I did NOT miss the flowers!!!?

To splurge or not to splurge on flowers, that's the question!





Last wedding that I attended, there were few flowers...and quite honestly, I didn't care!





They had the bouquet for the bride, bouquets for the 8 BM, I honestly don't what type of flowers were they, that show you brides-to-be that most people don't pay attention if they hybrid roses, chrisantetums, lilies or orquids...who cares!!! All I remember is that they were white and purple.





In the church, they had pew decoration only on the family's pews and at the last pew at the entrance. They had 2 medium size arrangements at the altar.





At the reception site, the BM placed their bouquets at the guest book table and the gift table... it looked lovely and it's a good idea to use the flowers again and maximize your investment.





The centerpieces were a large wide open round vase, inside it was a smaler vase. The smaller vase had sand and a white pillar candle. The larger vase had water and fresh long stem purple flowers

I did NOT miss the flowers!!!?
Since getting engaged and planning my own wedding, I've been to 2, and dont alot of thinking about the other wedding I attended in the past. Knowing the kind of minute detail brides stress themselves out over (myself included) that never get noticed by anyone, I've tried to keep that in mind. I can't say I recall much about anyone's wedding invitations, their flowers, dresses, or much of anything else. What I remember is the overall feeling I had at the time--did I have a good time, how did the couple seem, that sort of stuff....the rest is all fluff, and while fluff is nice, I have to tell myself it isn't worth losing my mind over any of it...
Reply:Simple can be elegant absolutely...flowers should be what the bride likes, wants and enjoys...if you are bride who LOVES!!!! lots of exotic flowers and want to shower yourself in them all around you on your wedding day that is your choice...if you are not a flower person and want to keep them to a minimum or none at all, that is okay too...I have designed and planned weddings that didn't have any flowers at all (no exaggeration, NOT ONE) and they were very classy and elegant and beautiful...it is all personal taste
Reply:Don't do flowers. Waste of money. I would do candles at the reception. The typical bouquets for the bridal party and the flowers for the groomsmen.





I would not decorate the church. Churches are Holy places to begin with. Why do you need bows, tulle and flowers on the pews. If you want to add something nice. A simple flower arrangement for the alter is fine.





The only way I'm adding flowers to my tables at my reception is if they are included in the price of the package. A few places I've looked at, do this. If they aren't included, then I'm doing my own DIY candle centerpieces.








I think too many flowers is a little tacky and overwhelming anyway.
Reply:I'm having 1 protea for each bridesmaid and on the tables I have some mederteranean wicker vases with GRAPES


red and green.


They look awesome.


imagine spending 6k on flowers.


WTF
Reply:Not necessarily a boatload of money, but I think some are nice.


I wanted my bouquet to reflect the colours for our wedding - pink, yellow, lilac, and light teal, so I had a beautiful handtied European bouquet of an assortment of flowers; my four attendants had smaller versions. I like when, at the reception, the bridesmaids put their bouquets in vases at the head table - it looks lovely.


We had two or three arrangements of flowers which we used at the church, and were later used at the reception.


The guest tables' centerpieces we had were small silk ones which a co-worker of mine had made for one of my showers.


I think in all we spent just under 800 for flowers - plenty, I would think.
Reply:I agree, flowers is a waste of money... Most people really don't care! I know, I always just look forward to the ceremony, then the food, dancing and drinking.
Reply:It all depends on location. You attended a wedding by the sea, so it would look silly to have flowers on every table. I'm getting married in a loft, so simple flowers on every table will blow people away and achieve the look we're going for. I know - I've been to many parties at our location and it just works. I'm not talking about huge bouquets, but single stems illuminated by candle light.





And I know people won't remember them, just like they won't remember what kind of silverware they used, the wedding colors, the favors, etc. The only thing most people remember is the music and food. Granted, I remember a bit more because I'm planning my wedding, but I'm an exception.





