DIY bouquet

Bouquets. That cascade of tulips that your friend carried might have looked elegantly understated, but trust us, it was hard to make. For first timers, we recommend choosing from one of the simple and beautiful bouquets below.

Nosegays: The year's hottest bouquet is the monochromatic nosegay. From a sweet clutch of blush roses, to a stunning arrangement of stargazer lilies, there is a nosegay to fit every bride's style. And best of all, nosegays are a snap to make. First, groom each flower. You'll need to remove all thorns or extra leaves, and wrap thinner stems with wire to support them. Then trim the stems to the correct length, probably eight to ten inches or so. Gather the flowers together in your hand to form a dome shape, and wrap the stems together with wire. Finally, wrap the stems and wire with a ribbon, and tie it off with a bow.

To vary the look of your nosegay, experiment with color, or with one or more flower type, perhaps adding freesia to your rose bouquet, or mixing fragrant sweet pea in with tulips. Also experiment with the size of your nosegay. 25 roses make a generous bridal bouquet, but consider fewer stems for your maids.

Presentation Bouquets: Imagine carrying a bouquet of long, willowy flowers nestled in the crook of your arm. Presentation bouquets were the flowers of choice for 1920s brides, and the look is coming back. To create a presentation bouquet, choose long flowers, such as elegant calla lilies with their emerald stalks, delphinium, French tulips, Asiatic lilies or orchids.

Choose the longest flower, and lie it on your work table. Then arrange the flowers in height order alongside the longest stem, creating an arrow shape. Gently gather the flowers into your hand, and tie them with a bow a few inches from the base of the flower heads. It just takes a few minutes, and you've created a gorgeous -- and very romantic -- bouquet.

Single Stems: Sometimes simplicity makes the most breath-taking statement of all. Consider carrying a single stem down the aisle, perhaps adorned with a grosgrain ribbon bow. Larger flowers make a bigger impact, so consider the colorful burst of an Oriental lily, or the delicate petal profusion of a garden rose.

Ugh. I have a picture, but it won't post...I keep resizing it in photoshop, but it's not coming out....