Wedding flowers and decor are one of the easiest ways to save on your wedding without anyone noticing. The price of flowers these days- especially when you add the word “wedding”- can go through the roof in a blink. Once factoring in all centerpieces, bouquets, boutonnieres, ceremony arrangements, buffet table arrangements, pew pieces, and accents, you’re easily looking at $1,500. What if you could spend under $500 on your flowers, knowing it would still look fabulous?

Here are some do-it-yourself flower ideas that will help you save a lot of money on your wedding flowers:

Centerpiece: $10 each

2 stalks gladiolus
Gladioluses are beautiful, tall, majestic flowers that come in a variety of colors. They are about $4 per bunch (8 stalks) at your local grocery store. This will be able to cover 4 tables for $4 ($1 per table)!

3 Lemons
Cut the lemons into ¼ inch slices and then cut them in half (like half moons). Lemons are about 60 cents a piece.

Vase
Buy 8 inch tall, 3-4 inch diameter circular vases from a craft store or online discount store. You should be able to get these vases for $4 each.

Mirror
Buy circular mirrors from a craft store or online discount store. You should be able to get these for $1 each.

Rose Petals
Buy silk rose petals to sprinkle around the centerpiece from a craft store or online discount store. Think about whether you want to get yellow to accent the lemons or the color of the flowers. You should be able to get 500 silk petals for $8 (you will only need about 20 petals per table)

Directions
Buy the flowers no sooner than 2 days before the wedding. Assemble the centerpieces the day before the wedding. Each centerpiece will only take 5-10 minutes to put together. If you are covering 15 tables, you’re looking at 2 1/2 hours max for one person. Enlist the help of family and friends and get it done in an hour!

Snip the gladiolus stalks to the appropriate length for the centerpiece vase. Rubber band 2 gladiolus stalks together with a green rubber band (to match the stalk/ stem), so that the flowers are facing outward. Put them in the vase. Fill the vase around the flowers with lemons to hold the flowers in the center. Fill the vase with water. Put the centerpiece on top of the circular mirror, which will reflect the colors nicely and make the centerpiece appear to expand outward. Sprinkle the rose petals around the centerpiece.

If you have 15 tables, you’re looking at $150 total.

*If you have about $5 extra dollars per centerpiece, go ahead and add 3 votive candles in glass holders as accents around the centerpiece with the rose petals.

Ceremony and buffet table arrangements: $35 each

Buy large 24″ tall glass vases with footing (around $30 each online), fill each with 8 gladioluses (around $4 per arrangement). Gladioluses come with palm like grasses that you can use as an accent. Either wrap the palms around the perimeter of the vase horizontally or manipulate them so that they are sticking out with the gladioluses. With all of the palms from the centerpieces that you won’t be using, you’ll have plenty to work with. If you are using 2 ceremony arrangements and 2 buffet table pieces, you’re looking at around $140.

Bridesmaid Bouquets: $18 each (max)

3 camellias, 3 daisies, 6 cornflowers, palms from gladiolus as accents (can bend them over to be upside down tear drop shapes). Wrap in florist tape and ribbon. One person hold the bouquet together, the other person wrap in tape and ribbon.

You can add a few flowers to the maid of honor’s bouquet to make it stand out or make her flowers a different color.

*Both of these flowers are available in some color in each season- not always available in all colors. These are cheap but beautiful types of flowers.

Have a bridesmaid luncheon the day before the wedding and include bouquet making/ centerpiece assembly. Each bridesmaid will assemble her own bouquet while you are assembling your bridal bouquet (with help from a couple other people). It may sound like you’re asking for a chore from them, but it’s actually quite fun– I did this for my own wedding.

Total time: 30-45 minutes per bouquet

If you have 4 bridesmaids, you’re looking at about $75 total.

Bridal Bouquet: $35 (max)

3 large lilies (or other favorite flower), 5 camellias, 8 cornflowers, palms and/or other greenery for accents. Similar assembly as above. Don’t forget to cut the stamen out of the lilies- they will stain your dress!

You will most likely have to buy a bouquet of lilies- you probably won’t be able to just get 2 stems. Use the rest of these lilies to accent your cake and buffet table.

Boutonnieres: $5 each
Wrap a camellia and accent foliage (can be a piece of palm from gladiolus) in green florist tape and push a straight pin through it. Wiring may or may not be necessary, depending on sturdiness.

To learn more ideas for wedding flower arrangements, visit http://www.weddingflowerarrangements101.com

I’m planning on creating my own flower arrangements for my wedding but I’m running into issues when I try to calculate costs. I have no idea how many flowers I need for the arrangements. Does anyone have any suggestions for ways I can calculate this ahead of time? Or know of a book or website that will give me some instructions? Thanks!

