Planning Your Wedding Reception Flowers:
Secrets and Tips for Budget Wedding Flowers
by
Michelle Ellingsworth
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Planning Your Wedding Flowers:
Secrets and Tips for Budget Wedding Flowers
by
Michelle Ellingsworth
Copyright 2011 Michelle Ellingsworth
http://www.sane-wedding-planning.com/
michelle@sane-wedding-planning.com
Published on Smashwords
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Smashwords Edition License Notes
This free eBook may be copied, distributed, reposted, reprinted and shared, provided it appears in its entirety without alteration, and the reader is not charged to access it.
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Planning Your Wedding Flowers: Secrets and Tips for Budget Wedding Flowers
Contents
Chapter 1 - Why Read This Book?
Chapter 2 - How to Plan Your Wedding Flowers
Chapter 3 - How to Find and Hire a Florist
Chapter 4 - Keeping Florist Costs Down
Chapter 5 - Are You Planning to DIY Your Wedding Flowers?
Chapter 6 - Alternatives to Fresh Flowers
Chapter 7 - How to Check Out Your Wedding Vendors
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Chapter 1 - Why Read This Book?
Where are you right now with your wedding planning? Concerned about throwing a wedding bash in this economy? Worried it will take too long? That you’ll go over budget and into debt?
You’re not alone. Each year 2.2 million couples in the US get married and more than half will do it all wrong – debt, crisis, and regrets.
In the creation of my website and books, I surveyed recently married women from all over the country and noticed some consistent wedding planning problems.
The Big Ones: Most couples don’t properly plan or budget for their wedding. And many couples who do budget have trouble staying within their budgets.
They may diligently search online for wedding planning and money saving tips, but the very nature of the internet thwarts them. How a web site gets ranking from search engines (Google) makes researching a subject like budget wedding planning completely insane.
Let me explain. For Google to rank a web page high in search results there must be a density of keywords related to a very specific subject. Therefore, you only get a narrow slice of information per page (even I have to do this on my site). Not to mention that websites often break long articles into very short slow-to-load bits so you’ll search deeper into their site and be exposed to more advertising.
You could spend hours researching on the internet only to gather a few small nuggets of information. And when it comes to saving money while planning a wedding, you need a lot of information.
Note: This is not an instruction book for specific floral projects (but there are tips and links regarding projects), this guide covers the overall planning your flowers and how to save money on flowers.
This guide also presents you with concentrated information on how to plan your wedding flowers without considering keywords. I did the research and interviewed former brides, florists and wedding planners so you don’t have to.
Why read this book? If your wedding flowers are not well planned, you can waste hundreds, or even thousands, of dollars.
In Planning Your Wedding Flowers: Secrets and Tips for Budget Wedding Flowers you will learn how to plan the flowers for your wedding day and interview and hire a floral designer. You will also learn how to save money on flowers, important info on DIYing your flowers and great fresh flower alternatives.
There is also a bonus wedding planning chapter at the end of this book that covers how to check out your wedding vendors.
The new economy has ushered in a new era for weddings – they are less conventional, less expensive, and more personal. What matters most is that you and your guests are relaxed and happy.
This is a good change. With thoughtful planning, you really can have an amazing and memorable wedding day without spending a fortune!
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Chapter 2 - How to Plan Your Wedding Flowers
Before planning your wedding flowers, you should know your wedding date, have booked your ceremony and reception venue, chosen your wedding colors, as well as decided on a bridal dress and bridesmaid dresses.
The style of the dresses will help determine the size and shape of the bouquets.
It’s best to keep in mind the colors you want your bouquets and arrangements to be, rather than setting your hopes on any specific flower. The flowers you decide on may not be in season or may be wildly expensive. A good florist can show you flowers you never thought of within your color palette and price range.
Of course, flower availability is usually not a problem anymore.
If you want a spring flower for your November wedding, it’s spring somewhere in the world. Just keep in mind that it’s going to cost you, and be prepared for substitutions.
Different flowers and different styles of arrangements do vary in formality, but a great floral designer has the ability to create formal or less formal arrangements regardless of the flowers that are used or the style of arrangement.
