When I began planning my wedding, one of the first things everyone asked was: “Where are you going for your flowers?” But when I looked through a few wedding planning books, I found that many wedding experts suggest spending as much as 10% of your wedding budget on flowers! That means that if you’re planning to spend about $5,000 total on your wedding, you’d have to spend about $500 on decorations that will only last a day.
Also, cut flowers can be bad for the environment, as several studies in the 1990s have shown. Live wedding flowers often come from places in South America or Southeast Asia, where workers are paid pennies and dangerous chemicals can be used.
But there are alternatives to expensive imported flowers that can make your wedding lovely—and help you save money!
Grow Your Own Flowers
If you’ve got a green thumb and enjoy gardening, you may want to try growing your own flowers. While this method isn’t as dependable as ordering flowers from a florist, it can be the perfect way to incorporate local types of flora and will definitely appeal to people who’d like a homespun touch.
The trick to this strategy is twofold: first, consider when you’re holding the wedding, and second, consider what types of flowers thrive in your area. Certain flowers (like goldenrod, dahlias, and some roses) bloom in autumn, while others bloom in the springtime. If you need some help deciding what kinds of flowers will bloom at what times of the year, call or visit a local nursery.
Make sure to plant lots of seeds for your flowers, so that you’ll be sure to have enough blooming ones when you need them. Cut them the day of the wedding, so that they don’t wilt before the ceremony starts!
Use Fakes
Fake flowers are often cheap and easily available at craft and sewing stores. Most people can’t tell the difference between fake flowers and real ones unless they smell or touch them, so they’re ideal for bouquets and altar decorations.
Fake flowers also don’t wilt, so they can be placed at the ceremony or reception venue well in advance. They’re the perfect choice for brides who don’t want to be hurrying to decorate the day of the wedding.
Make sure you choose flowers that you’d want to use again, either at another event or around the house. That way, you’ll get even more use out of them!
Forget Flowers!
More and more brides are forgoing flowers entirely, choosing instead to use other decorative items like potted plants or candles as centerpieces. A popular trend in centerpieces: use a small glass bowl or dish, fill it with a little water, and place floating candles inside. The light from the candles will reflect off of the glass and water, creating a luminous display.
Don’t want flowers in your hair? Use a decorative comb (which can be purchased inexpensively from accessory boutiques like Claire’s or Afterthoughts) or pretty barrettes. Instead of a flower bouquet, walk down the aisle holding a decorative fan, a lantern, or, if you’re religious, a symbol of your faith, like a rosary or a necklace with a religious symbol.
If ordering flowers seems wasteful to you—don’t do it! There’s no law that says you have to use an expensive florist, so get creative!
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