If you want to create your own centerpieces, a classic arrangement in a clear glass globe or cube is a lovely choice that isn’t too difficult to assemble yourself. Hardy, large-headed flowers such as roses are best for this project. These centerpieces take between 30 and 60 minutes to arrange and, depending on the size of your container, will use about 50 to 75 stems. You can make them the day before the wedding, but before you begin, have your containers ready and filled with clean water.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED
-50 to 75 stems of a hardy flower like the rose
-Container
-Green adhesive floral tape (1/4″)
-Stem cutter or very sharp knife
-Stem stripper

STEP 1: Preparing the Flowers

I’ve been exploring more favor ideas…

Aunie Nalanis Cookies: cookies from Hawaii with either a seashell or orchid. Only $6.50 each, including shipping! My only concern is that the boxes are too big (about the size of a roll of toilet paper according to the site), so I don’t think it would look elegant on the table. I could have them put in a ribbon loop and hang the boxes off the chairs.

Sage ribbon with white orchid. Is it me, or do the orchids look real?

Hanging off of a chair…

On the table…

Wow! That’s a lot of cookies. There are several flavors - Chocolate Chip Macadamia Nut, Butter Macadamia Nut, Chocolate Chip, Pineapple Macadamia Nut, and Vanilla. I have one friend who is very allergic to nuts (I need to check about Macadamias), so I would probably alternate chocolate chip and Vanilla. She probably still couldn’t eat the cookies, but at least there wouldn’t be any nuts in the room.

Looking for an alternative to the traditional bridal bouquet? Here’s how to make a green-themed pomander in 3 easy steps.

Thinking of making your own bridal bouquet? This green-themed pomander is a beautiful design for casual or formal events. Bells of Ireland blossoms, removed from their stems in groups, are arranged on a floral foam sphere to create a captivating pomander bouquet. The unusual chartreuse color will accent gowns — brides’, bridesmaids’, or flower girls’ — in many summer hues. Here’s how to make it happen.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

Kampo Floral Design. I’m not sure if I want to go with just whites and greens or add some color (either peaches or blues).

Kampo is more modern than Antheia - not sure which look I’m going for. Plus the prices are a bit high. I would post some pictures of their bouquets, but none are in my colors.

I’d like something like this for the centerpieces… maybe with a little color.

I love these smaller centerpieces. Love the colors too, although I think I would still want greens and peaches.

I’d love something like this for the card table… maybe with a green apple behind each place card.

… Argh… I was supposed to have flowers settled by now. So far, I’ve only met with one florist - Kampo Floral Design - but their estimate came in a bit high, and I feel like the centerpieces would be a bit small. Bigger ones would, of course, cost mo money.

I just discovered Antheia florist in Jersey City. The flowers on the website are beautiful and the prices seem half-way decent.

As you can tell, I like white and green but I’m also thinking of going with peach or possibly periwinkle… and I love texture.

Hey NY brides, someone on theknot had a great idea for out-of-town gift bags:

These are $5.00 at Fishs Eddy. You can fill them with the usual snacks, water, wedding info…

5:00 in the morning and I just can’t sleep. I’ve been up since 3:00 am, and I finally gave up and got out of bed a half hour ago. I was cruising on theknot and came across this amazing bio. I want to get married in Hawaii now. Check it out!

My boyfriend actually said the words “hun, i think it would be fun if we took dance lessons together.”

….wha,wha,WHAT?! ok first of all he’s a guy’s guy. football, espn 24/7, scratches his ass type of guy (please ladies, he’s taken). so for him to even suggest this i was…well…surprised! Excited but surprised. Here’s a few I found. if you know of anymore please let me know.

Ballroom on Fifth
319 Fifth Ave., at 32nd St., fourth fl.
212-532-6232
ballroomonfifth.com
With a staff of mostly professional and amateur champions-as well as visiting experts-Ballroom on Fifth offers several wedding packages: three hour-long “emergency” couples lessons for $199, five for $349, and ten for $649. They’ll also happily customize a plan incorporating semi-private classes and will even arrange lessons for your entire wedding party.

Billings Jones Dance
Call 212-866-7750
or visit biljonsdance.com for locations
Husband and wife Sarah Billings and Richard Jones have been offering private lessons and, occasionally, classes for groups for over a decade. Their lessons encompass a wide range of genres from salsa to hustle to ballroom. A standard wedding package includes six 55-minute lessons ($385) that you can schedule on evenings and Sundays as well (hourly rates are $70). They don’t like to choreograph dances per se, but will script an entrance and a finale for the couple.