Start planning your wedding flowers by making a list of the personal flowers you will need to order.
You will need to provide flowers for the bride, the groom, maid of honor, bridesmaids, best man, groomsmen, ushers, flower girl, ring bearer, mother and grandmother of the bride and groom and father and grandfather of the bride and groom.
The bridal bouquet
When selecting the shape and design of a bridal bouquet, the bridal dress should be the most important factor.
The more modern and simple the dress, the more simple the bouquet should be. The popular trend with brides who chose these types of dresses is to go with nosegay bouquets, pomander bouquets or posy bouquets that are round in shape.
You will want to choose a crescent, teardrop, cascading or freeform bouquet if you have an ornate ball gown style dress or a dress with a train.
Also consider the season and your theme:
• Add large green leaves on the outside of a spring bouquet
• Mix fresh herbs in with the flowers for a summer wedding
• Mix brightly colored leaves or richly colored feathers in with the flowers for a fall wedding
• Push crystal adorned pins into the centers of the flowers to add sparkle to a winter bouquet
If you and/or your bridesmaids are wearing a colored ribbon sash, get extra ribbon and ask the florist to use it to wrap the bouquets.
If you are able to get extra fabric that is an exact match of the dress, your florist can use that as the ribbon treatment for the bridal bouquet.
You can also personalize the bridal bouquet by wrapping your grandmother’s handkerchief, family lace, or a ribbon with a cameo containing pictures of loved ones around the handle of the bouquet.
Don’t forget to order a small toss bouquet if you plan on keeping that tradition at your reception.
Maid of honor and bridesmaids
Traditionally, bridesmaid bouquets are smaller and simpler versions of the bridal bouquet, but don’t create exact replicas.
When choosing the style and shape of the bridesmaids’ bouquets, you will take into consideration the style of dresses, just as with the bridal bouquet, and the color of the dresses.
A few bouquet ideas:
• Choose flowers that are a lighter or darker shade of the color of the bridesmaid dresses.
• Choose flowers that are a contrasting color to the dresses.
• Order the maid of honor’s bouquet in a different color from the other bridesmaids.
• Make all the bridesmaid bouquets from different flowers in the same color.
• Choose graduating shades of the same color flower for each bridesmaid.
• Choose one or two flowers from the bridal bouquet, if you have multiple flowers, and use them in the bridesmaid bouquets.
Keep in mind the color palette you’ve chosen for the wedding as a whole and make sure all the bouquet designs and colors work together and will look cohesive in your photos.
Corsages
Whether your wedding is casual or formal, it is a time-honored tradition to provide flowers for the mother and grandmother of both the bride and groom.
Corsages are a classic choice, but some women don’t like pinning a corsage through the fabric of their dress. Also, if they enjoy dancing, a corsage can get in the way. A popular alternative is the wrist corsage, and a few modern brides are even ordering little nosegay bouquets for the mothers and grandmothers to carry.
Another trend is flower necklaces and flower bracelets, but check with the women you are ordering for. They may consider them too youthful or too casual -- or absolutely love the idea!
Boutonnieres
Order boutonnieres for the groom, best man, groomsmen, ushers (if needed), ring bearer, and father and grandfather of the bride and groom.
Roses with a sprig of baby’s breath and a fern are a classic choice for boutonnieres, but orchids, lilies and gardenias are also popular. You can choose almost any flower and greenery, as long as it’s relatively small and the stem is strong.
The color of the boutonnieres should complement the bridal bouquet.
The groom’s boutonniere can stand out from the groomsmen by adding additional greenery or decoration. As with the bridal bouquet, you can use the theme and season as inspiration when designing the boutonnieres.
Floral centerpieces and other décor
Flowers can be the main focus of a room or something that is used as an accent. If the ceremony is in a blank white room, you are typically going to want more decorations to warm the room up. If you are having your ceremony at a botanical garden, you may not even be allowed to have flowers for decorations because they may introduce disease.
Reception flowers need to take into consideration the color scheme of the venue to avoid clashes.
