If you and your spouse-to-be are planning a religious winter wedding, specifically around Christmas, you're probably hoping to save time and money on decorations. This is due to the fact that many venues, such as churches and chapels, normally decorate for the season using the appropriate floral décor, lights, and greenery.
The space you want to get married in likely has most of what you need to provide the ambiance you're hoping for. However, you can add your own special touch to the existing floral arrangements with these bleached pine cones, and you can even add them to your bouquets and centerpieces at the reception.
Step 1: Procure Your Equipment
- pine cones, as many as you would like and in various sizes
- one 2–5 gallon plastic bucket
- one gallon of bleach
- rubber gloves
- newspaper, paper towels, and/or a tarp
- plate made of ceramic or glass, no wider than the bucket's diameter
- brick or other weight that can touch bleach
Step 2: Toss the Pine Cones in the Bucket and Fill with Bleach
Layer the pine cones in the bucket so that the gallon of bleach will fully cover all of them. If you have more pine cones leftover you can reuse the bleach and treat them the next day.
Put on the rubber gloves and set the bucket on top of paper or a tarp to protect your floor from bleach splashes. Carefully fill the bucket with the bleach until the pine cones are covered.
Keep the pine cones submerged in the bleach for 24 hours. To prevent them from bobbing up out of the bleach, place the old plate on top of the pine cones and the brick or weight on top of the plate.
Step 3: Dry Out the Pine Cones
Put on your rubber gloves again and gently remove the brick, plate, and each pine cone. Shake off the excess bleach into the bucket and set each pine cone onto a piece of newspaper or paper towel to allow it to slightly dry.
Once they are no longer soaking wet, bring the pine cones outside so they can air dry naturally, as this will allow them to thoroughly dry and get rid of the bleach smell. This process can take 2–3 weeks for complete drying time depending on the humidity of your climate.
Ask a florist, such as one from Aladdin's Florist & Wedding Chapel, to add these bleached pine cones to your wedding bouquets. Additionally, use them as accents in your centerpieces and other celebratory décor at your reception. Ask your florist for more ideas on where to place these bleached pine cones so that your wedding décor is unique and fitting during this special time of year.
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