By Georgina Clatworthy

Wedding flowers can form one of the significant costs of your wedding budget.  Along with the cost of the wedding photography and the wedding cake, wedding flowers one area that couples will look to stretch the budget and save some money.  Finding cheap wedding flowers is not difficult, but by applying some creative thinking and working with your florist you can have the arrangements you want, at a price you can afford.

Firstly you will need to find a good florist who can give you ideas for budget flowers and who can produce arrangements that fit with your wedding style and your budget.  Make sure you tell them everything you want, along with your personal choices of flower types and your wedding colors.  Be prepared to compromise, a tight budget can often mean having to sacrifice something along the way.

You may have favorite flowers that you want to include in your wedding arrangements.  This shouldn’t be a problem, but if you want out of season or exotic blooms don’t expect them to be cheap.  These types of flowers will need to be ordered in especially and usually from international growers, making them more expensive than in season and locally grown flowers.

Ask your florist about including your favorite flowers in your bouquet only and using alternatives for the other arrangements.  You could also mix your favorite flowers with other types which are cheaper so that you have continuity in your arrangements.  For instance, if you really want pink roses, mix them with pink carnations which are a cheap alternative.

Consider making your own table centerpieces and even buttonholes for your wedding.  Centerpieces don’t have to be floral, and a simple arrangement of floating candles and flower heads looks beautiful on a table.  Buttonholes are not difficult to create either and usually only consist of a flower head and single piece of foliage wrapped with florists tape or even tin foil!  Ask your florist to make the buttonholes for the groom and wedding party though as these are extra special.

To really save money on your flower arrangements have more foliage than flowers.  You can also consider using your ceremony flowers for the reception as well by having them transported to the reception venue.  Ask your venue if another wedding will be taking place there that day.  If so find out if it would be possible to use the same flower arrangements or to go halves on them. 

Finally negotiate a package deal with your florist to help you save money on your wedding flowers.  Many florists will agree to make the buttonholes for free if you order all your other wedding flowers with them, but push a little harder and see if you can get the bridesmaids bouquets free as well (if you are not having too many bridesmaids that is) or ask for free bouquets that you can give to your mother and the grooms mother as wedding gifts.

By Georgina Clatworthy

Your wedding flowers will form an integral part of your wedding day, but they can also be one of the most expensive.  But sourcing cheap wedding flowers is not difficult, and if you apply a little creativity to your arrangements you can have beautiful flowers without the hefty price tag.

Traditionally, you would trot down to your local florists and work with them to design and order all your wedding flowers.  This will include everything for the ceremony, the bouquets, buttonholes, reception arrangements and table centerpieces.  A good florist will be able to advise you on the best flowers to suit your budget as well as ones which will coordinate best with your wedding scheme.

For cheap flowers think seasonal.  Ordering exotic or out of season flowers will be inherently more expensive than those which are blooming at the time of your wedding.  Sourcing them from local suppliers and growers will also be cheaper, as imported flowers can cost you more, particularly if the florist has to specially order them.

If you really want cheap flowers and are having a large wedding, then buy where the florists buy and visit a wholesale flower market.  You may have to arise early to get the best of the crop, but it will be well worth it in terms of your budget.  You can then supply these to a florist to make the arrangements for you or do them yourself.

Doing your own wedding flowers will obviously save you money.  If you are not good at flower arranging or have never done it before, then purchase a good book to help you.  Just be careful not to purchase your flowers too soon or they may well have wilted and died by the time the wedding day arrives.  No more than two days before should be fine.  Also think about how you will transport your arrangements to your venues.  Large displays can be tricky to delivery in one piece, so you may want to arrange to make them in situ with your venues.

If you visit local growers then ask about a discount for buying in bulk.  After all you won’t be buying a single bouquet, but a wealth of flowers for your entire wedding needs.  Another good source for cheap flowers can be supermarkets.  You maybe restricted to certain varieties however, most will stock the most popular flowers such as roses, stocks, carnations and babies breath.  Beware though as some supermarket flowers are not as good quality as those from a florist and may not last as long.

