Paper Flowers

Nordstrom (Brea, CA)

I saw this paper hydrangea in a display at Nordstrom and it reminded me that paper flowers can be just as attractive as fresh flowers.  

When you think of paper flowers, tissue paper decorations are what typically comes to mind. These are pretty in their own right, but can risk looking crafty.

Paper flowers can look quite beautiful if you use high quality paper, mimic natural shapes, and use natural colors. 

This is how I discovered paper flowers:

Mother's Day Bouquet

Bouquet of Flowers in Medium Round Vase

For Mother's Day, I decided to make my own flower arrangement. Luckily, my friend who is an industry professional was taking a trip to the Los Angeles Flower District the day prior and allowed me to tag along.

The LA Flower Mart provides wholesale or discounted prices for flowers, plants, and supplies. Sometimes, the costs are less than half of what is marked up at retail shops. The downside is, well, you have to trek to LA and deal with the traffic, parking, and crowds. 

To celebrate Spring, I decided to choose brightly-hued premium flowers that my mother-in-law would not be as familiar with.  

 

This arrangement cost me roughly $21 - $6 for ranunculus bunch, $10 for green hydrangeas, and $5 for the glass vase. Note: Pricing was slightly higher due to holiday.

My friend told me that my bouquet can go for $60+ if purchased at a retail establishment. Not only did I save money, my friend complimented me on my arrangement. Hurray!

Learn more about these flowers...