Hello all, I am getting remarried in a few weeks and like many people planning weddings, I am looking for ways to save money. I’ve been shopping online for flowers, and have noticed that while bridal bouquets are very expensive, there are plenty of beautiful arrangements that would appear to work just fine if I pulled them out of the (included) vase, shook the water off, and tied a ribbon around the stems. Is there anything I don’t know about flower arrangements that would prevent me from doing this? It seems like such an easy answer that I’m worried my idea is too good to be true. I wouldn’t want the flowers to arrive the day before only to discover I’m SOL.
If anyone knows why this wouldn’t – or would! – work, I’d appreciate your input. Thanks!
No reason wy you can’t; “bridal flowers” are a total scam. I know loads of people who picked up their flowers at Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s or even the supermarket. Lightening didn’t strike them down. I myself made my own dried arrangments with some ribbon and floral wire (available in any craft store) and lived to tell the tale.
ETA: ok, there is a certain style of bouquet that a florist can make and takes skill. But if YOU are happy with a simple hand-clasp bouquet tied with ribbon then YOU do not need their services.
Sure, why the hell not? My one suggestion is that it will be a lot easier to tie the ribbon around the stems before you pull them out of the vase, rather than after.
I think it’s a great idea and there is no reason at all why you can’t do that. Heck, go to a florists and pick out the flowers YOU want in YOUR bouquet and have the florist tie it up; tada!
I picked up a bouquet of the most BEAUTIFUL sepia-coloured roses, that matched my dress perfectly, at a grocery store on the way to the ceremony. And it only cost me 15 bucks Still have 'em too, lol; they dried beautifully.
Hell, we made ours because I got obsessed (just like the people I despise get obsessed with Brides and The Knot, only I did it with Offbeat Bride) and wished devoutly that I had just gone to the damned grocery store.
Or you don’t have to have flowers. You can carry a fan, or a pretty lantern, or whatever. You can make bouquets out of paper (that’s what we did) or brooches or you can even carry a bunch of cool lollipops.
Kudos for trying to save money on your wedding instead of wasting it. Use whatever you want for your bouqet. If anyone objects, send them here and we’ll give them what for.
My former sister-in-law bought a bunch of gerbera daisies at the supermarket on the morning of her wedding. To this day I haven’t seen a bridal bouquet more beautiful than hers. The bright colors of the daisies really popped in photographs, not to mention she spent a faction of what most brides spend on their bouquets.
This is a cool idea. (Scroll down the page to see a better photo of it with a bouquet.) You could stick the stems in a bag so they won’t drip on your dress then wrap them in this kind of doohickey, which would be pretty easy to make.
Sure, why not? You may want to practice with a bouquet a week or so beforehand, just to make sure you don’t find yourself ten minutes before you walk down the aisle fucking around with ribbon/scissors/dripping flower stems staining your dress or whatever.
My mom was a florist and really enjoyed helping brides on a tight budget. If you see an arrangement you like, ask the florist if they can band up the stems. This way you don’t have to pay for an unwanted vase.
If you feel that the florist might be pumping up the price because it’s “bridal” just tell them it’s a bouquet you want to give to your daughter after a ballet performance.
There are lots of online tutorials about how to make your own bouquet using supermarket flowers. They all recommend doing a trial run, though, so you know how to make it work ahead of time and don’t have to stress out about it on the day of.
I did the flowers for my wedding and for my sisters (roses for me and mini calla lilies for her), and the bridal bouquet and bridesmaid bouquets were probably the easiest part. I ordered roses online, stripped the stems (not an issue necessarily if you get some from the grocery store), arranged them with some filler flowers, and tied it up with a ribbon. I was really pleased and it was pretty easy. All you’ll need are a thorn stripper if you’re using roses, some ribbon, a couple of big pins, and some floral wire and tape. If your flowers aren’t going to be out of water for that long, they don’t even need to be wired.
Definitely do a trial run, though. You’ll need more flowers than you think for a decently tight bouquet.
Thanks! You guys are awesome!! Lots of great ideas here. I feel so much better. I actually was at a grocery store last night and noticed that they were selling a dozen roses for $8.88, and it occurred to me that I could just swing by the morning of the wedding and pick some up. Why on earth spend $150 for something that will die in a few days, or even $50 on a delivered vase arrangement, when I can pick something out that day for less than $10? Definitely will take your suggestions of doing a trial run, as well. I hadn’t thought of that, but it makes a lot of sense. Small price to pay for reducing stress about it, and a great excuse to treat myself to some flowers.
You also need a trial run if you’re doing a bridal photo shoot before the wedding (I think that may be a Southern thing, but here even budget brides do it.)
Bear in mind that some flowers will survive for a bunch of hours out of water (e.g. roses) and some will keel over immediately (e.g. tulips). Read up on your chosen flowers first, or make sure that the trial bouquet stays perky for as long as it will need to.
I myself made my own dried arrangments with some ribbon and floral wire (available in any craft store) and lived to tell the tale.