Finally, work with a florist to come up with a flower package which suits your budget.  You can ask them to make the more intricate arrangements such as bouquets and buttonholes.  Ask them to make larger arrangements for the venues by using only a few flowers and padding the rest out with foliage which will be cheaper.  Making your own table centers, pew ends and small arrangements is easy and adds a unique personal touch to your wedding décor.

By Georgina Clatworthy

For most weddings flowers are an integral part of the day, they form the majority of the decorations for the venues, enhance the reception tables and of course they make up the bride’s and bridesmaid’s bouquets.  For many brides there is no contest between wedding flowers which are fresh and those which are faux (silk, paper or fabric) – fresh flowers will generally win out.

But are there any advantages to having faux flowers as opposed to fresh ones and are they really worth considering as an alternative?  Here are the pros and cons of both fresh wedding flowers and faux ones.

Fresh Flowers:

Pros:

Fresh wedding flowers can provide something so delightful and give so much the whole feel and look of the day.  Be it large traditional arrangements or simple contemporary styles, fresh flowers bring an air of elegance and luxury to a wedding day.

There is also the scent of fresh flowers to consider, something which faux flowers cannot provide.  Lilies, freesia’s and roses all give off wonderful scents and it is these that can make you reminisce about your wedding when you smell the same scents again in the future.

Cons:

Fresh flowers can be expensive and if you want exotic varieties or out of season blooms then you can expect to have to pay more for them.  The size and quantity of the arrangements will also add to the price, especially if you want intricate displays which give the florist many of hours of work to complete.

Fresh flowers also have a nasty tendency to wilt, go brown and even die before the day is done.  Whilst there is many different flower care products available to help combat this, there is little that can be done should it happen on the morning of the wedding!

If you want to use your arrangements in another area of your wedding, for instance moving the ceremony flowers to the reception, then transporting large fresh flower arrangements can be a logistical nightmare!

You cannot keep fresh wedding flowers unless you have them professionally preserved and cased or framed – which is expensive.

Faux Flowers:

Pros:

You can keep faux flower arrangements indefinitely and many brides who opt for them have a glass dome or frame made to accommodate them and to keep them dust free. 

The quality of faux flowers these days is excellent and many would have difficulty telling them from the real thing!  But choose good quality flowers for the best results.  Faux flowers can be made from silk, fabric, paper or you could even opt for dried flowers.

Faux flower arrangements are easier to transport and store.  They won’t wilt or die and should any flowers come adrift in transit they are quite simple to put back in place.

Faux wedding flowers can sometimes be cheaper than fresh flowers, however this isn’t always the case and good quality flowers can actually cost more than their fresh counterparts.

Cons:

For some brides using faux flowers makes them feel like cheapskates and that somehow fresh flowers give a better air of luxury and sophistication.  It is true to say that faux flowers do have something of a stigma attached to them.

If you choose to keep them you will forever be cursing the amount of dust they seem to collect! And there will come a time when the once gorgeous arrangements that donned your wedding will seem old fashioned and out dated.

By Georgina Clatworthy

Flowers are an integral part of any wedding and are particularly so with a church wedding.  Choosing your wedding flowers will require you to discover how many arrangements you will need and to decide on which flowers you would like included.

For any wedding there is usually a requirement for bouquets for the bride and her bridesmaids, buttonholes for the groom, his best man and other male attendants and buttonhole for other members of the wedding party and close family and friends.

You may also need arrangements for the altar area, pedestal displays for either end of the aisle and perhaps arrangements known as pew ends to hang on the end of each pew facing the aisle.  At certain times of the year the church may be already decorated with large floral displays and it is worth enquiring if they could be left in place for your wedding day should it coincide.

