Bouquet alternatives Brides personalize weddings with more than just flowers

Why toss the bouquet when you can keep it forever?

Instead of fresh-cut flowers, many brides are making or buying alternatives out of fabric, paper and even old brooches. The results can be stunning -- colorful paper hydrangeas, sparkling brooches, even quirky buttons, hundreds of them, forming a bouquet. It's a way to personalize a wedding, and turn what can be a costly, one-time expenditure into a family keepsake.

"Brides are looking outside the box now. They're looking for something different to make a statement with, and something to have for the rest of their life," says Marlene Lindman of Jackson-based Always Uniquely Yours, who makes bouquets from brooches. She's collected jewelry for more than 40 years and has built up quite a selection for bridal bouquets, which she began making about two years ago.

"I do have a nice inventory if brides are looking for something specific, like a limestone 'H' for the last name they're becoming, or a silver word 'love' -- I might have that," says Lindman.

For some brides, the question of flowers or no flowers comes down to money. Flowers for the average wedding can cost more than $2,000, according to The Wedding Report, which tracks industry spending. Of that, the bridal bouquet runs on average $132; it and the other bouquets, boutonnieres and corsages often add up to more than $400.

According to Lindman, if a bride uses her own jewelry and simply pays her to assemble the bouquet, the cost is equal to or even less than the cost of a floral bouquet. But just like in a floral shop, she says, the cost really depends on what the bride wants -- a brooch bouquet can include as many or as few pieces as the bride desires.

Beyond cost, brides might choose an alternative to the traditional bouquet to express their individuality, go lighter on the environment, or continue or establish a family tradition.

Kathy Landewee, owner of Knaup Floral Inc. in Cape Girardeau, says it's become popular for brides to work non-floral items into their bouquets, including brooches, handkerchiefs, rings, pins and even rosaries. Adding these items, especially if they come from friends and family, add a sentimental touch to the bouquet, she says.

If you're the crafty type, the Internet is awash in patterns, tutorials and how-to videos for making bouquets out of things besides fresh flowers. You can also find handmade wares on sites like Etsy.com, where prices range from $50 for simple silk bouquets to well over $600 for custom brooch bouquets.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

PULLOUT

Some popular bouquet options

* Knit/crochet. Tiny stitches, an assortment of colors and easy-to-follow patterns can turn yarn into gorgeous keepsakes. Novices to experienced knitters can find patterns to suit their skills. Because the flowers are small, you can make a lot out of just a few skeins of yarn. Thurston spent under $100 for yarn for the flowers for her entire wedding party, including wrist corsages and flower headbands, bouquets and boutonnieres. Yarn stores also have patterns, and knitters to help guide you. Many patterns online are free. On Ravelry.com, a networking site for knitters and crocheters, there are more than 2,600 free flower patterns.

* Fabric/felt. Like wedding dresses, fabric flowers can keep for years, and they can be made in many ways. Make flowers out of silk and burn the edges slightly to curl them for a natural look. Have a favorite fabric designer? Take the vibrant floral patterns found on, say, Liberty of London fabrics and incorporate that into your wedding. A bonus: Many of the patterns for fabric flowers online don't even require sewing. Felt, a thicker form of fabric, works well for flowers because it holds its shape. You can buy felt in dozens of shades and thicknesses. Or, you can essentially make your own felt by knitting flowers and then washing them in hot water. That process, called "felting," creates a thicker, tighter fabric, akin to what happens when you shrink a sweater.

* Paper. Often, all that's required is the paper, a pair of good scissors and glue. Use recycled books, crumple up tissue paper or fold paper with origami techniques. Online, ready-made paper bouquets are among the less expensive options -- sometimes as little as $30 -- because paper is relatively cheap. Want to make your own? Martha Stewart has a gallery of 20 different types of paper flowers, with directions, from peonies and dahlias to roses made out of coffee filters and accented with water color paint.

* Brooches/buttons. To get "something old" into your ceremony and add some sparkle too, try incorporating family heirloom brooches or old buttons. Scour thrift stores or ask relatives for contributions. Some brides even assemble a brooch bouquet as they walk down the aisle, having family members reach out and contribute pieces. Or buy online: The Blue Petyl website, for example, has dozens of combinations of brooches, buttons, pearls and more, from about $100 to $500.

* Buy a kit. Bridal designer Princess Lasertron sells a felted flower kit for bridal bouquets for $140. To outfit bridesmaids too, a larger kit is available for $420. Paper Source has kits for roses, daffodils, magnolias and more; you can make nine red roses for less than $20.

-- The Associated Press