Many brides forget about the venue.
If the hotel has dark green wallpaper and you want red flowers, it’s going to look like Christmas in there!
Always make sure that the table centerpieces are either below eye level or way above eye level so people at a table can chat.
Make a list of all the floral arrangements and decorations you will need.
When planning your wedding flowers, you should have an estimate of how many tables you will need for seating guests, as well as any other locations you’ll need flowers for.
Do you want flowers for any of these areas?
• The altar at the church or ceremony venue
• The end of each pew or row of seating
• The buffet tables
• The guest book table
• Tables where guests enter the reception room from the cocktail hour space
• On the bar or in the bathrooms
Really look at your space and think about how guests will move through it. Are there empty alcoves that will benefit from floral decorations (especially if they’re lit)?
If you have a big reception space with high ceilings, would you prefer one or two large dramatic arrangements instead of several small arrangements?
Once you’ve made your list, rewrite it in order of priority.
Do this before you interview florists, or order flowers for DIY arrangements. If there’s a huge gap between the flower arrangements you would like to have and your budget, you can omit from the bottom of your priority list up and find alternate decorations to replace the omitted arrangements.
Flowers on the cake
Fresh flowers can be used as a cake topper, used in-between tiers, as a garland winding down around the cake, and petals can go around the cake.
Order the flowers for the cake from your florist, but let them know what the cake looks like and who is providing the cake. Generally, the baker contacts the florist separately, and the florist will decorate the cake at the event site.
You might save money if you coordinate between the baker and the florist yourself and deliver the flowers to the baker when he/she is ready to decorate the cake. Just make sure the extra work is worth the savings!
Fresh flowers on your wedding cake are more cost effective then sugar flowers. If you choose fresh flowers, it’s actually quite easy to decorate a wedding cake yourself.
If you really want to DIY fresh flowers on your cake, there’s a lot of support out there. New info goes up on the web every day.
If you like the look of sugared flowers (edible flowers only please), Google ‘How to sugar “fresh flowers” and “cake decoration” for the latest DIY instructions.
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Chapter 3 - How to Find and Hire a Florist
You can find a florist by word of mouth, by asking the venue and your other vendors for recommendations, by attending bridal shows, and by contacting florist shops near your home or your venue.
Check the florists out as you would any other vendor and then make an appointment to meet with three florists, to start with (more can get overwhelming).
Before meeting with potential florists, go through bridal magazines and web sites and collect pictures of flower arrangements that interest you. Also look for table centerpieces.
Cut out or print photos of bouquets and arrangements you really like and put them in a clip file or large envelope.
Many florists do not charge a consultation fee, but don’t be surprised if you contact a florist who does -- there are brides out there that go to many consultations just looking for ideas so they can do it themselves or are heavily price shopping. A good consultation will take an hour or more and some florists feel they should charge for their time.
Generally you should be contracting a florist a minimum of 6 months before the wedding date. But if you’re on a tighter timeline, you should still be able to find a florist that will work with you.
The first meeting
It’s very important to establish a price point right away with the florist so later you don’t have to scale back on your dream flowers because of the cost.
During your consultation be prepared to give the florist:
• Your wedding date
• Information on the ceremony and reception venues (location, indoor or outdoor)
• An approximate number of how many tables will be at the reception
• A list of the bridal party, as well as anyone else who will need flowers (such as corsages and boutonnieres for mothers, fathers, and grandparents etc)
• A list of any other arrangements you will need
Bring:
• Samples of your wedding colors
• Info on the style and theme of the wedding
• Photos of the bridal gown
• Photos of the bridesmaid dresses and sample fabrics if you have them available
• Your clip file of photos of arrangements and bouquets you like
Always ask to see a portfolio of the work done by the designer who will actually be arranging your flowers.
Each florist is an artist with their own signature style.
This style is what they will tend to go to regardless of your desires. It is simply how they like to create their arrangements and what they are best at. Of course they will tell you differently, but you will see the trends in their books.
The arrangements that they are most proud of are the ones that completely match their signature style.
