How the Right Flower Arrangements Can Save Your Wedding Budget

A wedding is an important occasion of commitment, time and expense that requires careful planning and attention to detail. Flowers can make or break people's impression of the wedding reception. So when it comes time to selecting the flowers for your wedding reception, remember, there are many choices including buying them from a florist, having a talented friend arrange them for you, and deciding whether to buy fresh or silk. Whatever you decision, wedding flowers may provide color, texture, style and sometimes even scent. Flowers can decorate your guest book table, the cake, the catering tables, the dining tables, the bride and groom, the ushers and bridesmaids, the altar, parents, and the aisles. This can add up to many dollars quickly.

Fresh wedding flowers require water during transport. They need protection from bumps, weight, and other damage. A large number of the same colored flower need to be ordered in advance and may be purchased from several growers. The flower must bloom during the time requested. This is the major reason people buy wedding flowers from florists. They know how to deliver wedding flowers that look their best. This doesn't mean you can't cut some of your costs.

If you watch your local grocery, you can get a feel for which flowers are generally available during a given time slot. Carnations, roses and chrysanthemums are regulars. Lilies are also popular both at weddings and at the grocery. If you use these flowers in your order from the florist, it's likely that you can provide some of the arrangements yourself. [See picture 1, note details for making this arrangement flower later in the article.]

If you plan to arrange some of the flowers yourself, remember to:

1) Use a commonly available flower and varied colors in your florist order

2) Bring the flowers to the wedding in a large, 5 gallon bucket half-filled with water

3) Save any plant food packets to fill the vases at the wedding

4) Arrange the flowers then fill them using a pitcher. [See picture 2]

5) Bring a knife and pruning shear to cut stems

6) Make sure the one arranging the flowers is not a wedding party member