It used to be traditional for the bride to carry a bouquet of white flowers, but these days this less commonly observed and brides are choosing bouquets with an array of colors to coordinate with their wedding color schemes.  It is important though that you talk with your florist about your wedding dress as certain styles of bouquet will suit certain styles of wedding dress.

Buttonholes are traditionally worn by the groom, whose buttonhole must match the flowers in the bride’s bouquet and the other principal male members of the wedding party.  Traditionally they would wear white carnations or double red carnations and should always be worn in the buttonhole on the left.  Today, however buttonholes are usually put together from the same flowers as are used for the brides bouquet and the other wedding flowers.

Flowers can represent a major investment but you can save money by ordering flowers which are in season and are locally grown.  Exotic or out of season blooms have to be flown in from abroad and as a result will cost you significantly more.  Another way to save money is to use your flowers sparing on the larger arrangements, which are really only window dressing, and to fill them out with inexpensive foliage instead.  You could also change more expensive flowers for cheaper alternatives in arrangements such as pedestal displays and pew ends.

When you choose your flowers for your ceremony you will need to visit the venue to determine how big your arrangements need to be.  Your florist may do this for you, but you can give her a head start by taking some measurements yourself.  It is also a good idea to make sure all your flowers, from the displays and pew ends to the bouquets and buttonholes, follow the same design and theme by using the same flowers throughout.  This will give unity to your displays and provide cohesion.

If you are getting married at a register office or an approved wedding venue then floral displays may already be provided and so you need only arrange for bouquets and buttonholes.  But you should check with the registrar/manager first if flowers will be available and if you can arrange to have your own brought in, should you wish.

By Georgina Clatworthy

Flowers form an integral part of any wedding.  They are present at both ceremony and the reception, but were you aware of the hidden meaning of many different types of flower?  When it comes to picking your wedding flowers you might want to read on to make sure you the blooms you pick are sending out the right message!

Choosing your flowers for your wedding can be a tricky task, a lot will depend on your wedding colors, your budget and the style of your wedding.  But flowers are steeped in symbolism and their meanings date from the Victorian era when the Victorians went made for all things romantic!

Your groom should wear a buttonhole with flowers that match those in your bouquet.  This tradition comes from medieval times when a knight would wear the colors of the lady that he loved as a declaration of his affection for her.

In ancient times the Greeks, Persians, Indians and Chinese all gave symbolic meanings to flowers.  Lady Mary Wortley Montague, the wife of a British Ambassador to the Turkish Sultan is accredited with bringing the language of flowers back to England in 1716.  However, it was not until the Victorian era that this language became a science and every flower, leaf and blade of grass was codified along with all their colors, various combinations and orientations.

Just to confuse things further the meaning of flowers changed depending on where they were worn.  Even the type of ribbon they were attached to could add extra significance, turning a marriage proposal into a refusal or vice versa.  The strategic placement of a nosegay could express sentiment and emotion as effectively as a handwritten note, however only those that knew the code could decipher its meaning.

If a young lady was to receive a bouquet of jonquils and snowdrops then she knew her potential suitor shared an affection and had hopes of continued friendship.  However a bouquet of orange roses, meaning passion, returned to the sender with the blooms facing downwards then this was a clear sign to tell him to clear off!

The language of flowers is as interesting as it is complex but choosing your wedding flowers according to their meaning can have extra special significance.  An orange blossom for instance means chastity, purity and loveliness, whilst red chrysanthemums say ‘I love you’.

Use the following list of popular flowers and their meanings to create your bouquet and other wedding flower arrangements.  You could also use their colors for your reception decorations to add energy and atmosphere to your wedding room.