You’re looking for someone whose style is closely aligned with what you’re looking for, so review the portfolios carefully.
Questions to ask:
• How many weddings do you do annually? A florist who does over 50 weddings a year is not likely to go out of business before your wedding date
• What are the average flower budgets for those 50+ weddings?
• How many years have you been in business/ doing weddings?
• Are you the designer who will be doing my wedding? If not, when can I meet this person and see photos of their work?
• How do you charge for your services?
• Can I bring in items for you to work with like ribbons, pins, feathers?
• Are you familiar with my ceremony and reception venues?
• What type of arrangements are your specialties?
• What flowers would you suggest given my time of year, budget, location, theme and colors?
• Can you recommend seasonal flowers from local growers (closest growers)?
• How far ahead do you make the bouquets and centerpieces?
• Is a bouquet to toss included?
• Will you go to the venue and decorate my cake with fresh flowers or will the baker have to do that?
• Will you make a sample bouquet and centerpiece for me to see or can I come to the shop/studio and look at the centerpieces and bouquets before they’re delivered?
• What else can you provide like aisle runners, plants, mirrors, candle holders and other decorations (these will be rentals)?
• Can you make non-floral centerpieces for me, like fruit, leaves, branches or potted plants?
• Can you set up the centerpieces and the candles I’m bringing?
• How much is the deposit and when is the final balance due?
• When do I need to get you a final table count for the centerpieces?
• What do you charge for delivery and set up?
• Are there any additional charges or fees?
• Are any gratuities included in the cost?
• Will you pick up the rentals or do we need to return them ourselves?
• Can you deliver, set-up and break-down within the time frame my venues allows?
Ask a lot of question about the price of every detail and take notes so you can compare with other flower prices. Always ask about options and price -- you can potentially save a lot of money.
Also request references of recent brides they provided flowers for and call them.
Remember, florists are artists, and may wince at the word “discount.” Be gentle and replace the word “discount” with “customize” when asking for a deal.
Red flags to watch out for:
• If the florist does not have a portfolio of their work, and shows a stock photo book (like FTD) or a website with stock photos, walk away
• If the florist is resistant to your ideas, or simply ignores them
• If they repeatedly try to up-sell you beyond your stated budget
• They pressure you to sign a contract right away
• The florist does not know what’s in season on your wedding date
• If you ask for specific flowers and the florist replies “I will try.” Generally speaking this means you will not see those flowers.
What you’re paying for when you order your wedding flowers
You will be charged per arrangement. The pricing is based on an industry guideline – the florist calculates the cost of the flowers, plus the amount of time the designer will take to arrange your flowers.
More complicated floral designs will be more expensive.
What you should know:
• The industry standard is about 3x markup for flowers, but upscale florists charge 5x or more for their designs. A majority of florists mark up wedding flowers higher because wedding arrangements are usually more labor intensive
• Good quality ribbon is a 5x to 10x mark up item. Generally ribbons are inexpensive, but require a great deal of labor to use them. Many florists don’t charge for things like pins, wires, and floral tape
• Delivery and set up is an additional service so it’s always a separate charge, often a percentage (around 10%) of the total cost of the wedding flowers. Always ask. Because this is a service there should be no sales tax calculated off this charge
Finally, expect some “up selling” from florists for nicer ribbons, embellishments, metal bouquet holders, and upgraded vases. After all, their job is to get you to spend more.
Each time a florist makes an expensive suggestion, or implies that you need something costly, ask yourself, “Do I really need this?” and use your common sense.
Flowers are a highly emotional part of the planning process. If you stay within your stated budget, you’ll be fine.
The contract
The vendor contract will cover a deposit and when payments are due. The contract should also cover the date of the event, locations, the time that the florist will be setting up, what flowers were purchased, where personal flowers will be delivered (sometimes a different location than the venue), and a cancellation policy.
If you rent additional items, a detailed list of the items should be in the contract as well as delivery info and details about set-up, break-down and pick-up.
Also discuss a backup plan with your florist regarding flower choices. The bride should look out for a ‘substitution of flowers clause’ and make sure that all substitutions are of equal or greater perceived value. You don't want to order yellow roses and get yellow carnations.
