Crafty commitment
1 hour for 6 boutonnieres

Quick craft for trusted friends to make
On the big day, hand off the floral arranging to a trusted friend or two while you're off being a beautiful bride.

Supplies
• 1 bunch of coneflowers, also known as Echinacea purpurea
• Scissors
• 1 bunch of purple integrifolia, available from florists
• 1 yellow Aranda orchid
• Floral tape
• Ribbon, 1/4 in. wide
• Small straight pins
• Pearl-tipped corsage pins

Take a look at a larger image of the finished coneflower boutonniere.

Directions
1. Gather together your coneflowers and remove the leaves from the stems. Cut the stems to about 4 in. in length.

2. Cut a stem of integrifolia to about 5 in. in length. Be careful here, as the dye from the foliage can get on everything. Have some paper towels nearby to wipe your fingers. I'm sure your fingerprints are lovely, but they're better suited for identification purposes than as part of your wedding decor.

3. Group all of your flowers and foliage together. The integrifolia looks best in the very back, as the base of the boutonniere. Next bring the coneflower forward and then add in the lovely orchid as an accent. Wrap the stems together with floral tape. Don't be afraid to play around with the arrangement, but don't overthink it. Simple is best.

4. Now cover the tape with ribbon, wrapping from top to bottom. Secure the ribbon on the back side of the bundle with a straight pin.

5. The finished boutonniere can be attached to a lapel with a pearl-tipped corsage pin.

Page 1 of 2 -- Easy finishing instructions, plus designer's tips and tricks to make your groom's boutonniere extra special on page 2
Tips and hints
• Coneflowers sometimes come with flower petals attached. You may use them as is or you may gently pluck the petals from the center cone. It's up to you.

• The integrifolia is a dried and dyed foliage. Be careful when handling it; the dye tends to get on fingers and surfaces when you're working with it. Have some paper towels on hand to wipe your fingers.

• If any of the guys in your wedding party have a strong aversion to scents, this is a great boutonniere for them. It's virtually scent-free.

• A great modern-looking alternative to the coneflower would be the billy button, also known as Craspedia.

• I like using 1/4-in.-wide ribbon when wrapping boutonniere stems. It's scaled nicely for small florals such as this, but you can use other widths without a problem.

• Speaking of ribbon, use any colour -- or combination of colours -- that you like!

• This is a project that's best done the day of the wedding. Please hand this off to a trusted helper, with complete instructions, if you've got an already packed morning. (Most of you will.)

Coneflowers	$6.50
Integrifolia	$7.50
Orchids	$7.50
Floral tape	$2
Ribbon	$1
Pins	$2
TOTAL (makes 6)	$26.50

Store cost
Florists typically charge $20 or more per boutonniere.

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Excerpted from The DIY Bride: An Affair to Remember, copyright 2012 by Khris Cochran. Used by permission of Taunton Press. All Rights Reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced except with permission in writing from the publisher.

Page 2 of 2


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