My Creative Workbook

Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

Oh! So clever

My article and Bridal basket design featured in
DIY Weddings Magazine


To some extent, every bride wants to look unique and memorable on her wedding day. Designing unique wedding elements can be really tricky, especially if you are the kind of person who always does the unexpected.

Oh so clever floral art design

Taking that “uniqueness” even further may seem like the way to go, but that is, well, quite expected because guests are already expecting the unexpected that from you. To make it even more difficult, you still want that bridal feeling, it is your wedding day after all!

Bridal basket

My advice might surprise you. I say: if everyone is expecting something rather outrageous from you, not even a clown suit will be as unexpected as walking down the aisle in a white dress. It does not mean you have to play it safe. By no means! It just means you should play it: oh so clever.

Grass and orchids

Clever in this case means being deliberate in looking at the traditional elements of weddings and wedding designs, and then identifying which of these design elements fits your vision for your day.

Cymbidium orchids on the basket handle

Try to determine what “bridal” means to you, and give you that feeling, so that you know which details to focus on. You probably already have quite a few images saved with design elements that you love.

Crystals on the grass bed of the basket

Look carefully at all those bridal details and see if you can verbalize them.

Cymbidium orchids and curled grass

Do you have pictures of a long classic cathedral veil? A white gown? The classic bouquet of flowers and corsages?
Or is your vision a little wider? Flower girls and ring bearers? A shower of petals, pew decoration or elegant table settings at your reception?

Cymbidium orchids

Use familiar and specific words to describe what you want, so that your vision is clear. Eliminate any ambiguous or misleading words and avoid being too restrictive. The goal of this is to use words that identify, inspire and spark your creativity.

Cymbidium orchids and curled grass with crystals

Try explaining to someone what you mean, to test how well you have defined what you are looking for. These things are the design elements that will give you that “bridal” feeling

Cymbidium orchids and curled grass with crystals on a basket

The next step is to creatively push each of these design element to it’s limit, adding that something unique to the traditional bridal look, making it your own. For instance; a white cape or a hood instead of a veil, or a unique fabric for a traditional design bridal gown.

Fresh bridal basket

Look carefully at the words you used to describe what you are looking for. These words will ignite your imagination. Consider the traditional more practical elements so that you remain within your original goal of feeling like a bride.

Cymbidium orchids and curled grass with crystals on a bridal basket

A good example is a bridal basket. A smaller design, like this one, is an unexpected twist on a traditional element that you can carry with a special person walking you down the aisle.

For a “not like every other bride”’ kind of bride, it is not only important to know what you want, but also have the language to communicate what you want. It will smooth the way to creating the design elements that suits your vision for your big day.

DIY Weddings magazine article

Thank you DIY Weddings Magazine for inviting me to contribute.

Every week I add a new design with related tutorials. Be sure to subscribe to receive an email notification with design inspiration.

Tutorials

7 December 2016 Flat wire and grass bridal basket

Wrap grass around a flat wire shape to create a delicate bridal basket design

4 January 2011 Drinking straw "test tubes"

When you need to keep a tiny stem hydrated this is just what you need.

1 February 2012 Weaving a diagonal green grass basket

Once you figure out how to do the corners weaving a diagonal shape is actually not that hard to do.

4 June 2014 Weaving a ring basket

Create a wire frame and weave ripped foliage around it

10 September 2014 Twig Bridal Basket

A slim basket design made from twigs

15 April 2015 Stretching leaves and foliage into a ringlet curl

Most leaves and foliage can be slightly manipulated to curve or curl.

1 October 2012 Weaving a ball shaped Dew-drop Catcher from grass

Weave a sphere from grass

6 January 2012 Mossy Twig handbag

Radiate short twigs in a circle to make a moss and twig handbag

Favourite Flowers

Cymbidium

Cymbidium, Boat Orchid

Related Designs

25 January 2017 What is in a basket of spectacular?

Weave a basket with dangling edges for a single orchid display

5 April 2017 Easter Bonnet

Weave a delicate Pillbox hat

19 July 2017 Meraki

A grass armature for one perfect slipper orchid

26 July 2017 Beat the summer heat

Tangle some wire to set flowers in water

24 January 2018 How to make a stack of just enough:

Stack two vases to create a small gap at the side to keep a leaf upright

29 January 2020 Peekaboo

A light and airy (no floral foam but still long lasting) floral design for those days that you are really, really looking for signs of Spring.

22 April 2020 Yes… but what would she put in it?

Some floral fashion inspiration: weave a pretty clutch purse

28 December 2022 Giving a nod

A scattering of winter decorating for wherever you might need it.

5 April 2023 Where do you even start looking?

Easter egg... egg for Easter eggs

26 July 2023 Column… try it flower buddies

A bottom to the top... top to the bottom support to help keep your summer flowers hydrated.

14 September 2011 Cool, Collected and Contemporary

My take on harnessing elegance, simply looped from lily grass. Cool, as in attention-grabbing idea. Collected, as in held together. And contemporary as in the latest thing

13 July 2016 Woven

Weave a canopy or parachute shaped armature for orchids to perch on

12 March 2014 Petrichor

A minimalist design in a shallow tray

1 February 2012 Steeling yourself against stealing creativity

I wrote this article for Wedding Business Success (an online meeting place for the wedding industry) exploring a positive way of looking at creativity and... stealing!

4 June 2014 All white, just not quite

My article and woven ring basket design featured in the summer issue of DIY Weddings Magazine

13 January 2016 Once Upon A Time

Stack and glue a Grass Pyramid Armature

10 September 2014 Creativity will come

My Twig Bridal Basket design and Tutorial featured in the Extraordinary Wedding Flowers issue of the New Zealand Floral Design Magazine

3 June 2015 A watcha call it

Weave a sphere armature

12 August 2015 Catch of the Day

Weave a loose basket to display a single flower... or three

5 January 2012 Designing Your Way to Profits

Floral Craftsmanship Article in the Canadian Florist Magazine