Champions Dance Studio
257 W. 39th St., nr. Eighth Ave., fourteenth fl.
212-307-7707
championsdance.com
This school, where you can learn all the standard styles-ballroom, salsa, tango, swing-has a variety of packages to get you prepared for the big day. The basic program ($300) gets you five private couples lessons with the instructor of your choice, who will also help choreograph moves for your first dance at the reception.

Dance Chelsea
127 W. 25th St., nr. Sixth Ave., fourth fl.
917-606-0289
dancechelsea.com
Learn to dance with private lessons at this Chelsea studio where ballroom and Latin dancing are specialties. Couples can choose to learn anything from a fox-trot and swing to salsa and merengue. Each lesson lasts 50 minutes. Choose from three wedding packages: one private lesson ($75), five lessons ($360), or ten ($690).

Dance Manhattan Ballroom Swing & Latin Studio
39 W. 19th St., nr. Fifth Ave., fifth fl.
212-807-0802
dancemanhattan.com
This school teaches all the standard styles in both private and group settings, and offers a crash-course option if time is of the essence. They’ll help you pick out a song for your first dance, and choreograph a routine, too. They’ll even send instructors to your reception if you’d like them to teach your guests-or just perform. Hour-long group lessons for two cost $75 per person per four-week session. There are also five- and ten-lesson wedding packages (from $375).

Dance New York
237 W. 54th St., nr. Broadway, third fl.
212-246-5797
dancenewyork.com
This ballroom and Latin-dance studio offers group and private lessons as well as practice-studio rental. The wedding package ($395) includes five private lessons and a one-time private-room rental for extra practice. Additional private classes run about $85 each per couple, and the school is happy to teach styles like hip-hop and quick-step.

Dance Times Square
156 W. 44th St., third fl., nr. Broadway
212-994-9500
dancetimessquare.com
Owned and operated by former U.S. Latin dance champions Tony Meredith and Melanie LaPatin, this five-year-old dance facility specializes in teaching cha-cha, samba, rumba, mambo, tango, and swing. Wedding packages include five private 55-minute lessons ($425) and another package of ten ($800) taught by world-class instructors on staff. There’s a 30-minute introductory test run ($20) to find out if you like the team. They suggest starting five months before your wedding so you can learn the dance they’ll choreograph for you.

Fred Astaire Dance Studios
Call 212-595-3200 or visit
fredastairemanhattan.com for locations.
Founded in 1947 by the legend himself, this national chain is consistently ranked as one of the best. They offer a special wedding program run by competitive dancers who can teach you everything from the tango to West Coast swing. The package includes private lessons as well as staffed “practice parties” designed to alleviate your social anxiety. Introductory packages-two private lessons and a practice party-start at just $75 per couple.

Manhattan Ballroom
Call 917-734-4778 or visit
manhattanballroom.com for locations
Practice your moves at either of this dance society’s huge ballrooms, where they teach all the classic steps you’ll need for your wedding. An eight-week course is $150 per person; your second course will cost just $95. Customized wedding packages available.

NY Wedding Dance
1261 Broadway, nr. 32nd St., Ste. 1108
212-904-1114
nyweddingdance.com
This dance company-one of the few that focus solely on wedding-dance instruction-offers private dance instruction for couples looking to hone their style, and aims to create fun and unintimidating moves for you and your partner ($85 per couple per lesson). House calls are available.

Paul Pellicoro’s DanceSport
1845 Broadway, nr. 60th St.
212-307-1111
dancesport.com
This popular studio, which boasts clients like Al Pacino and Vanessa Williams, has been one of the city’s biggest since it opened in 1985. Dancer Paul Pellicoro and internationally ranked partner Eleny Fotinos teach, along with a large staff of pros. They offer impressive wedding packages ($665-$1,040) that include a personal consultant, unlimited nightly practice sessions, group classes just for wedding couples, private lessons, music consultation and editing, a pre-party group class, and a complimentary rehearsal video.

Pierre Dulaine Dance Club
25 W. 31st St., nr. Fifth Ave., fourth fl.
212-244-8400
pierredulaine.com
Pierre Dulaine, a faculty member at the School of American Ballet, personally heads up the talented staff at this time-tested school. Just eight instructors teach the classes, which cover all the standard styles. After a half-hour initial free consultation, couples can take five private one-hour lessons or ten one-hour lessons (prices upon request).

Sandra Cameron Dance Center
199 Lafayette St., nr. Broome St.
212-431-1825
sandracameron.com
Studio founder Sandra Cameron has won every major International Style dance competition in the U.S. You can get a private lesson for $85 per couple per hour or opt for a four-week group class for $85 per person. The wedding package includes a four-week group course and three private one-hour lessons ($375).