Sometimes a specific type of flower can't found at its freshest for your special day. Florists generally reserve the right to give an equal flower in its place, but you should ask the florist to call or email you if there are any floral substitutions.
When it comes down to decision time, you want to go with a florist you trust and that has been around for a long time. Trust your gut.
Once you contract with a florist, you will need to provide all your contact info as well as the numbers for:
• The wedding planner or day-of coordinator if you have one
• All the venues where they will be delivering and setting up flowers
• The baker of the wedding cake if flowers are to be incorporated in the cake
Don’t make these mistakes
One of the biggest mistakes brides make when ordering their wedding flowers is requesting flowers that are out of season. It's usually possible to get them because flowers are now shipped from all over the world. However, don’t be surprised to see substitutions and high shipping costs.
For the freshest, most cost effective flowers, always opt for “in season” flowers that are locally grown. It will save you time, hassle and money.
Another big mistake is allowing expensive floral arrangements to wilt in the hot summer sun.
Timing is everything -- if you’re planning a summer outdoor wedding, schedule your delivery time carefully. Arrange for flowers to be delivered to your venue as late as possible to avoid wilting.
If you’re picking up flowers from the florist, or bulk flowers to DIY, do your costly blooms a favor and set your car’s air conditioning on HIGH.
Word to the wise: if you’re running a lot of errands, pick up the flowers last. You may also need a second person to help you out and ensure that the flowers stay cool.
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Chapter 4 - Keeping Florist Costs Down
The florist bill can get out of control pretty quickly – flowers are beautiful and there’s not a corner of your venue that wouldn’t benefit from floral decorations.
Have a clear plan going in. With a little restraint, flowers should not break your budget.
What you should know:
• Order flowers that are in-season and grown as close to your wedding locale as possible. Don’t pay to have delicate out-of-season flowers shipped from halfway around the world! There’s no guarantee they’ll arrive fresh enough to last through your wedding day.
• Choose mid-priced flowers that compliment your colors & theme and simply look nice. You’ll be surprised at how some flowers and fillers look more expensive when they are in the hands of a talented florist.
• Choose simple designs to keep labor costs under control. A simple arrangement of just one flower or herb can look very elegant – imagine two or three hydrangea blossoms or several sprigs of heather tied with ribbon to create a beautiful nosegay bouquet.
• Find out if there is a wedding before or after yours at your ceremony and reception venues. Contact the other couple (or couples) to determine whether they would like to split the cost of the flowers.
• Take the flowers from the ceremony location and use them at the reception. Altar flower arrangements can be used on the guest book table, the buffet, or wherever you like.
• Get rose petals for decoration, the flower girl, or for throwing as you jump in the getaway car from a warehouse store and DIY them.
• Do not have floral centerpieces for the tables. That way you’ll only be ordering flowers for the ceremony, bouquets, corsages and boutonnieres.
• Do not order flowers to decorate the church. Most churches don’t need the added decoration, or have decorations of their own you can ask to use.
• Only order a bridal bouquet and DIY the rest of the flowers. Bridesmaids can carry a single flower stem, DIY bouquets or non floral items (see chapter on flower alternatives).
• Look into wedding flower packages from warehouse stores like Costco. There will not be much variety or flexibility, but if they have the arrangements you like in the numbers you need, you can save a significant amount of money.
A quality florist can show brides how to save money because a good designer can use fewer flowers but still have a design with a lot of impact.
If you only have a few flowers at your wedding and you’re on a small budget, the quality and design of the arrangements are even more important. When you have a big budget and lots of flowers, it's easier for the flowers to look good.
A good florist should be able to give you many options and using them is tapping a well of experience. They will often have creative and inventive ways to help you save money.
The key is finding a florist you are comfortable with and trust with your special day.
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Chapter 5 - Planning to DIY Your Flowers?
It’s an ambitious undertaking, but if you’re creative and have people who genuinely want to help you, DIY-ing your wedding flowers is a great way to save money.
