Alternative bouquets are beautiful and fun, but putting one together yourself can be a little scary, especially if this is one of your first experiments with Do-It-Yourself. Fabric flowers are a lot of fun to make if you find the right patterns, but figuring out which ones are within your skill range can be tough. Here are a few patterns that I’ve experimented with (as a relatively unskilled DIY-er), and my mixed results:
Rolled Fabric Flowers
Their Result:
- Click for Tutorial
These simple little fabric rolled roses looked easy enough, so I grabbed some scraps of fabric from my junk drawer and got to work (that was my favorite part – because the roses are made in strips, it was easy to use anything I had). I used plain white glue instead of fabric glue, and it seemed to work fine, but I would definitely recommend something stronger and a little less messy if you’re making something much bigger and/or more delicate.
I didn’t roll my flowers as tightly as the original designer, but I prefer the looser design I ended up with. These were the easiest of the three, but the little blue one turned out a little rough around the edges.
Final Size: between 1” and 1 ½” inches
My Result:
Buttoned Fabric Flowers
Their Result:
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These were the most fun to make, but they also took the most work on my end. After printing out the pattern, cutting all the fabric, and laying out the final design, my fingers didn’t grip the needle as well as I would have liked. Maybe I just need to sharpen my scissors.
The thicker fabric seemed to work best, and I definitely recommend a nice big button for the center.
Final Size: between 2” and 2 ½” inches.
My Result:
Ribbon Fabric Flowers
Their Result:
- Click for Tutorial
This was the only flower I had to buy material for, but it was worth it. I love the way the scrunched ribbon bends to various shapes (though it does stain, so watch out!), and the shiny material makes for a great addition to an otherwise flat bouquet.
The sewing got a little intense near the end (I think I could have used a thicker needle and thread), but it resulted in a beautiful final product. When I fluffed the resulting bloom, I was happy to see how sturdy it was, even if it didn’t look 100% like the picture.
My only complaint is that this design doesn’t work well for all types of wired ribbon. I bought a few yards of a lighter, sheer purple ribbon as well, but the wire was much less cooperative and it wouldn’t scrunch. I scrapped it and stuck with one.
Final Size: 2 ½”
My Result:
When you order a unity sand kit, you usually need to purchase the unity sand separately. This is so you have the option to stick with neutral sand colors (browns, tans), or venture out a bit and find fun colors that suit you best (usually ones which match your wedding color scheme!). Your unity sand will be sitting as a focal point of your joined home, so make sure to take your decision seriously! If you're thinking about heading to the beach to scoop up some unity sand for your ceremony, remember the symbolism of the day. The point of the ceremony is to mix two different shades together to create something that can not be separated. If your unity sand is all the same color, the symbolism might not work the same way.
Your unity sand choices can be expanded depending on what sort of family you're joining together. Couples who are blending their households together and already have children should consider incorporating other colors and including their offspring in the ceremony too. No matter how many members you're blending into one household, the many colors and styles of unity sand will help symbolize the joining of a family.
Sweet wedding cake toppers also make wonderful gifts for the special couple in your life. Instead of figurines standing unemotionally on the edge of a mantle, sweet wedding cake toppers look as if they’re actually enjoying their time wherever they end up. The couple will project love and happiness in their home when the focal points of their living space are 
