Carnations, the New Sensation!

Before this morning I never would have thought that carnations could look so lavish. And, after seeing these images I can assure you that you will be a huge carnation fan, too. I know they have a bad reputation. But believe me, carnations are the new sensation!

There are a few things that make carnations very attractive for weddings... first and foremost, they are easy on the pocket compared to other types of flowers. If you are a bride on a budget they are a beautiful cost-cutting solution.  Second, they come in hundreds of natural vibrant colors: purple, pink, red, orange, cream or blue shades. Plus they can be artificially colored, as well. And last but not least, they last... once carnations are in full bloom they can stay fresh and fragrant for up to 3 weeks! 

 If you choose carnations for your wedding decor, here is the trick to make this budget-friendly flower look like a million bucks... use carnations in lush groupings of the SAME COLOR. 

With a little creativity and the right amount of style, sky is the limit with carnations. Take a look at these gorgeous carnation arrangements and see what I mean.

As you can see, carnations look fabulous as centerpieces. (Image credit clockwise: purple balls, violet squares by InStyle Weddings, white centerpieces, green centerpieces, rectangle box). But they can also be incorporating in other aspects of your wedding...

Use them in your bridal bouquet.... (pink, purple)

or for your bridesmaids' bouquets... (images via 100 Layer Cake)

For a cohesive look, incorporate them into your cake and/or cake table decor... (left, right)

Or your wedding ceremony. Pomander carnations are a charming option for ceremony decor. (Images via The Knot)

And don't forget about the details. I love this carnation bed as escort card seating and these carnations favor boxes.