The least stressful DIY flower choice is to leave all the personal flowers - bridal bouquet, bridesmaids’ bouquets and all the boutonnieres and corsages - up to a florist, and to DIY the rest of the floral arrangements and decorations.
But you gotta do what you gotta do, so if you plan to DIY all the wedding flowers…
DIY flowers work best when the bouquets and arrangements are kept simple.
A large crescent shaped bouquet filled with delicate flowers is going to be difficult for a non-professional to pull off. Same goes for a tall, formal, complicated arrangement with multiple flowers.
Stick to simple shapes and palettes of one flower or a limited number of different flowers.
A few sourcing tips:
• If you live in a larger metropolitan area, go to flower marts and talk with wholesalers. Some will not sell to you, but others will. The vendors will tell you what they generally have on hand when you are looking to get married. You can save substantial money dealing with a wholesaler.
• Check to see if your city has a wholesale florist shop open to the public.
• Go directly to the source and search for wholesale growers in your area willing to sell to the public.
• Buy in bulk from online flower wholesalers like www.fiftyflowers.com , www.freshroses.com , or www.freshrosepetals.com . Follow the guidelines in the final Chapter on vetting vendors before ordering, and be prepared for large minimum orders.
• If you have a green thumb, you can grow flowers for your wedding. Just understand it will take months of planning and work. There are a few gardeners blogging about this subject, to connect with them Google ‘grow your own wedding flowers.’
• Get bouquets of mixed flowers from your local grocery store (some stores have great flowers!). I interviewed several brides who grabbed bouquets from the store the morning of their wedding, adjusted the arrangements, tied them tight, trimmed the stems and wrapped them with wide ribbon. Done! This is a GREAT approach if you’re flexible about colors and flowers and have a laid back attitude. Not good if you’re prone to anxiety.
More fresh flower tips
Be careful about the source. If you are buying locally and can see the product, always make sure the flowers are healthy, not wilted, and the water looks fresh. You can look at the stem to see if they look freshly cut and are able to draw water.
Wherever you are getting your flowers, ask for detailed instructions on how to store them and keep them fresh (online flower sellers will send you instructions or have them posted).
If you’re ordering flowers online, always ask how open the buds will be when they arrive. For example: Lilies ship closed tight and can take three days to open. Don’t order them to arrive the day before your wedding.
You will always, always need more greenery and filler than you think you will, so order plenty.
Transporting & storing DIY flowers
If you pick up your flowers from a local vendor, make sure the flowers are packed so they won’t get damaged in transport. In your car, run air conditioning cold & constant, and don’t make any stops. Leaving flowers in a hot car is a recipe for disaster.
Once home, keep your flowers cool, but away from air conditioning vents or heaters. If you need flowers to open up, then cut the stems and place in warm water, but don’t count on this trick. Some flowers, like lilies, will take their time opening no matter what.
Renting vs. buying decorations
If you’re watching your budget, rent bowls, vases, plants and topiaries from your florist. Generally speaking, renting quality items from a florist is usually more efficient, effective and less expensive than trolling the dollar store for your wedding supplies.
There are always exceptions. Sometimes brides actually can find great deals on vases, bowls, baskets and other decorative items that suit their needs at dollar stores, IKEA, and stores like T.J. Maxx. If they have what you like in the quantity you need, this can sometimes be cheaper than renting.
Educate yourself
There’s a surprising amount of info out there on DIY wedding flowers. I once made bouquets and boutonnieres for a friend’s wedding using an instruction book checked out from the local library.
There’s also a lot of support for Wedding DIYers online. Just Google ‘DIY wedding flowers’ for an overwhelming amount of information or more targeted searches like “DIY wedding flower instructions’, ‘DIY bridal bouquet’, ‘DIY boutonnieres’, or ‘DIY corsages.’ Targeted searches will save you hours of time sorting through websites and blogs. Also look for YouTube video instruction.
