02/11/2009
curly3
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abigail centerpiece 2
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renee tashiro centerpiece
willow with leonidas roses and votive candles
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curly3
curlywillow
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Pink Wedding Flowers Evolution of a centrepieceabigail centerpiece 2fd1efa76-bd45-4d53-9871-78150cf1fb25-mrenee tashiro centerpiecewillow with leonidas roses and votive candlescurly2curly3curlywillowPink Wedding Flowers Evolution of a centrepiece
   

Wedding Flowers
Evolution of a centrepiece

So Mirella (florist) has gotten back to me after a visit to her supplier to let me know that unfortunately, the manzanita and/or magnolia branches are WAY out of my price range... :(

But, the good news is, I've found a newfound love for curly willow and I think we can really make this work. Curly willow IS in my price range. :) The only issue is, can we or can we not, hang votive candles from curly willow branches? I've seen plenty of centrepieces in images online where they are hung from curly willow, but, some sources don't recommend it because willow branches are thin and not as sturdy as your typical manzanita or even the mitsumata (or is it matsumata) branches that Mirella used in my sample (see the post 2 down from here for images of those branches in my sample).

Mirella has suggested that perhaps we could combine curly willow with the matsumata, but I am thinking I actually like the natural wood colour of the willow branches unpainted and Derrick says he likes the natural colour 100% better than the painted wood; he's more into the natural look. I have to take his thoughts into consideration too, and I don't really disagree w/ him here anyway. So will have to let Mirella know.

Anyway, in the meantime, I've gone hunting online again (thank you Google!) for images of centrepieces with orchids and curly willow, for inspiration on what my centrepiece can look like at the end of the day. Here are my found treasures, today (see images at left for inspiration).

I'm thinking, my white cube vase (see below), maybe replace the orchids w/ hydrangea or something else (dahlias maybe?), curly willow branches, and orchids just attached to the branches along w/ a few hanging crystals and votives. Or, leave the orchids as is in my sample, and just keep it ALL orchids instead of mixing it up. What should I do?

Enjoy and stay tuned! :)
centerpieces, curly willow branches, hanging votives, orchids
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summer2009's Green wedding
summer2009
 |  Guelph, ON, Canada  |  02/13/2009  | 
very nice
nataliepink's Pink wedding
nataliepink
 |  Ottawa, ON, Canada  |  02/13/2009  | 
omg Liz, we actually have such similar taste lol Since my mom is a floral designer she can get all the flowers/vases/whatever from the distributer and she has 3 very large pots with lots of curly willow in them which I want to put behind the head table with votive candles, flowers, and these other super cute decorations that I have bought! Will post photos soon! My FMIL has some curly willow on her property in Brockville and said she would cut some down for me and leave it to dry WOO xo
p.s. I want them for the center pieces too, so gorgeous!! AHH
soulwishes's Pink wedding
soulwishes
 |  York, ON, Canada  |  02/14/2009  | 
Thanks girls!

Hey Nat, would you mind asking your mom what she thinks about hanging votives on curly willow? We weren't sure if that would be a fire hazard or not as it's not as strong as say, manzanita would be. I've seen lots of pics of centrepieces w/ curly willow and hanging votives but I am curious how the votives are secured to ensure that the branches don't bend too far or fall under the weight of the votive.
nataliepink's Pink wedding
nataliepink
 |  Ottawa, ON, Canada  |  02/14/2009  | 
Hey Liz,
I talked to my mom and she said that they have definitely used votive candles on the curly willow branch but they will have to be stronger, (so not just the ends) and the votive candles have to be light/thiner glass.  She suggests using either wire or zip ties to secure them on the branch.
She also said that if you know someone who has a vendors permit, go to Pacific Circle in Mississauga, and you can get it wholesale. (she said that sometimes they sell to the public, but not always)
The curly willow that we have right now is over 6feet tall...I love it, can't wait to order more! If you have more questions let me know.
soulwishes's Pink wedding
soulwishes
 |  York, ON, Canada  |  02/14/2009  | 
Thanks Nat! I really appreciate you asking your mom about that for us! :) And thanks too for the info about Pacific in Mississauga. My florist has a vendor's permit and probably uses them as she's just a little north of that area, but I'll let her know just in case. :) Happy Valentine's Day! :)
soulwishes's Pink wedding
soulwishes
 |  York, ON, Canada  |  02/14/2009  | 
Oh by the way Nat, if you or your mom happen to know of any good reliable suppliers in Canada of affordable hanging votives, crystal strands, hanging crystal (or acrylic, glass, etc.) baubles, etc. please share! :) - if they're online even better!! We're looking for budget wow at this point, my centrepieces are up to about $100 a piece with all the "stuff" on them, and we're trying to see where we can shave costs. Unfortunately there aren't many great canadian suppliers with good pricing online that we know of so we're still looking! If you know please share and thanks in advance! :)
nataliepink's Pink wedding
nataliepink
 |  Ottawa, ON, Canada  |  02/19/2009  | 
Hey Liz,
Sorry, I didn't realize you had posted back...I will ask my mom about any suppliers she knows of!
I posted a photo of the curly willow we have...i am going to need to get much more, but i think its gonna look awesome
soulwishes's Pink wedding
soulwishes
 |  York, ON, Canada  |  02/20/2009  | 
Hey Nat, thanks. Interestingly, my coordinator for the wedding warned me against using votives on curly willow, saying absolutely you cannot. I am getting mixed reviews depending who I ask, where I read it etc.

I think I may just play it safe and opt not to use hanging votives (drives up the cost of the piece anyway), and I think we're just going to go with hanging crystals and baubles and trump up the number of candles ON the tables if there is room.
tracie's wedding
tracie
 |  Dallas, TX, USA  |  05/25/2009  | 
I  love the arrangements with  curly willow branches. How do you attach the orchids to the branches?
soulwishes's Pink wedding
soulwishes
 |  York, ON, Canada  |  05/25/2009  | 
Me too!

Usually they are attached using floral wire or sometimes depending on the type of flower you might be able to use fishing string.
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