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There are so many parts and details to any given wedding, it must be assumed that some are totally superfluous. For me, one detail I really don’t care about is flowers. I think flowers are lovely. We are getting married right after Easter, and the church will be full of them. However, I just cannot justify them as a major budget item. I have plans for flowerless centerpieces (more on that later) and am currently working through flower alternatives for the wedding party.
For the groom, his men, and our fathers, I have found this lovely how-to thanks to Ms. Ferris Wheel and intend to make my own version of these boutonnières for the big day. They can be made in advance, won’t cost an arm and a leg, and should stand up to a full day of hugs and dancing without looking smooshed or wilty.
Photo via Ms. Ferris Wheel
Now, for the bridesmaids, I cannot make up my mind. There are SO many options out there!
There are paper bouquets, like these from Green Wedding Shoes.
I really like these, but if you are going to carry flowers, why not live ones that will live on…like these!
Photo by Troy Grover via Green Wedding Shoes
Why even mess with flowers at all when there are great options like these?
CANDLES!
Photo via Offbeat Bride
HANDBAGS!
Photo via Sheila Hallatt
PARASOLS!
Photo by Mighty 5146 via Offbeat Bride
Clearly there are lots of options. Clearly, I need to do some narrowing down. I asked MOH MD if she had any suggestions for flower alternatives for the bridesmaids. After giving me a funny look she suggested this:
Photo via Wine Tasting Guy
HA! She is soooo funny. Maybe the bag-o-wine is not such a bad idea!
Are you using bouquet alternatives? Which ones?
I’m probably still doing flowers, but not anything expensive or extravagant. I agree with you in that flowers just aren’t a priority for me like they are for others. I’m going to get bouquets and boutonnieres/corsages, but that’s about it - I don’t need to have flower arrangements all over the place (i.e. on the cake table, guest book table…) or really involved centerpieces.
This made me think of the show Four Weddings, where the brides are constantly criticizing the lack of flowers at one another’s weddings. I’m always like…really? It’s that big a deal to you, that she doesn’t have flowers spilling out of every available electrical socket?
I’m going with paper flowers from Martha Stwart’s tutorials, but still not sure if it’ll be a bouquet or a pomader. If it wasn’t in december I’ll consider doing the flower pots.
I tried a few paper flowers but ended up throwing in the towel because I knew I’d go insane if I had to make a load of them. They look so great though!
I agree with Melanie and what you said, flowers are not the biggest priority. I like the different pictures that are illustrated. It is a good idea to mix it up with candles and other crafty-floral ideas instead of your basic bouquet. The price of florists can become very pricey! I like the variety of ideas you offer your audience. I would be very interested in using one of the techniques you demonstrated. Thanks for sharing!
My BMs used wine bottles as placeholders for bouquets during our rehearsal…I actually kind of liked it!
Oh and I previously forgot to add - The wine-in-a-paper-bag idea is pretty damn funny. What could be more classy? 
Too funny, my BM used a bottle of champers as a placeholder when practicing her walk the night before!
The parasols are gorgeous and of course I love FWs bouts!!
I am having the SAME problem! I am having a fall wedding…and of course, on a budget. Personally I just dont think flowers are worth the money! They are beautiful and if i had the expendable income to do them how i would truly like them….i’d probably have a whole room full. But I don’t. I keep coming back to my best friends wedding that i was in this past summer. At the end of the night for clean up….we literally dumped a thousand dollars down the drain when we tossed her floral submerged centerpieces out. Thats crazy to me! My sister is insisting that i have flowers somewhere. And i somewhat agree with her….but my mom is making amazing fabric bouqets and i am having dried floral centerpieces. At this point fresh flowers might look out of place? I am all about the rustic sort of vibe im going for where as my sister is a more flowery bling sort of girl. I try to take her comments as constructive criticism but when will she get the point!? I dont want or need flowers!
I am using wood flowers, I was able to get 15 for close to 4 dollars at save-on-crafts. The only thing I will say is that once you get them you have to spray them with water to open them up.
Love the idea of the candles, and they may look even better with pretty paper flowers tied on the base.
I can’t get excited about flowers either! I’m thinking of using these crepe paper flowers from good ol’ Martha Stewart: http://www.marthastewartweddings.com/photogallery/diy-paper-flowers
i like very much of flowers, here still use diff flowers for wedding. the candle is so gorgeous.
I love the idea of an alternative to real flowers! While real flowers are gorgeous - it is such a shame that they don’t last! I’ve been searching for some fun options….and I’m loving the paper flowers I found in this Etsy shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/onehappygirl
So pretty!!
Oooh… I’m so behind on my blog reading that I missed this post! I simply can’t wait to see how your bouts turn out! I wrangled with the same problem you have regarding what to do for bouquets and centerpieces if you’re not using real flowers. We decided to go with crepe paper flowers, and I’m still in the process of making them. They’re certainly time-consuming, but it’s nice that they can be done ahead of time. I also really like the clutch idea, but my girls actually weren’t into it.
So my advice on making this decision would be to ask the opinion of those who will be carry the flower-alternative, and then keep in mind how much time you have for the project. Let us know what you decide!!!
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Miss Aardvark, Beaver Dam, WI Age and Occupation: 23, Assistant Product Manager Fiance's Age and Occupation: 31, Business Analyst Engagement Date: May 28th, 2011 Wedding Date: April 2012 Venue: St. Philip Catholic Church/Arcadia Brewing Co. About Me: I am a resourceful lady who love surprises and adventure. At the same time, I value traditions, family and friends. I like to make crafty messes, sometimes, clean them up, and do pretty much anything outdoors. The Mister and I are pretty avid cyclists---we have nine bikes in our home right now...and one motorcycle! We both enjoy eating food we can't pronounce (language doesn't really matter) and going places we've never been. We currently reside in rural Wisconsin, enjoying the cheese and beer it has to offer, and getting outside whenever we can!
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