Flower Princess: Wear Some Wedding Flowers in Your Hair

In the world of weddings, flowers have always had a place in bouquets, boutonnières and reception centerpieces. But today's bride is using her head to showcase fashionable florals that combine style and seasonality.

"Floral headwear is a cool alternative to the wedding veil," says Atlanta-based event designer Amy Osaba. "It's more than the 'flower child' look—they can be halos, headbands or big headdresses. Styles range from simple to avant garde, Frida Kahlo-inspired or looks that speak to the Victorian era."

Creating the right look depends on the bride's style and the feel of the wedding. "The bolder the flower, the more structured the headwear, the more sophisticated it will feel," Osaba says. "The less structured, the more 'outdoor garden' it will feel."

Osaba says ivy, jasmine and other kinds of vines create a nice foundation with pretty movement, and peonies and rex begonia leaves add a nice dose of color. "Ranunculus are awesome because they come in so many different colors and you can do a gradient of hues," Osaba says. "Sweetheart roses also work because they're smaller and Dusty Miller gives floral headwear a nice texture."

If you've got flowers on your mind, Osaba suggests having two pieces made to keep things fresh: one for the ceremony and one for the reception. "A lot of brides are also doing a veil for the ceremony, then switching to a floral headpiece for a special surprise at the reception."

Ready to whip some blooms into shape? Follow Osaba's tips for a great head start:

Materials

• Floral adhesive
• Light gauge wire
• Ribbon (silk or velvet)
• Needle and thread

Flowers

• Simple, pretty flowers like ranunculus, veronica or anemonies, which do well for flat headpieces. Wax flower is great for making sweet halos or crowns.
• Use vines as your base: jasmine, passion vine and olive branch. Herbs like mint, sage, oregano or rosemary work well, as do camellias, helleborus and sweet pea from the garden.
• For the more adventurous: sweetheart roses, nerines, amaryllis, and rex begonia leaves are wonderful.

Instructions

• Decide on a color palette and pick flowers accordingly. Think abut flowers that will last out of water for a bit. Fifty Flowers is a great resource to buy beautiful flowers. Don't be afraid to use anything from your garden, hydrangeas are pretty but have a short life span.
• Lay the ribbon and wire out on your work space in the shape you desire. Cut the flower stems almost to the base of the flower.
• Start gluing or sewing the flowers onto your ribbon. If you are sewing, go through the center of the flower only. I like to make more of an asymmetrical cluster on one side. 
• If you are using wire, lay the pieces of vine or flowers in a circle and start weaving the wire around the stems and molding it into a circle. When you are finished with the circle, cut off any excess but feel free to add some flowers and/or vines here and there with smaller pieces of wire. Since you already have your base, you can embellish as much or as little as desired. 
• Fit the ribbon or wire to the crown of your head. Voila! You are a flower princess!