We do the rest because WE like it. We have a vision of what we want our wedding to look like and we spend the money to make sure it comes true. Weddings are not about saving money. If it was we wouldn't have weddings at all - they're a huge waste of money in the larger scheme of things.
Reply:It is all up to the bride and what she wants. I did not have centerpieces at all I did not want flowers everywhere some people are allergic and then they fight over who gets to take them home. I had my bouquet and my MOH and put them on the table with the cake. Not to mention they cost a small fortune.
Reply:Do what you like. My wedding flowers were simple like that. I'd rather spend the money on the dress or reception food than on flowers. When its all said and done, spend money on the parts you'll remember!
Reply:Good to know- we held back on the flower too... I surge on getting us (the wedding party) nice bouquets- all roses but I am just having lanterns as centerpieces. I was just at a wedding where they had these gorgeous center pieces and it just so sad to think hundreds of dollars wasted on flower that are going to die. My cater gives us free use of her lanterns so-that's what we are doing!!





Missed you BLUNT- please check my old question about the invite misprint and let me know what you think!! You can answer on my other open question- were I am getting abused :)
Reply:My mom bought my flowers for my wedding, and they cost a grand total of $50. But um, as for you last additional info, bowtie pasta, a salad, and rolls happens to be one of my absolute favortie meals. I would have been perfectly happy to be at that reception!
Reply:yeah.. real flowers.. pretty and all.. but a waste of money in my eyes.. like.. dont get me wrong.. im an artist.. i LOVE nature and natural things.. but for my wedding.. im using fake flowers.. ALL the flowers i needed 5 bouquets.. 4 corsages.. my bouquet.. all the mens pins.. all came out to $120.. and also.. fake flowers.. TONS of more creativity.. im having two HUGE roses in my bouquet.. and i am using swirls of almost twig like pieces with grassy pieces behind it and bits of white flowers that i dont even know what they are but they look SO pretty!! and for the centerpieces we are using what the place provides (which is beauitiful) hurricane glasses and tea lights on a mirror square.. avoiding the flowers ALL together there!! lol





honestly.. all that i remembered about my brothers wedding was how much my sister in law paid for her flowers.. $3200!!!! i remember thinking it was crazy and that i would do anything to avoid that cost at my wedding and put my money into something more important to me.. like the photographer!!
Reply:I don't think you have to spend a lot of money and can have quality flowers. I like the wedding you saw above am going to have my maids put there bouquet of flowers in vases at there table. I am having my bouquet as my center piece and vase with candles on the rest of the tables, I am also doing silk flowers so I don't have to have them dried after wards, It is so expensive and ladies do you know what they use to do it ( they use the same powder as kitty litter)(yuck)





So I say dont ( real flowers die in the elements ) if you use them. There has to be something else you like to spen hundred of dollar on (your bridal party, favors, parents gifts, pictures) Best wishes and good luck Ihope I have helped!!
Reply:you don't have to splurge on flowers to get a nice effect. even simple things like scattered rose petals, or a single stem in a bud vase really brighten up the tables.





i personally HATE huge gaudy flower arrangements with 934 different kinds of flowers...





a wedding entirely without any flowers is sad. i went to a wedding where everything was silk, and i truly missed the flowers.





recycling the bouquets is a great idea...they can be used to decorate the head table even...
Reply:Hi:


