Handmade paper flowers

My sister considered this but found it would be too much work and she ordered silk flowers from Etsy instead. But if you're over a year away and are good at making them already it might be a viable option. Price out the supplies, maybe make a sample bouquet or centerpiece and price that, and use that to see if it would really be cost effective to make them yourself. And if you do go this route, post lots of pictures!

I plan on doing this! I'm practicing with the flowers now with the help of YouTube!

My cousin did this for the reception flowers. It was really pretty, but so much work.

I did!! I didn't have a single real flower at the wedding and I made at least 100 paper ones. They went over amazingly, and most guests took some home with them (only my bouquet and about 20 flowers of the 100 made it back home with me)

Here's a few shots of my place setting and bouquet

@pumped Up Kicks

Wow those are awesome and the bouquet is pretty

You can buy some from Etsy!

A friend of mine recently went to a wedding and she said she had NO idea the flowers were paper until she was holding her husband's boutonneire! It can totally be done if you do it right.

I'm in the middle of working on mine! We're just using paper flowers for centerpieces and to hang on our arbor.

They do take some time to make, but I like to sit with my favorite show playing and make them! It's not too bad especially if you enjoy crafty things

Here are mine! My mom volunteered to help, so that helps take some of the pressure off and gives us an excuse to hang out. I found the instructions on Youtube and practiced with plain paper first. It is definitely a time suck, but it's also kind of soothing in a repetitive, I-can-let-my-mind-wander, sort of way.

ETA this is not the finished bouquet or anything...just a sampling.

I made mine from coffee filters. So much fun.

I made mine from coffee filters. So much fun.

Incoming pictures!! I did all of my flowers paper. Not finished yet, but I'm getting there!

Excuse the cat. These are the MOG and MOB corsages that aren't done yet. Above are the bouteniers

Bridesmaid bouquet. Mine will just be book themed, MOH is totally rainbow

Top of bouquet

And lastly, close up of a flower. I suggest getting a Cricut for these and getting the flower petal pack. You'll save yourself a trip to the ER

I did my own. I only had my bouquet and centerpieces to do. I got frustrated early on, but I had time to work it out.

@FutureMrs.Glance How did you get that deep reddish purple with the coffee filters?

@lunden I love the idea of doing paper flowers for the arbor. I have all these elaborate pictures of arbors with greenery and flowers but my florist would charge $1000 for the designs I like. Now I think I can do it in under $100. I also second @Danielle's questions- how did you dye the coffee filters, they are lovely!

Such great advice and photos! You all have made me think I can totally tackle this. I think I'll enjoy the process!