One of the most important things that you will be choosing for your wedding is your floral centerpiece. Flowers can be an expensive part of your wedding and if you are looking to save money there many tips that can help you out. The first thing you want to do when choosing a floral design is to set a budget so you know exactly how much you have to spend. Once you have your budget you should visit your local florist so that you can get a better idea of what type of flowers you can purchase on your budget. Remember you can always use a wholesale supplier but start with the florist because they will help you understand what types are available.

Your budget in many cases will dictate what type of flowers you have in the color theme to your wedding. If you are trying to save money at another great option for you is to find a wholesale flower supplier in your area. You will be surprised that you can save a lot of money when you buy the flowers at a cheap price and have your friends and family help to make the arrangements. If you decided to take this option it is a good idea to search online to find different decorating ideas for your wedding flowers.

Remember that one of the most important parts of your wedding is to choose a floral decoration theme. Once you have set your budget then you know exactly how much you can spend on your flowers and your centerpiece. A great way to save money is to find a wholesale floral supplier and user-friendly and family to help put together the arrangements.

Tropical flowers originate from regions in Africa, Asia, Hawaii, Central and South America, and the Polynesian islands. Their rarity and unique beauty sets them apart from traditional wedding flowers. The very shapes they possess, and their bright colors, make them an ideal choice for weddings. Their versatility allows them to be used in a number of ways throughout the wedding.

Don’t cut off the leaves that come with the flowers, as foliage can make a dramatic difference in your tropical wedding flower arrangements. You can put them around your centerpiece for a more casual, beach feel. A variety of foliage can also be used to accompany single or minimal bridal bouquets. Ferns and long leaves are great to compliment centerpieces and bouquets as well.

1. Anthuriums, commonly known as Flamingo Flowers, are a popular choice for tropical wedding flowers. They come in pink, white, green and red varieties. Since these are typically large flowers, they are suitable for decorative purposes rather than bouquets to hold. For bouquets, the designs of anthuriums usually dominate those of other flowers, so be careful in selecting what flowers you put them with.

2. Calla lilies are an elegant choice for tropical wedding flowers. They are graceful enough to use in singles as an alternative to big bridal bouquets, and also make for great centerpieces. White lilies are very formal and elegant; they have a simple beauty that makes them decorative even when used alone.

3. Hibiscus flowers come in many colors, and some also come in two tone colors such as the pink and yellow variety. It is the state flower of Hawaii, and is a perfect tropical wedding flower for beach weddings and Hawaiian themed weddings. They look great when their stems are cut off and the heads are made to float in clear bowls of water.

4. Orchids are also another favorite tropical wedding flower. They come in many colors and can be used for the bride’s hair, the bouquet, corsages, and in tables.

5. Plumeria is another Hawaiian classic tropical flower. These make for great centerpieces as they do not have stems. Scatter them on tables of your reception area, or use them with tealights for a great centerpiece. They are dominantly white, but varieties come in dark red, yellow, and pink.

6. Heliconias around the location undoubtedly add a tropical feel to the wedding. Place them around the reception area, and if you have an outdoor wedding you can place them around tents and gazebos. They are too large and not appropriate for bouquets, but there are many ways you can work around using heliconias for the location of your ceremony.

Nadine Visscher has arranged flowers for over 15 years and has written The Beginner’s Guide to Wedding Flowers found at www.WeddingFlowerDirections.com

When we think of wedding flowers we often think of the bride’s bouquet, but flowers can be wonderful accessories in almost any surroundings. Using wedding flowers as decorations is popular, particularly for a summer wedding. Wedding flowers also provide a wonderful fresh scent that will last throughout the day.

Wedding Flowers and The Ceremony

The main role for wedding flowers, during the ceremony, is as part of the bridal party bouquets. However, look a little further and you will see a whole host of opportunities for you wedding flowers.

Why not use a bow of material with one pretty flower in the center, on the back of every chair. Simple yet effective. Wedding flowers can also be used as part of the ceremony venue decorations. It may be possible, for example, to line the aisle with flowers or to ask a bridesmaid to scatter petals on the path, in front of the bride.

Wedding Flowers and the Reception

Wedding flowers are not traditionally part of the reception decorations. But, there is no reason why flowers cannot be a fundamental part of your decorative design. Flowers can be used as center pieces on the tables, they can even be used as a fun way of telling people at which table they should be sitting. For example, you could have a rose table, a lily table and a violet table.

