Everlasting Wedding Flowers: Tips For Extended Arrangements

Flowers are an integral part of any wedding, from bouquets to centrepieces, and even as accessories for the wedding party. While fresh flowers are a popular choice, artificial flowers are also a great option, especially for outdoor weddings, as they are long-lasting and lightweight. They are also allergy-friendly and bee-proof!

If you're looking to save money, DIY-ing your wedding flowers can be a fun option, but it's important to keep in mind that it can be time-consuming and you'll need to transport and store your supplies and arrangements properly.

Choosing flowers: Opt for seasonal blooms and greenery to save money

Choosing flowers that are in season is a great way to save money when planning a wedding. For example, peonies in August are challenging to source and very expensive, whereas in season, they are more affordable and of better quality.

The seasonality of flowers can also add to your wedding's unique character. For instance, wildflowers like baby's breath, daisies, and Queen Anne's lace are perfect for a rustic wedding, mirroring the natural beauty of the venue.

If you're set on a particular flower, it's essential to be mindful of your spending elsewhere. Flowers like gardenias, peonies, and hydrangeas can be costly, so budgeting is crucial.

To save money, consider using seasonal blooms and greenery. Greenery adds amazing texture to arrangements and serves as the foundation. Using greenery as your base will also allow you to use fewer expensive flowers while still creating a full and beautiful arrangement.

When choosing flowers, opt for a mix of blooms to create your colour palette and theme, rather than specific varieties. This will give you more flexibility, as you can't guarantee the availability of certain flowers, especially in the post-COVID era.

By choosing seasonal flowers and incorporating greenery, you can create stunning arrangements that enhance the beauty of your wedding while also being mindful of your budget.

Timing: Make bouquets 24 hours before the wedding and centrepieces on the day

Making flower arrangements for a wedding can be a fun yet challenging task. To ensure your bouquets and centrepieces are in full bloom and at their freshest, timing is key.

Bouquets should be made within 24 hours of the wedding to keep the flowers perky and beautiful. Some blooms can last up to 48 hours after being cut, so if timing is a concern, be sure to research the shelf life of each flower type in your bouquet.

For the centrepieces, it's best to make them on the day of the wedding. Simple centrepieces may not need much time, but larger, more complex arrangements can take 60 to 90 minutes each to create. Smaller, easier centrepieces should be given at least 30 minutes each.

To ensure your bouquets and centrepieces are ready on time, it's important to plan and prepare. Have your design ideas ready a couple of weeks in advance so you can compare prices and shop around. Place your flower orders at least a month ahead of the wedding. Pick up your flowers as close to your assembly time as possible and store them in a cool place, ideally a dedicated refrigerator, for up to six hours.

Transport: Keep flowers between 34-75°F and secure them in a vehicle

When transporting flowers for a wedding, it is important to keep them within a specific temperature range and ensure they are securely placed in the vehicle. Here are some detailed tips to achieve this:

Temperature Control:

• Aim to keep the flowers in an environment with a temperature between 34-75°F. This range is ideal for flower preservation.
• Avoid extreme heat. Flowers can quickly wilt and die in temperatures above 90°F.
• If possible, transport the flowers in a vehicle with air conditioning to maintain a cool temperature.
• Alternatively, consider using ice packs or cold gel packs to keep the flowers cool during transport. Place them near the flowers but not directly touching the blooms or greenery.

Securing the Flowers:

• Use the original BloomsByTheBox.com box or any other box of suitable height to transport your flower arrangements.
• Place the flower arrangement on top of the box and mark the outline of the vase or container on the box.
• Cut an X-shaped opening with a knife, ensuring it is slightly smaller than the marked outline. This will create a snug fit for the vase.
• Remove the excess cardboard carefully.
• Place the arrangement inside the box, using packing tape to secure it on two sides if needed.
• If you are concerned about the tape marking or damaging the container, place paper between the tape and the vase.
• For bouquets, put an inch of water in a spare vase, glass, or jar. Carefully insert the bouquet, ensuring the water doesn't touch the ribbon. Transport the bouquet in the container and secure it inside the box with tape.
• For corsages and boutonnieres with exposed stems, use plastic cups with a small amount of water to hold them during transport. Place the cups snugly in a small box, using balled-up newspaper to fill any excess space.
• If the corsages or boutonnieres are sealed, carefully place them in a small box with a bed of paper towels to prevent sliding.
• Always transport flowers in an upright position to avoid damage.
• If using a car, van, or SUV, plan ahead and ensure the flowers will fit comfortably with minimal risk of falling over.
• Consider investing in a professional floral delivery system, such as grids and pins, to secure the flowers and prevent them from tipping during transport.

Budgeting: Use expensive flowers sparingly and bulk out with cheaper blooms

Wedding flowers can be expensive, and costs can quickly add up. One way to save money is to use expensive flowers sparingly and bulk out your arrangements with cheaper blooms.

The key to a beautiful arrangement is a combination of flowers. If you want a bouquet with solid garden roses, for example, this will be far more expensive than choosing a collection of flowers with some being less expensive, like foliage and filler flowers. The costly focal flowers like roses, peonies, orchids, dahlias, ranunculus, French tulips, and anemones can be mixed with less expensive flowers like carnations, mums, alstroemeria, and statice.

You can also use your most expensive flowers in the bridal bouquet, then use a smaller amount of those in the bridesmaids' bouquets. Limit your centerpieces to the least expensive blooms that appear in all of the bouquets. Everything will still look great together, but you'll spend less on the pricier pieces.

Another way to save money is to repurpose flowers. All your ceremony flowers could be moved to the reception area, for example. If you have aisle flowers, those could become your table centerpieces. Any ceremony arrangements could be placed around the sweetheart table or head table. The bridesmaids' bouquets could also decorate the head table or other reception areas.

You can also lean on faux and fresh greenery. It looks elegant alone and can be used as extra filler around more expensive blooms.

Repurpose: Use ceremony flowers at the reception to save money

Flowers are a key part of any wedding, but they can be expensive. One way to save money is to repurpose your ceremony flowers at the reception. Here are some ideas to get you started:

• Any flowers used to decorate the ceremony venue can be moved to the reception area.
• Aisle flowers can become table centrepieces.
• Ceremony arrangements can be placed around the sweetheart table or head table.
• Flowers from the guest book table can be moved to the bar or cake table.
• Bridesmaids' bouquets can decorate the head table or other reception areas.
• One of the bridesmaids' bouquets can be used as a tossing bouquet.

By repurposing your ceremony flowers, you can save money and time, and still have beautiful floral arrangements at your reception.

Other ways to save money on wedding flowers include:

• Using fake flowers instead of real ones.
• Buying flowers online or from a local flower farm, or even growing your own.
• Choosing less expensive flowers, such as carnations, mums, or alstroemeria.
• Using fewer flowers and more greenery.
• Making your own bouquets and centrepieces.

Frequently asked questions