Acatia                                      Friendship

Azalea                                     Temperance

Bluebell                                   Constancy

Buttercup                                Youthfulness

Camellia, red                          Excellence

Chrysanthemum, white           Optimism

Cowslip                                   Pensiveness

Daffodil                                   Regard

Heliotrope                               Devotion

Jasmine                                   Cheerfulness

Lilac                                        Innocence

Lotus                                       Eloquence

Oleander                                 Caution

Pansy                                      Thoughtfulness

Peony                                      Bashfulness

Thistle                                     Austerity

Violet, blue                              Modesty

 By Georgina Clatworthy

Whilst fresh flowers will always remain the first choice for most brides, wedding silk flowers are undergoing something of a renaissance in recent years.  This can be partly attributed to silk flowers being made to a better quality than in previous years and a desire by many brides to keep the arrangements permanently.

Of course faux flowers are not just available in silk, you will find a good range of paper versions, plastic and even wood although the latter two may not find their way into too many weddings! 

So what can you expect from faux flowers for your wedding?  Well obviously these flowers will not wilt, drop their petals or go a horrid shade of brown as the day goes on!  Many florists are as adept as working with silk or paper flowers as they are with fresh ones so you should always ask about them as an alternative.

Many brides believe that faux flowers will be cheaper than fresh ones.  This is not always the case however.  Mother Nature does not charge for the hours it takes to produce beautiful fresh flowers, however a manufacturer of faux flowers will and when you consider the detail that has gone into some flowers you will realize why they are more expensive than their fresh versions!

Using silk flowers for your wedding can give many brides the confidence to have a go at arranging them themselves, possibly because they are less likely to damage them and find them far easier to work with.  Whilst some silk flowers will be good replicas of the real thing – often you will have to look twice or even touch them to realize they are not real, others are designed with a range of fabulous colors and even have added water droplets or crystals.

Paper flowers can often lend a shabby chic appearance to arrangements and are a popular choice for less formal weddings, they also make nice additions to wedding favors and gifts.  A good tip is to buy flowers with wired stems which can then be twisted and made into pretty napkin rings.

Silk flowers offer up the opportunity for you to keep your arrangements, especially if you want to give some of them away as gifts to guests.  A wedding bouquet of silk flowers can be preserved far easier than one made from fresh flowers and some brides choose to have a second bouquet made in silk flowers to match the one made from fresh flowers which she carried on the day.

 By Georgina Clatworthy

Flowers are an integral part of any wedding, from bouquets to altar arrangements you will inevitably be making a trip to the florist at some stage during your wedding planning.  But when it comes to your wedding reception flowers many brides find it difficult to decide on what exactly they should spend the budget on and where to spend it most efficiently.

A good florist will help you to decide exactly which types of flowers you should have for every floral arrangement for your wedding.  It is worth bearing in mind that the types or varieties of flower you choose should be used in every arrangement throughout your wedding, be it buttonholes or reception table arrangements.  Your florist will also help you choose the best colors to match those you have chosen for other elements of your wedding and help you choose the right flowers to come in on budget.

Your reception flowers could include the following:

• Table centers
• Long arrangement for the top table – although many brides use their bouquet
• Cake flowers
• Tall pedestal arrangements to decorate the entrance and for various focal points around the room
• Small arrangements for tables such as the guest book table and gift table
• Arrangements for the buffet table – if you are having one

Table centers will likely be your biggest expense here.  There are two types of arrangement to choose from – low and tall.  A low table center will allow all guests seated around the table to see each other and facilitates conservation.  Tall arrangements often block your guests view of each and so makes interaction across the table more difficult.  That said, if you are looking for dramatic, statement making centerpieces then these are what you want!

For many brides there is often the problem of what to do with the table centers after the wedding.  You could give them away as gifts to those guests who want them, although this could lead to conflict if there are not enough to go around!  My favorite suggestion is to have them sent to a nearby hospital, hospice or residential home where they will no doubt bring some cheer to the patients.