Soho Dance
598 Broadway, at Houston St.
212-226-6767
sohodancestudio.com
The dance instructors at Soho Dance not only teach you to dance-they also pride themselves on being good at choosing the kind of dancing that best suits their students’ personalities and moods, should the couples need more direction than average. Choose anything from a basic fox-trot or Viennese waltz to a more complex combination of both. Choose five sessions for $450, ten sessions for $850, or twenty sessions for $1,600. Each session is an hour long.

WeddingDayDance
Call 917-796-4960 or visit
weddingdaydance.com for locations
This intimate center focuses solely on preparing couples for their big day, employing just a few instructors so you get tons of individual attention. After a half-hour consultation ($30), you can choose from a variety of packages: The introductory one consists of three private lessons ($185 per couple).

You Should Be Dancing . . . !
412 Eighth Ave., at 31st St., fourth fl.
212-244-0011
youshouldbedancing.net
One specialty here is the Cuban salsa rueda, but you can also learn Latin, ballroom, or the hustle in either group or customized private lessons. Perhaps start with the Introductory Special (which includes a half-hour private lesson, a one-hour group lesson, and attendance to one of the company’s parties) for $40 per couple.

Instead of doing table numbers I want to go with flower names and make the centerpiece whatever the table name is going to be. I’m psychotic and have a color theme that I really really really want to stick with so these are the flowers. We’ll have 12 tables…..

1.green hydrangeas / 2.green mums / 3.green dahlias / 4.green ranunculus

5.white hydrangeas / 6.white ranunculus 7.white dahlias 8.white peonies

9.pink gerber daisies / 10.pink peonies / 11.pink dahlias / 12.pink ranunculus

I was surfing wedding messageboards yesterday so it’s picture time! I love the pink/brown color scheme. Initially I wanted to do it for my brother’s wedding, but the venue is a little dark so we decided to go with something more vibrant and season appropriate.

Cakes:

Favors:

Table Decor:

Invitations:

Winter themed wedding placecard idea. Photo by Cappy Hotchkiss.

Here are a couple of sites other than ebay where you can buy/sell wedding stuff.

Gurlywear, Sellyourweddingdress, thebrideslist.

I wish I had this at my wedding! Guests could take photos of themselves as wedding favors or give you the photos so you could scrapbook them. I think they cost around $1000 - $2000 to rent. What fun!

For you lucky lucky girls that are done with your wedding (how i envy you)…

Cameo Cleaners of Gramercy Park
284 Third Ave., nr. 22nd St.
212-677-3949
cameocleaners.com
Chlo� Sevigny and Christina Ricci regularly drop off their duds with these high-end cleaners, and Tatum O’Neal entrusted her couture pieces to Cameo after her apartment was ravaged by a fire. With good cause: Owner Jerry Pozniak has been cleaning wedding gowns for about fifteen years, and his well-trained eye can identify and treat just about any stain ($400-800). Although Pozniak usually needs two or three weeks, he has fixed disasters overnight. Free pickup and delivery in Manhattan (it costs about $50 for the outer boroughs).

Chris French Cleaners
57 Fourth Ave., at 9th St.
212-475-5444
chriscleaners.com
Manhattan brides bring gowns from practically every designer to be cleaned here. Ordinarily, a dress takes four to six weeks, but French can rush it in one to three ($300-$700). He doesn’t offer storage, but pickup and delivery are free.

FashioAward Cleaners
2205 Broadway, nr. 78th St.
212-289-5623
These thorough cleaners use UV light to catch invisible stains that would show up as ugly yellow spots years from now. Two weeks for cleaning (from $600). No storage, and pickup and delivery are free only if you live in an area within a few blocks from the shop.

Hallak Cleaners
1232 Second Ave., nr. 65th St.
212-879-4694
hallakcleaners.com
This family-owned business uses four different methods of cleaning, depending on the gown. Hallak can clean in a week if you’re in a hurry, but the average is three to four weeks (from $475). Pickup and delivery are available, and shipping is free; storage is $100 per year.

J. Scheer & Co.
21 E. 65th St., nr. Madison Ave.
212-570-1511
jscheer.com
Trained in textile science, owner Jonathan Scheer is a master at fabric preservation. He subjects what passes through his doors to a battery of tests to determine how best to clean it ($395-$795). Free pickup, delivery, and shipping.

Madame Paulette
1255 Second Ave., nr. 66th St.
877-268-8873
madamepaulette.com
Picture someone on his hands and knees with a Q-Tip and a magnifying glass-that’s about the level of perfection you can expect here. Jobs take four to six weeks (from $500), but under special circumstances they can be done in 24 hours. Tailoring services are available for sample-sale gowns. Free pickup and delivery in Manhattan.

