Fake vs fresh wedding flowers

There’s no question in my mind that I would prefer fresh flowers for my wedding. This is for my bouquet, my bridesmaid’s bouquets, the boutennieres, Damien’s mother’s corsage and for the tables. We have set ourselves a very strict budget for the wedding and we aren’t going over it. I did allow $100 for flowers and going on what I did the ‘last time round’, I thought it would be more than enough to cover what I needed.

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From memory (I could go and look at old wedding photos but I won’t), I had plain white Oriental lillies and white roses in my bridal bouquet last time around and the two bridesmaids had small bunches of jonquils. There were only two buttonholes of perhaps one small white rosebud, two corsages for the Mums and small bunches of jonquils for the centrepieces. I’m am positive that whole lot cost me around $50. The florist I found went to the flower market the day before, arranged the flowers and delivered them to me on the morning of the wedding. Admittedly it was back in 2001 but this time around the quotes for very simple purple flowers with a bit of greenery ranged from $490, the lowest, up to $1,000. I just cannot justify that sort of money even if I wanted to extend the budget for the sake of fresh flowers.

The is the type of thing I was wanting for the three bridesmaids.

For weeks I toyed with the idea of going to the flower market myself, the day before the wedding, and buying the fresh flowers and making the bouquets. Because the wedding ceremony and reception will be at our house, I thought it would be one major stress I had to do that I really didn’t need. I belong to quite a few wedding Facebook groups and when I saw the beautiful artificial wedding flowers that were being made, I looked into it a bit further.

The boy’s boutonnieres.

So after researching prices at local stores, watching Youtube clips on how to make bouquets, digging around in my craft stash and adding a couple of personalised adornments that fit with the theme of the wedding, I had a crack at making my own. I also figured if I made them now, they could be packed away ready for the wedding and one more thing crossed off my to do list.  

The cost of the flowers for 4 bouquets, 4 boutonnieres and a corsage all came to the pricely sum of $15. I purchased them from an overseas ebay seller. The same flowers were available in local stores for triple the price. The twine I had and the cute little handmade guitar brooches came from a German etsy seller. I was pretty pleased with how they turned out. Looking at them, I know they aren’t real but it’s like comparing oranges and apples. For all the reasons I mentioned earlier, they are suiting me for so many reasons and I think they look nice and suit our personalities and our wedding theme. 

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So many people are opting out of fresh flowers for so many reasons and trying to be a little bit individual I guess. Check out the creativity with this boutonniere. Even the the title of the sheet music is “Can’t Help Falling In Love”. Love it!

The bouquets were a little more effort. I had to arrange them the way I wanted and wind it all with florist tape and then the twine. Really, the whole lot took a couple hours one Sunday afternoon. I added a couple small stems of ivory roses to my bouquet just because.

I used some of Nanna’s vintage lace around the handle plus finished with a $3 rhinestone encrusted guitar brooch which is sticking with the theme.

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With the money that I saved, I can now go and pick up a few bunches of fresh flowers a day or so before the wedding from a local flower market or even the supermarket for my table centrepieces. It’s a spring time wedding so the reception area will be sweet with the scent of fresh flowers. Don’t forget I’m growing some myself which will help with the costs. They are coming along nicely with all the rain we’ve been having. 

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If you’ve got the budget for fresh flowers and that’s what you want, go right ahead. I’d love it as well but I’m very happy with what I’ve decided to do. If you want to do something a little more individual, there are so many talented, creative people out there who are making absolutely gorgeous bouquets with things such as brooches, paper flowers, fabric flowers, buttons and whatever else you can think of. It’s your wedding, your choice.

Grow your own plants for your wedding

With more than 12 months still to go until I get married in May 2016, the wedding planning merry-go-round is well and truly at full speed and not about to stop. It’s like I can’t get off. I’m trying though. We’ve booked the photographer and the caterer and about to meet the marriage celebrant this coming week and once that’s done, I’m going to try my hardest not to look at anything wedding related, that is, until I had this idea.

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I’d been looking at bouquets, florists, real flowers, fake flowers, silk flowers etc etc etc and it just becomes mind boggling. I’ve always loved lavender, in every form, and want to go with something simple. I figured, when the time was right, I could enquire at a wholesale flower market as to how much it cost and then I thought, why don’t I just grow my own? I can buy some already established potted plants from the nursery and nurture them until the wedding. I can use some of the pots directly on the table and use another bigger pot as my cut flowers. As we’re already in autumn and coming into winter, I may have missed the boat but because I live in a warm climate I might be lucky.

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Blue salvias are another favourite of mine and are so hardy in my sub tropical climate and so easy to grow. There are many different varieties, annuals or perennials, so finding the right one for the right http://www.mudboggerforum.com/profile/4837061 time of the year to harvest them for your wedding will be crucial.

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And as you would imagine, I’ll be styling the wedding myself, cutting corners and expenses at every possible opportunity and I have many potted palms and other plants which I’ll use for decorating the reception area (which is being held at home).

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Of course, if you’d like to have full on roses in your bouquet you might have to rethink growing them yourself or if you’re trying to cut costs, maybe think of an alternative. I’ve been reading that some of the silk varieties in a lot of different species of flowers are very realistic. Don’t think I’ll go down that path but a lot of people have and they look beautiful. 

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Gypsophila (or Baby’s Breath as it’s also known) is also very easy to grow. I love the simplicity of the plain white small flowers in the above bouquet and might use them for my attendants.

Whatever flowers you have in mind for your bridal bouquet and other flowers for attendants, think about growing them yourself to save money. Just think how much more sentimental it will be on the day. I’ll be sharing how to make your own bouquet as the time gets closer because I’ve already looked in to that as well. (Promise, no more looking at wedding stuff for at least a couple months. Well, I’ll try. It’s so hard not to.)