If your budget is tight then here are some money saving tips for your reception flowers:

• Instead of separate flowers for your wedding cake, use your bridesmaids bouquets instead, just ask your florist to make a simple arrangement for the top of the cake.
• Recycle the flowers from your ceremony by bringing them to the reception venue and save money on having separate pedestal arrangements made for each venue.
• If you are having a lot of bridesmaids you could use their bouquets as table centers, just make sure they are put in place before the guests enter the room.
• Choose flowers which are local to your area and in season. Exotic blooms which have to be flown in are far more expensive.
• Keep the expensive flowers for your bouquet and groom’s buttonhole and use cheaper alternatives for your other arrangements.
• If your main choice of flower is expensive, use it sparingly and fill in with foliage.
• Instead of arrangements for your table centers, use large bowls filled with water and add some flower heads and floating candles for a pretty and inexpensive centerpiece.

 By Georgina Clatworthy

Flowers are an integral part of a wedding & can account for a large portion of your budget.  Here is a shopping list for all your floral requirements for your wedding.

Ceremony Arrangements – If your venue isn’t already decorated with flower arrangements then you might want to look at adding some.  Typical arrangements for a religious service include:

• Large floral arrangements on stands for the entrance
• Large floral arrangements on stands for either side of the altar
• Door or archway garland
• Pew ends
• Altar arrangement

If you are having a civil ceremony either indoors or outdoors then here are some additional arrangements to consider:

• Arbor
• Gazebo
• Top of the aisle

Reception Flowers – You may want to think about transporting your flowers from your ceremony to your reception venue, although this is easier said than done!  Flowers for your reception include:

• Large standing arrangements
• Table centers
• Top table arrangements
• Floral garlands for decoration
• Cake table flowers
• Guestbook/gift table flowers

For these last two many brides choose to use their bridesmaids bouquets instead.

Buttonholes – Also known as boutonnières.  These are the small single flowers worn by the wedding party & any other guests on there lapels or in their buttonholes.  Usually they are a flower which is included in the bride’s bouquet along with a piece of foliage.  The design of these is entirely up to you, although the grooms buttonhole should match the bride’s bouquet.

Corsages - These are floral wristbands or pins given to female guests.

Bouquets - Work closely with your florist to design the perfect bouquet for you in accordance with your wedding style & your wedding dress.  Bouquets you will need to order include:

• Yours
• Bridesmaids bouquets, posy’s or pomanders
• Flower girls posy or pomander or basket

You might also want to order an additional bouquet for you to toss at the reception, particularly if you want to keep yours.

Additional Flowers – You might also want to order additional arrangements to give to your mother & mother-in-law as gifts.  You may want floral arrangements for your hair, your bridesmaids hair or a floral circlet for your flowergirl. You might also want small arrangements for your wedding car.  If you are hiring a car then they may add some flowers as part of the hire package, but if you are using a personal car then you may want to add some flowers to the back parcel shelf & maybe to the front of the car too.  Some brides like to decorate their wedding cakes with fresh flowers rather sugar ones.  Ask your florist to make up some small arrangements to go on top of the cake & to decorate each tier.

By Georgina Clatworthy

Table decorations or centerpieces are an integral part of the decorations for your wedding reception.  Your tables would look bare without them.  And whilst many would initially think of beautiful floral arrangements for their centerpieces, there is in fact a wealth of choice for your tables.

For the creative bride making centerpieces is one of the enjoyable parts of the wedding planning process.  You should also consider your centerpieces along with the style &/or theme of your wedding.

Here are some fabulous centerpiece ideas to get you started:

Floating flowers & candles

Possibly the simplest centerpiece to put together.  Look for some pretty decorative bowls or containers, fill them with water to about three quarters of the way up & then add some floating candles & flower heads.  Once lit they look beautiful & help add a romantic touch to your wedding look.  This style of low arrangement will also help to keep your tables from looking cluttered.

Wedding Favors

Use your wedding favors as table decorations too.  Again look for a decorative bowl or container & pile your favors up on top.  Your guests can then help themselves from the center of the table.  You can also add extra decoration by scattering flower petals & tea lights around the table.

Simple Flowers

Choose just one type of flower & arrange in a pretty vase.  This is a nice idea for an informal wedding & the choice of vases will make it easy to coordinate with any style of wedding, be it formal, modern or vintage.