Well, I wouldn't splurge, but you can still get a nice effect without splurging. Personally, I LOVE flowers but only real ones and not big gaudy arrangements, simple ones. I absolutely hate the huge silk flower ones. People think they are savings tons on silks....they are not. You can order wholesale flowers from many places online. Also from Costco and from Walmart. I agree with the other poster who said simple is more elegant. I couldn't agree more. A single rose in a bud vase with a few greens looks more elegant that a big huge bouquet of silks! One poster said she will only do candles....but what if your reception is mid-afternoon outside? You need to take into consideration the time of day and the venue. And, yes, I agree with "double duty" on the flowers. At my son's wedding the bridesmaids put their bouquets in vases at the head table - no more decorations needed! Just my two cents.
Reply:I agree. As long as it still looks elegant, there is no need to go overboard. I'm having a limited selection of flowers in simple arrangements. Hydrangeas, rannunculas (less expensive than peonies, but you get the same effect), stephanotis (but only in my bouquet), ivy, thistle, and cream roses. My theme is going to be a garden theme so I can't forego the flowers alltogether, but I'm certainly not going to spend a fortune on them! For only one day and then they die? I don't think so. The trick to decorating well is to use your existing surroundings to your advantage. Our reception will be in an event center in a park. Therefore, no need to decorate the outside, there will already be landscaping. The church has beautiful ceiling to floor windows that allow you to look right out into the trees, again no need to over decorate there. I'm still trying to come up with a few unique ways to tie in my theme without overdoing the flowers though, so I'll keep you updated.
Reply:Can I offer a suggestion? My wedding was quite elaborate and I didn't want to do the run of the mill flower centerpieces that everyone has. But I still did want the look of grandeur :) So instead I rented from a rental company large 6 candle candelabras for each table. They also decorated them to match my decor (which was wine and grapes) and had clusters of grapes hanging down off of them. They were spectacular! I still get compliments and this was a few years ago.


It was relatively cheap too, I think I spent $15/centerpiece +the decorating. It was probably the cheapest, yet one of the most memorable things at my wedding.


So no, you don't need flowers, you can make a statement with a lot of things.


Look into rental companies, you will be very surprised at what you can get for the money as compared to a floral centerpiece.
Reply:Most people don't notice the flowers or lack thereof. It's generally accepted to be one of the biggest money-wasters.





For me, I'm going to use non-floral centerpieces. We're going to use white paper lanterns with colored bulbs inside as the centerpiece for each table. Then I'm going to put a few mini-Chinese take-out boxes full of candies on each table. Maybe I'll scatter a few rose petals. I think it will be much more interesting and memorable than just a vase of flowers.
Reply:Hee! You're preaching to the choir here, babe!





My total flower bill (including accessories) was $35.





Okay, it was fourteen years ago, and the price would be a bit higher today, but still.





What did I get? Six bouquets, six boutonnieres, one corsage, and a rose to lay on each table at the reception.





I was getting married in a redwood grove, so lots of flowers would have been a case of brining coals to Newcastle. No point.





My MOH and I went the day before the wedding to the local open-to-the-public florist's supply and picked some of everything that was long-stemmed, cheap, and pretty. The only flowers I had that I can identify were the red roses. I picked those because that's the flower my husband always gives me. Roses are quite literally the only flower he can identify, and he knows I love red.





We got some florist's tape, ribbon, and corsage pins, and made up everything at the rehearsal dinner that night.





The sheaf bouquets were easy as pie to make (lay flowers in attractive order, tie ribbon, put in bucket of water so flowers don't die) and looked perfect. One handy friend took care of the fiddly bits.





if flowers aren't a priority to you, I highly recommend just finding something pretty and inexpensive the day before and tying them very simply. Nosegays and sheafs are the easiest.





For decorations, it's amazing how far a couple handsful of rose petals or a few scattered blooms around some other decorative item go.
Reply:I agree-too many flowers are tacky!


For our wedding, I used silk flowers-English ivory roses that I had in my home for at least 10 years, and they were perfect. Each bridemaid carried one, and I carried a bouquet of 5-one for family members that had passed away.
Reply:THANK YOU! This is what I tried to tell one of my friends about her wedding.





Glad someone sees things my way!





:)
Reply:Did you just use the word splurge?
Reply:How can anyone say flowers are a waste of money?! I've been to two weddings recently where they both used fake flowers and I was truly disappointed. Flowers are beautiful and really add to a wedding.





I am all for using them moderately but they are not a waste!
Reply:Wait? Was that a question or just an observation?

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