Crowning Glory

WRITER CREDIT:

Charleston Weddings Staff

PHOTOGRAPHER CREDIT:

Ava Moore Photography

Crowning Glory | Throw a flower-crown bridal luncheon with a little help from your friends

Charleston Wedding wedding bouquets flower crown Flowers ideas selfie station Stems

For bride Katie Berry’s flower-crown party, hostess Andrea Krause put the champs on ice with a little thematic flair. Freeze edible flowers in ice trays two days in advance and voilà! Your ice chest becomes a décor element.

The Price is Right - The 10-person brunch cost $1,000 ($500 for Fetes de Fleurs and $500 for food, décor, and invitations). The hostess kept costs down with buys from discount and hobby shops.

The bride wearing her flower crown.

The bride wore her flower crown in an engagement portrait session the next day.

Photographs by:

Ava Moore Photography

“It looked like something out of a Pinterest board,” says newlywed Katie Berry of walking into her bridal shower at friend Andrea Krause’s marshfront home on James Island. With a chicken and waffle bar, blooming garlands, selfie station, and, the pièce de résistance, a flower bar with an instructor from Fetes de Fleurs to walk the gals through making their own take-home floral crowns, she’s not exaggerating. (And, admittedly Andrea says she got most of the ideas from stalking the bride-to-be’s idea boards.) Because Katie and her then-fiancé, Chris, were exchanging vows solo in Hawaii, the gathering was a way to celebrate with the women who would have been her bridesmaids.

As for Fetes de Fleurs? The group offers two-hour workshops with one-on-one instruction in everything from crowns ($50 per guest) to floral jewelry ($45), bouquets ($60 to $100), and arrangements (up to $65). Rates are per guest and include flowers in the palette of your choice, setup, and cleanup. Blooms kept refrigerated overnight should be picture-perfect the next day, should you want your creations for portraits—or for your wedding.

Check out the how-to below for making an easy flower crown, and flip through the images in the gallery for more tips.

Step-by-Step Flower Crown

SUPPLIES

- Flowers

- Leafy greenery

- Florist wire

- Florist tape

- Florist scissors

STEP 1

Use florist wire to create a frame for your crown base. (Wrap the wire around your head twice for the best fit.) Twist the ends together to hold the circular shape.

STEP 2

Wrap the frame in green floral tape until you can’t see any of the wire.

STEP 3

Cover the frame with greenery by wiring or taping it in place.

STEP 4

Choose a mix of large and small blooms. Put the frame on a table then rest the flowers atop to determine how many blooms you need and where you will place them.

STEP 5

Attach your blooms by affixing the stems to the base. (Use floral tape with delicate or small flowers and wire with more sturdy fare.) Add one flower, bud, or spray, then rotate the base slightly, and layer on another. Let the greens fill in any space between blooms. Repeat until you've made a full crown or stop halfway for a partial crown.

Vendors

Photographer: Ava Moore Photography, www.AvaMoorePhotography.com

Stationery: www.VistaPrint.com

Signage: www.Letterfolk.com; www.Smartbox.com

Venue: Private home

Florists: Charleston Flower Market (decorative), www.CharlestonFlowerMarket.com; Fetes de Fleurs (flower crown), www.FetesDeFleurs.com

Baker: So Sweet, www.SoSweetCo.com

Caterer: Sweet Belgium, www.Sweet-Belgium.com

Linens: www.Amazon.com