Get the right tools and supplies
Floral foam (don’t skip it for arrangements)
Thorn strippers for roses
Clippers and scissors
Corsage holders or mounts
Floralife (fresh flower food)
Floral tape, pins, wire, ribbon
Rocks, marbles, or other objects to weight arrangements in clear glass containers,
Liners for containers that are not waterproof
Floralytes, submersible lights, vase filler, and base lights for illumination ( www.save-on-crafts.com )
These are just a few of the supplies you will need to do DIY wedding flowers.
Devise a strategy
• Have a plan for where you will store the bulk flowers and greenery, and where you will actually put together your flower projects, as well as where you’ll store the finished arrangements and bouquets.
• Always test out bouquets and arrangements ahead of time so you’ll know if the project looks good and about how long each bouquet, arrangement, corsage and boutonniere will take to finish.
• Schedule friends to help with your floral projects.
• Arrange for transportation to your wedding venues and have a plan for packing the flowers so they won’t get damaged in transport.
• Write out or copy detailed instructions for anyone helping out with the project.
• Write up your complete plan for how it’s all going to happen, including flower and supply lists, and any relevant contact info, on a document so everything is in one place and is easy to reference.
Understand that DIY wedding flowers will be very time consuming. If you’re planning to DIY anything else, like the cake or the food, it may be next to impossible for you to pull it off without handing off other projects completely to others.
It’s worth repeating - be very careful not to get in over your head with too many DIY projects.
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Chapter 6 - Alternatives to Fresh Flowers
One of the easiest ways to save money is to order all the personal flowers from a florist and to DIY non-floral centerpieces and other decorations. But you don’t have to have any real flowers at your wedding if you don’t want them.
Silk flowers for bouquets, birdcage veils, decorations and centerpieces
Real flowers can be mixed in with silk, and silk might be a good alternative if there’s a certain flower you have to have, even if it's not in season for your wedding.
But be warned: good quality silk flowers can be more expensive then fresh flowers, so you may not be saving much by going with silk. Also, you can mix them with natural flowers, but labor costs can bring the price back to the same point.
If you’re set on silk flowers, check www.Etsy.com , a site dedicated to handmade items by artists (and some vintage). There are a few artists on Etsy making really lovely silk flower bouquets as well as wonderful retro birdcage veils.
For DIY silk flowers, check out these resources:
Paper flowers for bouquets, boutonnieres, decorations and centerpieces
Paper flowers are a very old fashioned decoration with a nostalgic charm that silk flowers are missing, and they can even be quite elegant.
Use them in bouquets, boutonnieres, corsages, hair accents, arrangements, garlands, wreaths and hanging monograms. You can even decorate a wedding cake with paper flowers.
You can find lovely paper flower bouquets on www.Etsy.com .
Paper flowers are a great DIY project. They can be made ahead of time and stored in plastic bins (dust is the enemy). If you or someone you know is artistic, you can save a lot of money by using paper flowers in decorations.
There are a lot of instructions for making paper flowers out there. Just Google “how to paper flowers” to pull up several great web sites and blogs that post instructions.
Some of the best paper flower designs are by DIY diva Martha Stewart. The Martha Stewart Crafts (not weddings) section of her site also has great projects, like a crepe paper bouquet.
For video instructions for complicated but really beautiful paper peonies: http://www.marthastewart.com/article/paper-peonies
You may also want to Google search ‘Martha Stewart weddings shaped crepe flowers.’ When you do searches like this you will find blogs where brides have done the projects themselves (many with pictures), and places that sell the paper flowers already made.
Purchase Martha Stewart Craft kits for paper flowers online or in craft stores like Michaels. Walmart now carries Martha Stewart Weddings related items too. Remember, Martha Stewart’s taste is impeccable, but her projects are often very complicated.
Sanity Tip: The Martha Stewart Wedding website has great DIY projects, but it’s slow to load, and the search box gives you iffy results. It can take forever to find what you need -- not to mention each article is broken into small parts so you have to click through a zillion pages to get the info!
For websites like marthastewartweddings.com, take the back door and find the instructions with our friend Google. Search ‘Martha Stewart weddings crafted bouquet’ for one the prettiest paper bouquets (for some reason under ‘crafted’ instead of ‘paper’).
