Looking for unique and stylish Green wedding flowers and bouquets?

On a budget? Flower supply is unreliable? Want to go green? Want to support a local community initiative? Celebrating your heritage? or you just want to be unique? Here’s a tip. Use artificial flowers made from local raw materials.

I know, when you say artificial, the first thing that would come to mind are those tacky plastic flowers you will find in local department stores or those almost-neon-colored-weeds-posing-as-flowers in Divisoria. Each has their own use, but not as wedding flowers.

You would be surprised, but these orange roses are almost identical to the shade of REAL orange roses we have locally.

My brother-in-law who got married in Cotabato early August, had most of the concerns I mentioned. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to join them (couldn’t bring the kids and couldn’t leave them behind either). I would have loved to help them out for their flower needs since the florist they found in the area was a bit vague (to say the least) they couldn’t get a clear idea on what their flowers will be like on their wedding day.

These cornhusk rose boutonnieres are just as stylish on the groom's ensemble

Normally, I don't recommend pinning boutonnieres on a barong, but this is so light and looks so good. You can use cloth ribbons for accents to make it even more beautiful.

Fortunately, his bride had a great idea for their entourage’s bouquets.  Out of sheer inspiration, they decided to use flowers fashioned from corn husks!  These are products of the region which are principally produced for export. I have come across these products a year or two ago in trade fairs so I know its very interesting.

Showing some heritage with your accessories goes so well with this unique cornhusk flower bouquet

When I saw their pictures, I knew that they found a maker who was not only innovative but artistic as well. Little did I know that I would personally meet the lady behind the flowers a few weeks later, here in Manila!

The lady in the center is Milagros Evangelista, an artist and children's book author.

I remembered seeing cornhusk flowers before, but I definitely haven’t seen it done like Milagros Evangelista of Gandang Mais did hers. What makes her product so different is her eye for detail, the perfectly imperfect way of capturing the twists and curls of the flowers and, most especially, her vibrant (but not over the top) blend of colors.

The best part is, you can also preserve these and have a more lasting momento of your day without having to spend for costly flower preservation services.

These red, pink, yellow and orange roses are surprisingly so life-like because of their colors and crinkly petals.

Love these sunflowers! Don't you?

Gandang Mais Cornhusk flower and crafts is a community initiative started in 2004, they were off to a good start, receiving a lot of media attention and even TV features, but they were able to sustain it.  So after a brief hiatus, she has decided to show the community that it can be done and they can do it well, well enough to sustain a livelihood for families in their communities.  It’s her daunting, but worthy advocacy, one which I wish her all the luck and fortune to make it happen.  But seeing her work, it’s not hard to imagine that it will.

Now, given the same scenario, don’t you think cornhusk flowers are a great alternative? What other alternative bouquets or flowers have you come across that would just be just as unique and stylish enough for a special wedding?