Vintage Inspired Wedding Ballerina Bouquet

As I'm planning my wedding I have also been searching high and low for cheep alternatives to just about everything. I found myself worried that I was going to have a tacky wedding! My 'dream' wedding was to be married at a Pioneer Village near my hometown.  That venue dream was squished because the buildings are not heated, and my wedding is in October.  So that idea was shot down.  We found another venue that fit in our price range as well as I would rather my money go to them then a hall.  Our reception will be held at one of the Royal Canadian Legion Branches.  The hall (which is a large Edwardian House) is very nice with military hero pictures and history.  Two things I'm in love with.  So the wedding theme was changed to accommodate the venue to 'WWII Era Wedding'.  I'm in love with this theme! As you don't know me very well yet,  you won't know that I am very passionate about military history and the men and women who give up so much of themselves to keep us safe know and in years past.

Anyways, back to the flowers.  I was researching wedding bouquets that women would have used during the 1940's and I came across a bouquet called 'ballerina bouquet'. Because flowers were expensive and scarce due to the war, tulle was used around the bottom edge of the bouquet to make it look fuller. I thought this would be the perfect style of bouquet for my wedding, it fits the 1940's war time theme and it's inexpensive.  

I decided to use carnations for my wedding flowers for a few reasons, the first being they remind me of my Gran, she loved red carnations; the second reason being they are a very hearty flower and wont wilt as fast as other flowers; lastly carnations are a very inexpensive flower.  

I raided my fabric stash and found a cream coloured tulle with shiny beads and crystals sewn into it. I watched about a hundred videos on how to make a bouquet and I was fanially ready to have a go myself to see if I had bitten off more than I could chew.  As I was placing each flower in my hand in the shape I wanted, I wrapped a strip of tulle about 3 inches long around the carnations.  I also used florists tape to keep the carnations together.  Then I wrapped the tulle down the stems and used a couple of my sewing pins to keep the stem wrapping in place.  I think for my wedding I will use ribbon to wrap the stems.

 I think the bouquet turned out very lovely if I don't say so myself. I'm going to make the bridesmaids out of the white carnations and my bouquet out of a deep purple of the bridesmaids dresses, which we have not found yet!  Less than six months to go!!!

I also made a corsage