Bride on a Budget: The Frugal Florist

Begonia, alyssum, dianthus, dusty miller

Grab your shears, kids: we're becoming florists.

There are infinite ways to DIY your wedding. You could tiptoe towards handmade: Slap a piece of washi tape on a skewer, snip a little triangle, and you've got yourself a cupcake topper! Done. You could get your hands a little dirtier: Stamp your initials onto a little muslin bag stuffed with treats? Voila! A favor bag.

Or, if you're really ambitious--or frugal to a fault--you can literally stick your hands in the dirt.

I'll be doing lots of wedding-related DIY projects because I like them. But I'm also hand-making some elements of our wedding because the cheapskate in me simply can't bear to fork over the dough necessary to have someone else do them for me. Because I refuse to dole out hundreds of dollars for fussy blooms, I'm growing my own.

Zinnias, dahlias, and more dusty miller

No big deal, right? I love plants, and ok, honestly: I was blinded by the money-saving potential. Anyway, I didn't realize that this was a crazy decision until I started telling my friends about it. Karen, usually a pretty cool cucumber, was a little skeptical. Ok, a lot skeptical. I believe her exact words were, "I could barely speak English in the days leading up to my wedding." 

Challenge accepted!

Will I manage to shepherd these dahlias, zinnias, dusty miller, and sunflowers though the summer without losing 'em to pests, fungi, or the mangy feral cats that seem to love sniffing around our yard? Will I totally lose my mind? Guess we'll find out. Let's get growing!