Floral prints evoke a sense of whimsy, femininity and romance. In recent years, styling inspiration has been from previous generations and, for this styling story, we have drawn from the flower power style of the 70's era when Liberty prints were big. When mixed with complementary patterns, these dainty floral designs create a casual, fun and relaxed look that is not only pleasing to the eye but can also add surprising pops of colour and interest - just right for a pretty, modern vintage-inspired celebration.

Part of the charm that defines the busy floral look is the mixing and matching of patterns, for example: florals, checks, stripes and plain coloured fabrics. To do this successfully, you need to have a unifying element that ties them all together. In this story the colour palette is the link that enables the patterns to easily sit beside each other. Patterns are firstly selected on their size. Once the dominant fabric is chosen, the complementary patterns follow, usually in a smaller ratio.

The dominant piece chosen for this story is a busy, large patterned fabric in pink-coral tones with splashes of tangerine. The second choice is peachy coloured gingham with a medium sized pattern and the third, a delicate cross-hatched coral fabric. To make the combination of fabrics more interesting and intensify the impact, two additional patterns were added.

Mixing table linens is a fun way to add visual interest to your table and this eclectic look can be further enhanced by the addition of mismatched china in muted tones. This helps to tie the overall look together. The checked table cloth in soft coral is the background fabric. It does not compete with the floral fabric thereby letting the floral print become the dominant pattern on the table. To complete the overall effect, the chairs have been reupholstered in the same colourful large patterned fabric.

A flower arrangement packed full of soft full-blown blooms and greenery are all that is needed for a pretty, outdoors look.

Torn strips of mixed floral and plain cotton fabrics are tied to a length of string and adorn the archway, along with a row of flag bunting made from brown and white paper.

M R & M R S S I G N S & T A B L E N U M B E R

Cover a 12cm embroidery hoop with your chosen fabric. In Word, type out 'Mr' and 'Mrs' in Cooper Std Black font in a large size and print out. Glue the printed sheet to a piece of 120gsm card stock and cut out the letters with scissors or a craft knife. Use sticky dots to adhere the individual letters to the fabric. A piece of jute was used to tie the signs to the chairs.

F L A G S

These adorable flags look as though they are flapping in the breeze. They can be made from different width tapes and any selection of fabrics to fit in with your theme.

You will need:

• 18mm wide masking tape
• fine jewellery wire
• cotton fabrics
• PVA glue
• bamboo skewers

How to create:

1. Cut a 20cm length of masking tape and attach it to the wrong side of a piece of cotton fabric.

2. Trim the fabric to line up with the edges of the tape.

3. Cut a length of wire half the length of the tape.

4. Mark the centre point of the fabric strip and glue the wire to one side of the tape. At the same time glue the skewer to the centre fold. Leave to dry.

5. Spread some craft glue on the other side of the flag strip, place on top of the wired side and press together.

6. Once dry, bend the flag into a curved shape and trim the ends into a V-shape.

C A K E T O P P E R

All that is required is some lengths of left over mix and match fabric torn or cut into 12cm strips, a needle and thread.

1. Lay the strips of fabric in a pile on top of one another.

2. Stitch all the strips together through the centre with a needle and thread, leaving the thread uncut.

3. Fold the strips in half, wrap the thread around the pointed end and stitch together to secure.

4. Fluff the flower and trim the ends of the strips to adjust the size.

5. Attach to the cake with glass-headed pins.

H A N D - C R A F T E D B O U T O N N I E R E

Tailor make a one-off piece for dapper grooms who appreciate a bit of nostalgia and whimsy.

You will need:

• Floral wire and tape
• Fabric scraps
• Craft glue
• Button covering kit - available from haberdashery stores
• Wire cutters
• Ribbon

How to create:

1. To make the leaf, cut two 7cm squares of fabric. Draw the outline of a leaf on the wrong side of one of the squares and cut out.

2. Spread glue on the back of the leaf and lay a piece of floral wire down the centre leaving extra wire for the stem. Place the other square of fabric on top of the glued wire and press together. Once dry, cut the second square of fabric to match the outline of the first.

3. Following the manufacturer's instructions, cover three different sized buttons in complementary fabrics.

4. Cut three 10cm lengths of fine floral wire and thread through the back of the buttons and twist around the remaining length of wire to secure. Cover with floral tape.

5. Group the leaf and buttons together and wrap a piece of floral tape around the centre. Tie with a pretty bow and trim the ends of the stems.

6. Shape the leaf by bending the wire to form a natural shape.

H O M E S P U N S T A T I O N E R Y

Continue the mix and match theme with delightfully crafted invitations tied with string.

You will need:

• 120-160gsm Kraft paper
• Bone folder
• Cotton fabric
• Spray adhesive - Sika Bond Spray Fix is available at hardware stores
• String
• Fabric covered button - Button covering kits are available from haberdashery stores

How to create:

1. Cut the Kraft paper to the desired size and score through the middle with a bone folder to create the card.

2. Cut the fabric 5mm larger than the card. Spray the outside of the card with spray adhesive and place the fabric onto the card smoothing out any air bubbles as you go.

3. Leave for a few minutes to dry then cut the excess fabric away to line up with the outside edge of the card.

4. Type and print out the text on the Kraft paper band.

5. Wrap the band around the invitation, tie with string and adorn with a button.

We love this playful look and these easy-peasy projects! Once you create your project, let us know by tagging @modernweddingmagazine on Instagram and Facebook!

Photography and DIY Projects Gail MacDiarmid Location Eryldene