Hallmark's Home & Family show has caught wedding fever with Paige Hemmis' upcoming nuptials to Jason Short. As we follow her walk to the altar, the show is sharing with us their favorite wedding DIY. Here Home & Family member Ken Wingard and host Christina Ferrare show us how to make a floral chandelier.
CHANDELIER CHOICE You can use an old chandelier, but one second hand, or find a new one online for less than $70.
MOUNT WREATH ON THE CHANDELIER BEFORE ATTACHING FLOWERS You can clearly see empty spaces where you need to fill in with flowers.
SOAK THE FOAM FORM OASIS FOR 20 MINUTES Bubbles will form while soaking. Wreath is finished soaking when bubbles cease. Let drip dry for a minimum of 2 hours before attaching to chandelier. The foam wreath should have enough water in it to “feed” the flowers for at least 24 hours.
USE BINDING WIRE TO ATTACH THE FOAM WREATH TO THE CHANDELIER “Binding Wire” is a wire that has a special coating that will conform to your chandelier while preventing the wire from scratching or rusting your chandelier. You can find binding wire for $3.00 at any craft or garden store. Wrap the binding wire around your foam wreath and the chandelier. Twist the wire to itself for the length of 3 inches and cut off with wire cutters. Hide the wire by bending it back into the foam wreath.
PAY ATTENTION TO THE GAUGE OF YOUR BINDING WIRE The gauge of your wire will determine the ability to hold the weight or your flowers. For example, if the gauge of your wire holds 20 pounds and there are six points at which your flowers are bound to the chandelier, you can apply a total of 120 pounds of flowers to your wire.
TIPS FOR MAKING ATTACHING THE FLOWERS EASIER Prepared flowers ahead of time and them in a bucket that is handy for when you are ready to attach them to the wreath form.
PREPARE FLOWERS BEFORE ATTACHING THEM TO FLORAL WREATH FORM Cut the stems apart from the flowers. “Spray” roses by peeling the rose petals back to make them look like they are at full bloom. You can even paint them with flower paint to add more depth of color. Flower paint is available at any craft or garden store.
ATTACHING FLOWERS TO THE FLORAL FOAM OASISThe beauty of the floral foam wreath is all you have to do to secure the flowers is to stick the stem into the foam and they flower will stay in place.
ARRANGING THE FLOWERS Start with the greenery first as a foundation. You can make the greenery to cascade down from the chandelier. Next place the larger flowers: the hydrangeas, the peonies, and then the roses. Then place the smaller flowers to fill in the empty spaces. Don’t be afraid to use silk flowers! The pros use silks all the time! Fake silks last forever and will save you money! Find the wedding floral arrangement of your dreams at The Hidden Garden, HiddenGardenFlowers.com.
HOW FAR IN ADVANCED DO YOU SUGGEST PUTTING TOGETHER THE FLORAL CHANDELIER? The life of the chandelier depends on the flowers chosen. Put the chandeliers together at least 2 hours before the event. Keep a spray bottle handy and spray the flowers with cool water often in order to keep your flowers fresh, especially if you live in a hot climate.
ATTACHING CHANDELIER CRYSTALS Use common fishing line, or “monofilament”. Tie one end of the fish line to the crystal with any secure knot and secure the other end to a floral pick. Push the floral pick into the floral foam wreath oasis. Vary the length of the fishing wire to create levels at which the crystal can hang. The lights on the evening of the event will dance off of the crystals. Swarovski can be found at DreamtimeCreations.com, where you can find 30,000 crystals, beads and tools in stock and ready to ship!
HOW MUCH DO WE SAVE BY DOING THIS OURSELVES? If you were to pay a professional florist to do this it would cost upwards of $500, for just the service alone! That doesn’t include the materials! We made our chandelier for under $100! Paying for the flowers and materials yourself literally saves you hundreds of dollars!
Home & Family airs weekdays at 10 am ET/PT on Hallmark.
Home & Family's primetime wedding special for Paige Hemmis airs June 22 at 8 pm ET/PT on Hallmark.
