Do Your Own Wedding Flowers

Flowers are one of the most important parts of wedding décor. They help to set the mood, establish a color scheme, and above all, they are beautiful. Flowers can also be very expensive, however, which is why some brides prefer the do-it-yourself approach over hiring a florist.

If you do not have a background in floral arranging, you may quickly discover that it is harder than it looks. This does not mean that you should not consider attempting to do your own flowers; it just means that it is something that you should think through carefully. Also, definitely plan to recruit family members or bridesmaids to help with the actual arranging of the flowers the day before the wedding, because the bride will be way too busy!

Unless you are a professional florist, your best bet is to keep your floral arrangements simple. Let the natural beauty of the flowers speak for itself. Where most brides get into trouble is when they attempt to reproduce elaborate displays that they saw in a magazine. A great compromise can be to hire a florist to create the bouquets, which can be more difficult than the centerpieces, and then do the reception flowers yourself.

Certain types of weddings are better suited to do-it-yourself flowers. If you are having an informal ceremony on a mountain top, with the bride in a linen gown and unique handmade wedding jewelry, a loosely arranged bunch of wildflowers would be perfect. However, a grand reception for 350 guests in the Waldorf-Astoria will call for far more opulent floral displays, and therefore the services of a professional.

Outdoor weddings in general will tend to be better candidates for homemade floral displays. If your wedding is in a garden or a meadow, the natural beauty of the site will mean that your décor needs will be minimal. Choose simple arrangements like big bunches of hydrangea in galvanized buckets or fat bouquets of tulips dropped into clear glass bowls. Pitchers also make an excellent vessel for loosely gathered flowers, and make a nice alternative to basic vases.

Weddings in your backyard also present some interesting possibilities where flowers are concerned. As soon as your wedding date is set, you will want to think about planting a garden to bloom at the time of your event. You will want to decide on your wedding colors early on so that you can plant the appropriate flowers. If you are uncertain about what color to choose, all-white is always lovely for weddings. A monochromatic garden will look especially pretty with flowers that have a variety of heights and textures. If you want to do the flowers for the tables and bouquets as well, plant a cutting garden somewhere where it will not be seen.

Of course, some brides want to do their own flowers because they have their own artistic vision for their wedding day. This is the type of bride who loves anything that has been created by hand, such as letterpress invitations, custom gowns, and handmade wedding jewelry. One bride that I knew grew wheatgrass in low decorative containers. Then the day before the wedding, she purchased an array of brightly colored gerbera daisies at the grocery store and "planted" them into the grass. It was completely unique, very affordable, and the finished product looked fantastic.

There are lots of reasons to do your own wedding flowers. Just be certain to plan ahead, and to allow yourself plenty of time to do them. And just think, when people admire your floral arrangements at the wedding, you will have the satisfaction of knowing that you created them yourself.