Wedding flowers that is. Geez get your mind out of the gutter.
When choosing flowers for your wedding you have the option of real or silk. Real flowers last only the day but can be very fragrant. Many people don’t even think about their flowers after their wedding day. For the others that do, silk might be a better option. You can keep your bouquet forever to commemorate your day. Some silk flowers even look exactly like real ones and no one can tell the difference until you touch them. Another advantage to silk flowers is being able to dye your flowers to match the wedding colors exactly.
Being into natural health and all things holistic, I prefer the real ones myself. I love the feeling of fresh flower petals against my skin and the fragrance that fills the room is so uplifting. As for the price, they’re comparable.
Make sure you know what the reception hall is covering for flowers before you go pricing. In my case the reception hall is taking care of center pieces and the head table. That saves me a lot of money. All I need to buy for is the church, bridal party, and groomsmen. Flowers are in no way cheap but they are a fraction of what other costs for the wedding are.
One option for saving money on flowers is to grow your own. If you’ve got time, and a green thumb, start planting well before the date. Plan the wedding for the time of year your favorite flower is in bloom. This will ensure your flowers will be available and if they don’t grow for you, they will at least be cheaper at a florist because they’re in season. Always have a florist in mind for the possibility that your flowers aren’t ready in time.
Price all florists within a reasonable radius of your wedding. You don’t always have to go with the closest one. You may even want to go directly to a greenhouse that sells their flowers. Lower overhead means less expensive flowers. In town skyrocketing rental rates for shopfronts greatly increases the price.
A website that sells flowers wholesale is another option. Fifty Flowers (dot) com is one that does just that. You can search through their catalog of flowers by season, type, color, and even made for you flower packages. If you order online you get free shipping as well. I checked the prices too, VERY reasonable. The only con I see to this website is you have to get a load of flowers in the same color. Call to see if you can mix and match if necessary.
Great ideas for how to arrange your own home grown flowers like the florists do can be found on numerous websites.
Websites like:
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Martha Stewart- can’t forget Martha. Great video on this link. Click to watch and don’t mind the advertisement.
There is a step by step tutorial is on this About.com interior decorating website. It tells you exactly what to do from picking out the colors to how to store them. Also check this list to find wholesale flowers in your area.
Pictures of some easy DIY center pieces, boutonniere, bouquets etc….
It’s unbelievable how easy it is to make these things.
*Word of hint. If you want to make a flower face a certain direction, tie the bunch close to the heads. To get the bunch to stay together while you wrap it, use twist ties or rubber bands to hold them. Then wrap gorgeous ribbon or material around the stems. You can also incorporate jewelry such as earrings, necklaces, or bracelets for a shimmery effect on the handle of your bouquet.
**Boutonniere’s are easy. Just take the flower of your choice and some greens, tie with rubber band or twist tie, then wrap with a stem cover. Use a simple pin to fasten to the lapel.
Get creative and practice. Look everywhere for pictures of arrangements you might want to duplicate. And most importantly, have fun!!