Fruit for centerpieces
Fruit is colorful, beautiful and has an ancient legacy as a decoration at weddings. A nicely arranged centerpiece can symbolize the “fruit of your love” and the “fruit of happiness” that will come to bear in your future.
On a more practical level, you can send fruit centerpieces home with special guests as a gift after the reception!
From a style perspective, fruit can look lush and “old world” cascading from a basket or urn with branches and other greenery. For an elegant look, arrange sugared fruit on a glass pedestal.
If you’re going for a modern feeling, arrange one fruit, like lemons, in a clear glass bowl or Plexiglas box in the center of the table, or in the bottom of a large clear vase filled with water and floating candles.
More flower alternatives
• Consider potted plants for decorations and centerpieces.
• Branches (plain or flowering) make great arrangements and centerpieces. They are less costly than flowers and make a big statement.
• Bridesmaids can carry candles, Bibles, or paper parasols (watch the wind) as an alternative to floral bouquets.
• You may also like vintage or new beaded flowers for bouquets (eBay or Etsy.com), and handmade clay flowers (Etsy.com).
Whatever you do, please, please do not use live fish in a bowl as a centerpiece. It’s cruel and has actually been banned in some countries
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Chapter 7 - How to Check Out Your Vendors
Obnoxious DJs, florists who do not make the arrangements as agreed, talented photographers who are rude to guests, caterers who consistently run behind schedule, a dress shop that brings in a wedding dress inferior to the one you ordered and won’t return your deposit…
You can’t know these things from just meeting with a vendor.
I know checking up on vendors may make you uncomfortable – you’re a nice person and you don’t want to feel as if you’re judging someone as untrustworthy right out of the gate.
But consider: you are entering into a very important contract with this person or company.
You must check them out first!
Pitfall Warning: Bridal stores are big ones for consumer problems -- in fact they’re the most complained about by brides, so please check them out before signing a contract.
Be aware that this is where the emotional side of wedding planning – you looove that dress! – and the business side of wedding planning often conflict with each other.
Interview three candidates in each vendor category.
If it’s a caterer, make sure you taste the food and approve of the presentation. If it’s a DJ or band, go to an event where they are working. DO NOT rely on the tape the DJ or the band gave you in your first meeting or at a wedding show.
Ask all your vendors for references.
Don’t just ask the reference, “How did you like this vendor?” Be specific.
Ask if the vendor was on time, if they delivered the service or goods as expected, if they were available to you and open to ideas and suggestions. Also ask how they interacted with guests (if appropriate).
Next, contact the Better Business Bureau and check for complaints.
Don’t be surprised if there’s at least one complaint. Some people are impossible to please, so even a good vendor may have a complaint. What’s most important is to pay attention to how the complaint was resolved (or not). Contact your local office or go online.
Not everyone goes to the BBB to register complaints, so you should take an additional step and search online for complaints.
Check out your vendors on consumer complaint websites
Search a vendor business name or personal name on:
Trust your gut.
If you can’t find any consumer complaints about a particular vendor, but you just don’t feel right about the vendor, don’t use them! And don’t allow anyone to influence you by making you feel that your unease is irrational.
Always go with your gut instinct. This extends to family and friends who volunteer to work your ceremony or reception as a gift.
If you get an uneasy feeling when you think of the friend who volunteered to DJ your reception, don’t do it. Tell the friend you really want them to enjoy the day as a guest, not as an employee.
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About The Author
Michelle Ellingsworth is a cable television writer/producer, an entrepreneur and an expert on wedding planning and fashion. She runs the budget wedding website Sane-Wedding-Planning.com and writes wedding and fashion related books.
Website
http://www.sane-wedding-planning.com/
Contact
michelle@sane-wedding-planning.com
Other titles by the author:
Secrets to Finding Affordable Bridal Gowns: How to Save Money on Your Dream Wedding Dress
Quick Guide to Decorating for Wedding Receptions and Ceremonies: Secrets and Tips from the Pros
Planning Your Wedding Reception Food: Tips from the Pros for All Budgets