Contemporary Arrangements

Floral arrangements in glass vases of unusual shapes are a common feature in modern weddings.  Imagine a square tank vase, lined with large leaves & filled with a symmetrical arrangement of rose heads.  Another suggestion is to use pomanders as your table centers; if you are having a lot of bridesmaids then you could use their bouquets as centerpieces too.

Candles

Candles are perfect for weddings & an arrangement of different sized pillar candles looks wonderful on reception tables.  Alternatively choose a pillar candle & have your florist make floral candle rings to go around the base.  How about placing a large candle inside a glass hurricane lamp part filled with colored crystals or pebbles.  Candelabra’s are also a great idea for a traditional or themed wedding, where a touch of glamour or luxury is wanted.

Unusual Containers

Why not put your floral arrangements in some unusual containers?  Think about enamel jugs, teapots, hat boxes, large glasses or large tea cups. Even books with the pages cut away inside can create unusual & beautiful centerpieces when filled with flowers.

Fish Bowls

Yes you do read right!  How about using round fishbowls complete with goldfish as your centerpieces?  You could even provide some plastic bags & a net so your guests can take one home with them.  Centerpieces & wedding favors in one go!

Recycle It

Do your bit for the environment, whilst creating stylish centerpieces at the same time!  Use old tin cans, jars & bottles for your centerpiece arrangements. You can decorate them with ribbons, labels, stickers & even paint them to coordinate.

By Georgina Clatworthy

No wedding would be complete without an abundance of flowers, in fact it is probably a given that there will be flowers at your wedding in some form or another.  But when you list flowers down in your wedding planning are you aware of how many you will need & what you will need them for?

At first you will probably think about arrangements for the reception, your bouquet & buttonholes.  But here are some other ways flowers can be used for your wedding:

• Bride’s bouquet: Possibly the first floral arrangement that sprang to mind when you started thinking about flowers.  Your bouquet will probably be the second most talked about feature of your wedding after your dress.  It has to coordinate with your dress & wedding colors so make sure your florist is aware of these details when you first meet with them.  If you want to keep your bouquet but also want to follow the tradition of throwing it for the single ladies amongst your guests, ask your florist for a smaller version which you can toss at the reception.
• Floral hairpieces: Some brides choose fresh flowers for their hair instead of beaded or metal headpieces.  You may also want floral hairpieces for your bridesmaids & flower girls.
• Attendants’ flowers: Your bridesmaid’s bouquets or posies need to coordinate with your own bouquet.
• Flower girl: Usually a flower girl will carry a pomander (a ball shaped posy) or a basket filled with rose petals which they scatter down the aisle in front of you. 
• Corsages: These are traditionally given to the mothers & grandmothers of the bride & groom.  You can have them match the wedding bouquet or match them to the individual you will be giving it to i.e. include their favorite flowers or match to their wedding outfit.  Make sure you ask them if they would prefer corsages they can pin to their outfits or ones which can be worn on the wrist.
• Boutonnieres: These are worn by the groom & his attendants & should match the bride’s bouquet. 
• Ceremony wedding flowers: Make sure you check with your ceremony venue first about any flower arrangements which may already be in place for your wedding day.  Usually you will be able to decorate the aisle, pew ends & other architectural features such as arches & the entrance. 
• Reception wedding flowers: At your reception you may want some large floral displays which will be freestanding in the room.  You may also want floral centerpieces for the tables & small floral arrangements for the wedding cake table.  If you are having a buffet you could also ask about small arrangements to decorate the table on which the buffet will be laid out.  You could cut costs here by using your attendants bouquets to decorate the buffet or cake table.

Flowers are often an intrinsic part of any celebration, but you should be careful to only order as much as you can afford as professionally arranged flowers can be expensive.  After the wedding why not arrange for your flowers to be sent to hospital or old age home.  Not only is this a lovely gesture but your flowers will bring much joy to other people.