Nancy Ursell's Pastel Bouquet

Weddings and flowers are a happy marriage. The sheer joyous beauty of flowers is enough to merit their use on a day of romance and celebration. Such is the variety of plants available in markets, florists, and, if you're lucky, your own backyard, and such is the multitude of ways in which they can be arranged, that whatever style of wedding you're planning-grand, traditional, modern, informal-there will be flowers that look right and will enhance your enjoyment of the day. Nor need your floral decorations cost a fortune if you're working to a tight budget. If you arrange the flowers for the wedding yourself (or with friends and family), you'll save money and have the fun and pleasure of creating something that's truly personal.

The flowers included here - roses, stocks, and freesias - are time-honored favorites with florists because they're adaptable, readily available and, above all, beautiful. The delicious mixture of cream, white, and pink is hard to beat, but the pink roses could be replaced with another variety in a soft shade, such as pale yellow or apricot, to suit the day's color scheme. The stocks and freesias will give off their delicious scent during the day, something the bride can appreciate at close quarters. The wired rhinestone decorations add a discreet touch of glamour to the arrangement and would be particularly suitable if the bride were wearing a beaded wedding dress or bejeweled tiara. The pearl-headed pins securing the ribbon are a final feminine detail.

FLOWERS & MATERIALS

8 pink Sweet Akito roses
6 white Akito roses
6 cream Vendella roses
5 cream stocks
15 white freesias

scissors
knife
ready-wired rhinestone decorations (optional)
florist's tape
string
oasis tape
ribbon
3 pearl-headed pins

Remove any thorns and leaves from the flowers. If you are using rhinestone decorations, add them to a few of the roses. Holding the stone level with the rose head, wrap the wire around the stem. Wind florist's tape over the wire to fix.

Take a flower in your left hand, about 4 in (10 cm) down the stem. (Always hold firmly at this binding point.) Place another behind it, from right to left at a slight angle. Go on, alternating varieties. Turn the bouquet a little each time.

When you add the freesias, place them so their heads turn out. When you have used half the flowers, check that the bouquet's shape is slightly domed. (Standing in front of a mirror will make this easier.) Add the remaining flowers.

Once you are happy with the design, make sure you keep your hand firmly at the binding point. Clamp the end of the string under your thumb and wind around the stems several times. Cover with oasis tape to secure the shape.

To measure the correct length for the bouquet's stems, keep holding the bouquet with one hand and move your other hand down a half-hand length. Cut the flower stems at this point, making the ends blunt.

When the stems are cut, the bouquet should stand alone, with the stems spiraled attractively. You may have to trim a few ends again before your bouquet will stand up. (Note: the stems should be closely packed.)

Secure the end of your chosen ribbon with oasis tape, then wrap the ribbon around the stems to hide all the tape and string. Anchor the ribbon with three pearl-headed pins, set in a vertical line down the stem.

Keep the bouquet in water until an hour or two before required (take it out not less than an hour before). Dry the stems well with paper towels. After your big day, the bouquet should last a week in water, in cool conditions.

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