Post # 1
Member
1466 posts
Bumble bee
Hi Bee’s –
I just recieved my first florist proposal, I’m waiting on the second one. Of course they start with everything you could dream of and then bring it down to what you can afford. The proposal was about $1000 over my budget. One thing I wasn’t expecting and we didn’t really talk to much about was cocktail hour flowers. The proposal for them wasn’t outrageous, but it wasn’t really something I thought we’d need.
Here’s a photo of where our cocktail hour will be located:
If it’s raining cocktail hour will be here:
Post # 3
Member
6530 posts
Bee Keeper
@Meant2Bee: your venue is VERY similar to mine!
My cocktail hour looked almost like yours, we didn’t have flowers for the cocktail hour, we had votiff candles that the venue provided
Post # 4
Member
526 posts
Busy bee
Your outdoor venue would look quite nice with linens over the tables and a couple votive candles. Also, don’t know if it would go with your theme, but how about a budding branch on the tables rather than an “arrangement”? I did this at an event I planned and it was lovely, and I’m actually doing it again this weekend with manzanita branches.
Post # 5
Member
1938 posts
Buzzing bee
We are moving the jars of flowers hanging from the ceremony chairs to the cocktail tables and bar. It made sense for us to repurpose them because those chairs/ that area isn’t used after that in the evening. There are only 6 ceremony jars but there are only 3-4 cocktail tables and the rest will just be standing, so that option may not work if you’re not doing aisle flowers or not enough to set on the tables. You could always do alternating flowers/ candles if there’s not enough.
Post # 6
Member
1466 posts
Bumble bee
@Andthepupmakes3: That’s a great idea. We are having flowers hanging from chairs for the ceremony, might as well repurpose them.
Post # 7
Member
687 posts
Busy bee
I’m contemplating spending about $100 at Costco for the cocktail hour area flowers – we don’t really need arrangements, but some plain roses or hydrangeas in vases would be a nice touch.
However, it just pains me to have a bunch of flowers left over that will get no use as we’re having a semi-destination wedding! So still thinking about that one.
And I love the idea of repurposing aisle jars! I have a bunch of those hanging jar pictures in my inspiration folder, so that’s also an option.
Post # 8
Member
12247 posts
Sugar Beekeeper
I agree–candles would be a nice touch, but I definitely wouldn’t expect flowers as a guest!
Post # 9
Member
3697 posts
Sugar bee
We only had a couple tall bistro tables, but I had small arrangements on them, on the candy bar, and on the bar itself.
Post # 10
Member
1755 posts
Buzzing bee
I think the pps who mentioned table cloths and repurposing ceremony decor with some votives are on the right track. If you wish anything more, I’d suggest some inexpensive glass vases from Michaels/Hobby Lobby/Various Dollar/Bargain Stores, buying a few bunches of flowers that are inexpensive in a color complimentary to your wedding colors and a couple days before make up some simple vases to fill in.
Post # 11
Member
1674 posts
Bumble bee
- Wedding: September 2014 - Waldorf Astoria, Chicago
We are doing flowers at ours, but I insisted on them 🙂 I don’t think people expect to see them, and you would be fine with just some candles. I like the suggestion of maybe getting flowers on the cheap somewhere and adding some arrangements yourself.
Post # 12
Member
646 posts
Busy bee
I think it’d be nice to have something on the table–some of the PPs mentioend votive candles, or having something from your theme on the tables like a centerpiece in lieu of flowers. We used lanterns with floral wreaths for our reception tables, and had extra lanterns we put over white linens on the cocktail tables.
Post # 13
Member
49 posts
Newbee
@Meant2Bee: just curious, is this venue in Va Beach?
Post # 14
Member
13251 posts
Honey Beekeeper
We had small cocktail arrangements on the cabaret tables, and a large arrangement on the gift cable and escort card table
Post # 15
Member
227 posts
Helper bee
Our cocktail hour is our reception space, double duty 🙂
Post # 16
Member
8695 posts
Bumble Beekeeper
We had votive candles on our tables for cocktail hour.
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