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Kimono Fabric Flowers

My wedding gown was originally designed with beautiful white, ivory and pale green ribbon flowers and leaves cascading down the back.

Since our wedding theme was becoming more about origami and Japanese design motifs I decided to switch out the flowers for some I had made using a ribbon flower technique. I learned to make the five petal flowers from the book "The Artful Ribbon" years ago when I met one of the designers who helped create many of the samples photographed for the publication. My own personal touch is the wire and Swarovski crystal centers clustered at the center of each flower.

Then by chance I had recently discovered the work of a woman in Los Angeles who was creating authentic, traditional Kanzashi. Kanzashi are the beautiful hair ornaments worn by the Geisha in Japan. An internet friend on Myspace had posted the link to Atelier Kanawa on my page because she knew I'd love the creations found in their shop on Etsy.com.

I contacted the designer and began ordering small batches of flowers from her online shop including the amazing chrysanthemum in the picture below.

Do you ever see things so beautiful that you want to cry? Well that's how I feel when I look at the beautiful flowers made by Atelier Kanawa.

Idea submitted by: Stacie Tamaki
Flowers by: Atelier Kanawa & The Flirty Bride
Photo of back of gown: Keith Stattenfield
Photo of flowers: Stacie Tamaki