Offray Glorious Weddings: Traditions, Inspirations, and Handmade Ribbon Treasures

A charming and colorfully illustrated gift book presents an exploration of wedding traditions and rituals of different eras and comes complete with instructions for making unique favors, shower gifts, fashion statements, and wedding accessories.

Ribbons and wedding accessories are a natural pairing, and ribbon doyen Ellie Joos knows how to wrest spectacular flowers and bows out of a few yards of the stuff. Yet despite the elaborate appearance of her creations, she manages to keep the how-tos clear and (mostly) fairly easy, especially with the frequent use of premade craft-store flowers. She offers a nice selection of headpieces, garters, shoe and glove decorations, purses, keepsake boxes, centerpieces, pew bows, boutonnieres, corsages, wreaths, and favors, plus less common items like adornments for the cake server and champagne glasses, a lacy parasol, a unity candle, even a beautifully decorated rustic broom to celebrate the African American tradition of "jumping the broom." Most of the projects can be handled by the novice crafter, although some may take a fair amount of time and many will be a bit pricey--all that beautiful ribbon doesn't come cheap. Still, it's less expensive to make the items yourself than to buy them ready-made; plus, you can easily tailor them to suit your taste and color scheme. Woven throughout the more than 50 step-by-step instructions and pretty color photos are tidbits of wedding lore and charming engravings of Victorian weddings, as well as a brief wedding planner. A solid general techniques section details bow making, ribbon weaving, pinwheel folding, and some basic flower making. --Amy Handy