Wedding Flowers - Elaborate blossoms, that are easy on the budget
Wedding Flowers on a Budget!

WOW…. Have your priced a wedding bouquet lately? I could make my house payment with some of the selections I have seen lately. But why pay big prices for them when you can make your own. Yes, you can put together those fabulous arrangements and bouquets with very little training. Avoid those “thorny” prices, and show off your talent and creativity at the same time. Don’t worry, most craft/hobby shops offer classes on making bouquets, corsages and boutonnières. And many will show you how to make a pew bow right on the spot, just ask. Plus there are lots and lots of books on flower arranging at the local library.

First lets cover what you will need as far as flowers go. Most weddings have these items:

CEREMONY:

• Brides bouquet
• Toss bouquet (the one she throws as they are leaving for the honeymoon)
• Attendants bouquets
• Boutonnières
• Corsages
• Alter arrangements
• Rose petals for the aisle
• Flower girl basket
• Garlands and pew bows

RECEPTION:

• Centerpieces
• Rose petals for tables
• Large arrangements for band stand
• Large arrangements or other floral for entrance
• Garlands and/or strings of lights for the ceiling and walls
• Various trees/plants for filling in bare spots

First, rent or borrow as many of these items as you can: Various trees and plants to fill in bare spots, strings of lights (check the Christmas decorations in your attic too), Large arrangements for the band stand (these could be large plants too), Large arrangement for the entrance (how about a statue or water fountain instead of a plant?), and alter arrangements. Many rental companies rent these items for about $4-10 per item. Most will deliver them, set them up, and pick them up at the end of the event (may cost extra).

NOTE: Before you hop on the renting band wagon, look around. Does your aunt have a large palm tree in her living room? What about grandma’s philodendron in the den? Does your mother keep ferns in the house or on the deck? Doesn’t your neighbor have a lovely fichus? Ask to borrow these. You will be surprised how generous people become when a wedding is involved.

When it comes to the actual flowers, You have 2 basic options for your arrangements. You can go with silks or with real flowers. Either way you can save money . Of course real flowers are more expensive, but many wholesalers will sell to you online or in person. To save time, I would only use fresh flowers for the brides bouquet, and the attendants bouquets. By using silk for everything else, you can began putting the arrangements together well in advance of the big day. Then 2-3 days before the ceremony, you can assemble the other flowers. Just be sure you have room in the fridge to store them. It is usually a good idea to remove all the shelves except for one or two. (Food cannot be in the fridge with the flowers.) It is a good idea to place a pitcher of jar of water in the fridge when you put in the bouquets to help keep the humidity up.

To save money on real flowers, shop around. Do you live where there are people who sit on the side of the road and sell “dozen roses $6”? Stop and buy a bunch, then ask if they would be willing to supply your wedding with the flowers (remember they will need to be arranged still). I have a source like this and I get the roses for $4 per dozen. Hop online for wholesaler flowers. Most include shipping in the cost. Plus if you follow my advice you wont need very many fresh flowers. So you could use more expensive flowers, like orchids or lilies.

To save money on silks, try to buy the colors you need out of season. If you are getting married in the summer buy them in the fall or winter when they go on clearance. If you are getting married in the winter, buy them in the spring, again, when the clearance sales start. You can also get ribbons this way. Keep an eye out for items you can use at yard sales, thrift shops, second hand shops, and flea markets.

Here are some options for your bouquets:

Nosegay: tie 6-8 blooms together with only 6” of the stems still attached. Secure them with floral wire. Set them in water. Then about 12 hours before the wedding, wrap the stems completely with wide satin ribbon, using corsage pins to secure the ends. (you can embellish this bouquet with strings of pearls, ribbons, or other accents. Just be sure to add them before you wrap the stems with the floral wire).

Arm Bouquet: Using what ever flowers you have chosen, leave the stems about 24” long. Secure the flowers together in whatever arrangement you like, with floral wire about 12” from the flower heads. Cover the wire with a 4 foot piece of wide satin ribbon, bring the ends around to the front and tying them into a bow.

Single bloom: Simple carry one single bloom (2 or 3 look nice too) and wrap the stem(s) with ribbon.

Bible or other religious symbol.

Please note: Tall brides look better with a long trailing bouquet. Shorter brides should carry smaller ones, or single stems.

If the thought of arranging your own flowers makes you nervous, opt for one of these options:

Visit your local supermarket: Many of the supermarkets (Kroger, Safeway, marsh) have floral departments. You can get a reasonable deal on fresh flowers. Look at several different stores before committing yourself. You may also be able to bargain a better deal if you know what store A has to offer compared to store B.

Rent everything. Some rental companies and florists will rent all the flowers you need. The down side is they will be silks. Also you many not be able to get the colors you want. But you don’t have to worry with delivery or pick-up generally.

Share the cost: Ask around or watch the papers for a bride who is getting married the same weekend you are (for fresh flowers) or around the same time as you (for silks). Contact her and offer to share the cost of the reception/church flowers. Each bride would still pay for her personal bouquets, and attendants flowers. But the arrangements that would be used for the alter, pews, reception entrance, band stand, centerpieces, and filler plants would be shared. Of course you will have to arrange for transportation from one location to another and you would both have to agree on the color. ( you could pick a neutral color and add some of your personal wedding colors here and there in the arrangements). By opting to use silks, time is less sensitive. Plus silks are easier to transport.

Barter or trade: Do you have something to trade? A service, a car, a boat? It never hurts to ask!

Article by Kristean Thompson of 'A Dream Come True'.
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