Having flowers at a wedding is obviously a lovely way of injecting extra colour and vibrancy to the event, however many people spend far more money than they necessarily need to. I certainly can’t imagine a wedding without any flowers but there are ways that you can be clever and save a few pennies (or even a few hundred pounds) by thinking ‘outside of the box’.
Having attended a great many weddings over the last few years I have complied a list of a few pointers you might like to think about before rushing off to the florist and placing your order. (Please note I am not taking any credit for this list as really the credit needs to go to the financially savvy brides and grooms whose weddings I have had the privilege of conducting).
Here are a few things you may like to consider:
- Once the bride has walked down the aisle place her bouquet on the top table/alter. She will need her hands free for the ceremony and usually one of the bridesmaids simply ends up holding it. Don’t waste money on a large and pricey table display when often the bride’s bouquet looks far more striking and elegant laid out on the table.
- There has been a growing trend for knitted, crocheted or beaded bouquets and buttonholes over the last couple of years. These have the benefit of lasting a lifetime and can be bought second hand – often in mint condition.
- A large vase bursting with one type of flower (particularly wild flowers) can look visually striking and often make more of an impact than a large number of different flowers entwined together. Examples I have seen include large bundles of lavender and bouquets of gypsophila.
- Tying flowers to the end of rows in the wedding ceremony room is in my opinion a waste of money. They may look great when the chairs are empty but as soon as your guests sit down they are quickly squashed, covered up or even knocked off. If you do want something at the end of each row consider other options such as ribbons, lanterns or hand-made love hearts (usually made in wood/wicker or material such as fur).
- Most people like flowers on the tables when people eat however once again there is no need to go overboard in this area. Once people take their seats tables quickly fill up with bottles of wine, jugs of water and bread baskets. A candle/lantern with a few rose petals sprinkled around its base is often just as striking and simply a more practical item for the table.
I hope you have found these tips useful and remember if you do save a few pounds on flowers then you can also put the money you have saved towards a more exotic honeymoon.