice and fluffy.

- Rhinestones: This is optional. It might be too bling for some people! I think that a couple placed throughout the flowers would be nice. I bought the sticky backed package of rhinestones for around $1.

Time required: approx. 30 min.

Instructions:
1. Gather your roses into a bouquet. You might want to trim the stems. Secure them together with a couple of rubber bands.

2. Wrap the stems with the ribbon. Tie a bow and the top and leave long "tails" on the bow for a dramatic look. This would be a good place to place some rhinestones. There are several methods to wrap a bouquet. There are several websites that will give you some tips on how to wrap the stems. Here is just a sampling of sites that can help you:

http://wedding.theknot.com/wedding-planning/wedding-flowers/articles/homemade-bouquets-basics.aspx

http://www.superweddings.com/craft_handtiedbouquet.html

3. Once you have a bouquet, this is when the fun begins. I accented my bouquet with the feathers. I started by simply tucking feathers into the center and worked my way out. To make this easier, I put the bouquet in a vase so it was standing up for me so I could use both hands. The feathers should be an accent and not over power the bouquet.

4. If using fresh flowers. Please place the bouquet in the fridge or a cool place until the bride walks down the aisle.