Instead of favors, it could be a great idea to use wedding flowers such as a single rose as gift for every woman. Wedding flowers can also be used to decorate the venue itself, for example, as part of the room decorations – a fresh and vibrant alternative to balloons!

Wedding Flowers as Gifts

It is traditional to give gifts to those who have helped with the wedding arrangements, such as the mother of the bride, bridesmaids and mother of the groom. Why not combine any other gift you have chosen with some wedding flowers. As you will be ordering in bulk, the cost of a few bouquets will be much less than you originally thought, so ask your florist what they can do for you.

Wedding flowers are often thrown away at the end of the day; try to think ahead as to what you can do with all the displays that you have purchased, after the event. As most couples head straight off on honeymoon, they are unlikely to be able to make the most of the wedding flowers, so have some friends in mind that may appreciate the displays.

If you want to preserve your wedding flowers, why not get them dried or pressed flowers? Alternatively, you could consider planting the flowers or even having more long-living specimens such as decorative cacti.

When it comes to wedding flowers, there truly is no limit to your imagination!
Elsie Gilbert offers great insights to all different types of wedding ceremonies, wedding styles, wedding accessories. From traditional to the exotic she makes it easy for the bride and groom to review and choose. For more details on all types of wedding ideas visit this site now http://www.weddingceremonyhelp.com

As with all forms of art, some people are just naturally inclined to understand aesthetics. The same applies to wedding reception flower arrangements – if you have a good sense of form and color and a strong attention to detail, then creating the arrangements may be right up your alley. You won’t be able to create some of the stunning looks you may have seen without proper education in how to prepare wedding flowers right away, but you have to start somewhere!

The first step in learning how to get the best types of designs and arrangements is to get some inspiration. Fortunately, there are a lot of resources out there that show off some beautiful floral designs – just visit a local florist or bridal shop and take a look at their books. This will help refine your ideas and see some of the techniques that experts use in their arrangements.

Once you’ve got some inspiration, it’s time to start nailing down some concrete ideas. Color is a great place to start. When preparing wedding flowers, you have to keep in mind the location of the ceremony as well as the colors of the bridesmaids’ dresses. This can give you a jumping off point for your own arrangement. The next step is choosing flowers. Here’s where it’s important to understand the concepts of form and structure – without that, you’ll just have a bunch of flowers and not an arrangement. From there, it comes down to a lot of practice and trial and error. Play around and see what looks good and what doesn’t, and you’ll have a solid foundation in how to create beautifully arranged flowers that are perfect for your wedding in no time.

Now that you are planning your wedding, you’ve got to choose
bouquets, boutonnieres, centerpieces, church arrangements, and a
stunning corsage for one of the most important people who will attend
the ceremony—your mother. Somehow, you’ll have to make the
arrangements for all this, and at a cost that will likely be between 10 and
15 percent of your overall wedding budget.

If you’re like most brides-to-be, just thinking about how to manage all of
the details required to successfully deck-out the church, reception areas,
and the wedding party with the perfect flowers is enough to make you
dizzy. So our first words of advice are “Relax, and follow these tips from
well-seasoned floral experts.”

First Things First

1. Opt for a Pro—Even the savviest bride-to-be should hire a florist.
Given the attention to details and pace on your wedding day, you won’t
want to be worried about wiring each stem for your bouquet when you
should be getting dressed and posing for photos. And don’t let money
be an obstacle. A truly good florist should be able to work within your
budget.

2. Picture Perfect—Just as a hairstylist invariably will ask for a picture of what you have in mind, so will a good florist. Be prepared. Flip through
bridal magazines, surf the Internet, and peruse books for flowers and
different arrangements that appeal to you. Gather as many images as
you can, and take them along when you first visit the florist.

3. Color Coordinate—If you’re unable to find inspiring floral designs
even after all that browsing, begin with a color scheme. You may want to
start with the color of the bridesmaids’ dresses and choose coordinating
hues, says St. Louis floral designer Dale Rohman.

4. Checking It Twice—Before meeting with your florist, carefully make a
list of every flower need. Include the obvious (your bouquet and his
boutonniere) as well as the nice touches (garland for the staircase).

Visit the Shop

5. Judge by Appearances—Florists are like home decorators; they are
paid to pay attention to details and to create inviting as well as
interesting spaces. If the shop seems noticeably out-of-date or
hopelessly disorganized and strikes you as unimpressive, look for a
different florist.

6. Use the B-word—The cost of your flower arrangements will quickly
add up, so don’t let it overwhelm your budget. If you are really trying to
keep expenses low, downsize. Instead of ordering bouquets for your
bridesmaids, have them carry one stunning bloom—a long-stem calla
lily, for example.

