Post # 1
Member
9 posts
Newbee
Having a downtown Chicago wedding is not budget friendly at all, so my fiance and I trying to save money where we can. My mother’s friend donated a garden full of peonies (drool) and we were planning on making the bouquets ourselves and making centerpieces with glass jars, lemons and the flowers. The plan right now is to get the flowers prepped and vases ready the night before and then ask friends/family to put the two together the day of.
My mom, Mother-In-Law, basically everyone I tell this too thinks that I’m nuts and will be way too stressed and busy to do this and it’s just an added burden. However, I can’t imagine spending thousands of dollars when we can do it ourselves for pennies. What do you think? Anyone done their own bouquets and centerpieces?
Post # 3
Member
183 posts
Blushing bee
Wow, that’s awesome! Peonies are so gorgeous! I did my own flowers (roses and garden roses) with the help of a few family members. We arranged everything, including bouquets and coursages, the day before (we started around 5pm) and they held up fine the day of. My Mother-In-Law took a few arrangements home and said they lasted for a week or two after even! I think as long as they are cut fresh you should have no problems with them holding up if you do them a day early. It’ll be a lot less stressful for you too. Just make sure you keep them hydrated and out of direct sunlight and heat.
Post # 4
Member
9 posts
Newbee
Thanks for the advice LeiAnn
Post # 5
Member
1045 posts
Bumble bee
LawBride,
I’m thinking of doing DIY flowers as well– I think it will be really meditative and keep me from getting too anxious the day before. It’s stressing my mother out a bit, though. 🙂 I would recommend you do a quick search for "DIY Flowers" in the Google Custom Search box (right up there on the right, above the ad column). There are several threads that deal with DIY Flowers, and link to tips the girls give and photos and such. You can also search on some of the DIY Flower sites such as fiftyflowers.com and growersbox.com and freshroses.com, and some of them have DIY tips to help get you prepared.
We’ll be doing ours the day or so before– mine will be mostly roses, and I usually prefer the way these look after a few days of opening.
Question about the lemons– are these going IN the vases with the flowers, or separate? CUT lemons (slices)? If you’re planning on using cut lemon slices, you would want to do some sort of nesting vases setup, so that the water doesn’t get cloudy or slimy. One vase inside of a slightly larger vase, with the flower arrangement in the inner vase, and lemon slices lining the outer vase. Good luck!
Post # 6
Member
2829 posts
Sugar bee
Have some extra fridge space for your arrangements if it’s particularly hot or humid.
I’m going the DIY route for flowers but I have the help of a Bridesmaid or Best Man who used to work as a florist.
Best advice I can give is keep it simple & make sure your flowers are secured well; my sister had hers professionally done & though it was a very stoic, inactive formal Catholic wedding & the arrangements were still falling apart [the ribbon used to keep the flowers together that is].
It’s no fun going from the church to the reception chasing the bride’s bouquet [or what was left behind] and then desperately trying to re-arrange the damn things nicely for pictures.
Post # 7
Member
81 posts
Worker bee
Nancy Liu Chin had a great post about DYIing flowers on WeddingBeePro. Check it out: http://www.weddingbeepro.com/2009/07/06/ask-nancy-to-diy-or-not-to-diy/.
Post # 8
Member
647 posts
Busy bee
My mom and my Future Mother-In-Law are all freaking out about me doing my own flowers too! They’ve almost got me talked out of it…actually my Future Mother-In-Law has threatened to withold funding if I don’t get a florist. 🙁 I say go for it! I did a couple practice runs with hydrangeas on my blog, check it out here.
Post # 9
Member
5271 posts
Bee Keeper
I am planning on DIYing my own flowers & the best advice I can give, is for you do some trials ahead of time. You can buy the actual flowers you will be using, or pretty much any similar flower and do some trial runs, practicing is the key!
Post # 10
Member
751 posts
Busy bee
thats sounds beautiful if they don’t like they can pay to do something else.
Post # 11
Member
1901 posts
Buzzing bee
How can you pass up FREE Peonies? They are gorgeous, but normally cost a fortune. I am planning on DIY the flowers, too. I thought about finding someone who has floral skills and paying them an hourly rate to help guide everyone in creating the arrangements. Some DOCs might have these skills
