How to make an ancient Greek/Roman wedding crown or wedding wreath

Herbal wedding crowns or wedding wreaths are fun for any green, organic, or ancient-themed wedding

Ancient Romans and Greeks alike crowned bridal couples with marjoram as a symbol of happiness, love and honor. Marjoram is a type of oregano, and the name "oregano" itself comes from the Greeks, meaning "joy of the mountain."

Here's how to make a fresh marjoram wedding crown that can be worn, or a smaller wreath version that can be used to top a wedding cake or otherwise used amidst natural or ancient civilization-themed wedding decorations. A fresh wreath vs. artificial or dried is very special. Once the wedding is over, the wreath can be dried nicely and become a memory token or even a first anniversary culinary wreath from which to take out after the first year and make an anniversary marjoram-laced dinner.

Things You'll Need

• Fresh marjoram, up to 300 stems cut to approximately 2-inch lengths
• Wreath wring
• ½ inch florist tape
• A roll of waxed florist twine
• Sheets of newspaper (amount depends on size of crown) cut into pieces about the size of regular printer paper (81/2 x 11).
• Large sheets of green tissue paper
• Transparent nylon or carpet thread
• Straight pins
• Scissors

Instructions

1. Practice the following instructions before the wedding. You don't want to be trying to make a fresh wedding crown for the first time on the day of the wedding, and there's a little guessing involved as far as the perfect size for the herbal wedding crown if it's going to be worn. If you're practicing close to your wedding day and don't want to wipe out your garden's current supply of marjoram, use a similar herb such as oregano for practice. It won't go to waste because you can dry it and give it as a culinary thank-you gift to your new parents-in-law.

2. Choose a wreath ring from a craft store. These are specifically made for adding fresh flowers and herbs to make herbal wreathes. If it is going to be worn, try different sizes on to see what fits, keeping in mind that the fresh herbs will add 1 to 3 inches of flexible bulk to the inside of the wreath.

3. At the same time, purchase your other items from the list.

4. Gather your fresh marjoram from farmers' markets, grocery stores, and your own and friends' gardens.

5. Wrap the ring with florist tape.

6. Wrap the florist tape-covered ring with a layer of newspaper by first tying an end of the florist twine to the ring, then piece by piece wrapping slightly overlapping sections of newspaper onto the ring while wrapping the twine around each piece until the ring is covered.

7. Do the same with the green tissue paper.

8. To start adding the fresh greenery, stick a pin half way into the ring, wrap it a few times with the thread, push the pin all the way down, then wrap more thread (from the thread attached to the pin) around the ring several times until you feel it's secure.

9. Gather 2 or 3 pieces of greenery and lay them on the ring where the thread is attached with the pin. Bind the stems to the ring by wrapping more thread around them and securing it with another pin. Place another group of greenery next to it, slightly overlapping, and repeat.

10. Continue until complete. Now and then, check to see that all green tissue paper is hidden. If there are bare spots, add another group of greenery over the spots.

Tips & Warnings

• After the wedding, dry it in a dark airy location.

• Author disclaims liability and offers article for educational purposes only.

• Articles by this author are registered with the national copyright office.

• Parents are responsible for any activities involving their children.

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• Make wedding and other herbal products for profit