Meurice Garment Care
31 University Pl., nr. 9th St.
212-475-2778
245 E. 57th St., nr. Second Ave.
212-759-9057
20 Park Ave., nr. Plandome Rd., Manhasset, N.Y.
516-627-6060
Brides longing to wear their great-grandmother’s dress bring their gowns here for the œber-treatment, which includes restoration (from $624), alteration (from $25), reconstruction (from $1,500), and cleaning and preservation (from $511). The cleaning process is right out of CSI: They’ll use UV light to uncover stains invisible to the naked eye.

Basia Custom Headdresses & Accessories
304 Columbus Ave., nr. 74th St.
212-874-6720
By appointment only
Basia’s one-of-a-kind headdresses and veils are the stuff of storybook weddings: elegant and understated, with exquisite embellishments like ribbon, enameled flowers, feathers, or Swarovski crystals ($100-$400).

Bride’s Head Revisited
212-465-2613
bridesheadrevisited.net
Designers Emily Martin and Alexandra Kowalski-former clothing historians for the Met’s costume department-create hand-stitched veils (from $75) and headpieces with fine silks, crystals, and antique lace (from $120). There’s no store, but a full line of Martin and Kowalski’s designs is available at the Wedding Library by Claudia Hanlin and Jennifer Zabinsky.

Eugenia Kim
203 E. 4th St., nr. Ave. A
212-673-9787
eugeniakim.com
This chic millinery shop will create a custom headpiece and veil to match any gown (from $200). In-stock selections include straw and light cotton hats for summer and fur, felt, and wool for cooler weather. Asymmetrical cocktail hats for the funkier bride are also available.

J Couture Designs
179 Berkeley Pl., nr. Seventh Ave. Park Slope, Brooklyn
718-783-6855
jcouturedesign.com
During the six years Joanna Luo spent working at a Soho bridal shop, she dreamed of opening her own one day. Last year, the designer got her wish when she unlocked this shop, where she creates one-of-a-kind gowns ($1,500-$3,000), headpieces, and veils ($100-$400), and will even alter something that’s bought elsewhere.

Justine by Design
8 Mountain Ave., Springfield, N.J.
866-842-7277
justinebydesign.com
By appointment only
Justine is the source high-end bridal designers count on for delicate custom-made tiaras and headpieces ($50-$675) and jewelry. Most are made with precious and semiprecious stones. Matching jewelry, too.

Leah C Couture Millinery
155 W. 29th St., nr. Sixth Ave., Ste. B10
212-947-3505
leahc.net
By appointment only Women love visiting Leah’s romantic atelier because of the personalized attention. They also love her custom-made headpieces ($225-$750) and wide-netted veils, which can feature her trademark feather hair ornaments.

Nelson D’Leon
50 W. 34th St., at Sixth Ave., Ste. 21C9
212-563-9879
Virtually raised in his mother’s bridal boutique, D’Leon does fabulous weddings-just ask Donna Hanover, Giuliani’s ex, whose hair and makeup he did in 2004. He and his sister handcraft headpieces in Swarovski crystals ($150-$600), customize veils ($150-$2,000), and add natural hair extensions ($100-$600). Consultations are $250.

Regina B
350 Seventh Ave., nr. 30th St., Ste. 2203
212-643-2939
reginab.com
Take advantage of the one-on-one service at this 22nd-floor nook, where Regina offers more than 350 headpieces-tiaras (around $450), bun wraps, Spanish combs-made with Swarovski crystals and freshwater pearls.

Sposabella Couture, La Sposa Veil
8207 Fifth Avenue, nr. 82nd St.,
Bay Ridge, Brooklyn
718-680-9665
The extensive veil section at this soup-to-nuts bridal salon offers 300 different kinds of veils and more than 350 headpieces, including tiaras, combs, and flowers. Veil prices start at a very reasonable $65, but can soar up to $3,000, depending on beadwork, style, and material. Headpieces range from $80 to $1,000.

Suzanne Couture Millinery
27 E. 61st St., nr. Madison Ave.
212-593-3232
suzannemillinery.com
Customers from nearby Reem Acra and Vera Wang come to this cozy, elegant Madison Avenue boutique for glamorous headpieces, hats, and veils that will do justice to their swank princess-bride gowns. Every piece is custom-made in-house by owner-designer Suzanne Newman’s team (from $300).

The Wedding Library by Claudia Hanlin & Jennifer Zabinsky
43 E. 78th St., at Madison Ave.
212-327-0100
theweddinglibrary.com
If you’re not already engaged, you’ll want to be after playing dress-up with Hanlin and Zabinsky. They offer the fashion-forward Erin Cole, best-selling Bride’s Head Revisited, Susan Hoxie’s romantic creations, and Regina B. glam-doll getups. Headpieces, from bun wraps to tiaras, are $175 to $1,000; veils are $125 to $1,500; 70 percent of everything here can be customized.