7. Be Open to Different Ideas—When you meet with your florist, let her
know what kind of flowers you like, as well as those you don’t like. But
keep an open mind, suggests New York floral designer Kimberly Wise.
“Give us the parameters to work within—a color, for example—then let
us be the experts.” After you and your florist have made all of the
necessary selections, look over the proposal carefully before signing,
just to make sure that you are both on the same wavelength.

Designer’s Sense

8. Setting the Scene—The flowers you select will go a long way toward
setting the mood for your wedding day. Choose blossoms that match the
setting and formality, or informality, of your event. For example, daisies
or pansies would be far too casual for a white tie and tails wedding. On
the other hand, lush garnet roses are too formal for a beach ceremony.
Get the idea.

9. Season Sensations—Spring and summer weddings lend themselves
to pale colors, citrus tones and, as the weather warms up, bright, vibrant
beach-ball colors. If you are planning a fall wedding, begin thinking in
terms of rich, earthy colors, such as amber, burgundy, and rust. Winter
brides can create an unforgettable, sparkling effect with evergreens,
silver, crystal—and, of course, a wonderland of white.

10. Worth a Thousand Words—You may be dresses in white when you
walk down the isle, but which white? Wedding gowns come in many
shades of pale, from pure white to ecru, so don’t just describe you
wedding dress. To ensure that your flowers will work well with your
dress, take along a swatch of the fabric when you first meet with your
florist.

11. Stay in Proportion—The size of the bouquet you choose should be in
proportion to your size. If you are petite, have your florist design a
bouquet that complements, rather than overpowers, your size. After all,
you don’t want your bouquet to be the center of attention. Conversely, if
you are a tall woman, you may want to opt for something robust.

Memorable Bouquets

12. Mother-of-the-Bride—Well, she may be making you a little crazy right
now, but she’ll settle down again once all the excitement is over. In the
meantime, consider honoring her love and devotion throughout the
years by looking to her wedding bouquet for inspiration. Maybe you’ll
want to carry some of the same kinds of flowers she did.

13. History and Traditions—If there was ever a time to blend the past
with the present, this is it. Devote a little time to reading up on wedding
traditions—perhaps in different cultures, especially if that will lend
something particularly appropriate to the ceremony. Did you know that
during the Middle Ages, brides carried fragrant herbs to ward off evil
spirits or that Queen Victoria adorned herself with orange blossoms?

14. One Memento, Please—Would you prefer to keep your wedding
bouquet as a memento, rather than toss it away? Have your florist
design a “toss bouquet” to throw to those eagerly awaiting maidens. It
will be smaller and less expensive, as well as easier to lob.

Flowers seem to be a significant part of every wedding. The decision to have flowers usually isn’t the hard part, as is deciding which kind to have. There are many different options for wedding flowers. Having real flowers or silk flowers and deciding on type, color and arrangements can be a daunting task.

Deciding on the types of flowers may be one of the most challenging aspects. Some things you may want to consider are between real flowers and silk ones. Real flowers are beautiful but also expensive. You also have to put them all up and take them down again. Knowing what flowers are in season at the time of your wedding and going with them could save you a lot of money.

You also have to decide on colors, if your colors are the same as some flower then you could save a lot of money not having to dye them. Silk flowers on the other hand are easy to dye and will be something to keep forever if you wanted. You could use them in arrangements around your house after the wedding.

Another point to keep in mind is where to get the flowers. You need to shop around well in advance since wedding flowers have to be ordered and possibly dyed. Some places to check for the best deal are grocery stores, farmers markets, always check flower shops last since they are the most expensive way to get flowers.

If you are planning an outdoor wedding you may not even need the flowers. If you plan to wed in a park for example, you probably won’t need flowers. Try just tying ribbons or making the most of the flowers already in the park. If the park will allow some arrangements you could consider donating them to the park after the wedding.

Most churches allow flowers with some restrictions. It is important to know far in advance what is expected. Some churches will allow flower arrangements along the aisles as long as they are removed promptly. As for flowers around or on the altar, it is imperative that the instructions for decorations are clear. Some churches will not allow any flowers or decorations on or near the altar. Another point to keep in mind is what the plans are for the flowers after the wedding. Some churches will appreciate a donation of some flower arrangements while others may not.

When planning a wedding the flowers are a very important part and very time consuming. From the decision making to the actual wedding, flowers may consume a lot of the planning time, however they are a special piece of the wedding and you will treasure the memories for years to come. Walking down the aisle to your new life together, don’t forget to stop and smell the flowers.