Hi Amazing Wedding People!
I am kind of hoping someone might have some wonderful ideas about flowers for a wedding on a budget but a strong "vision". I want to bless my friends and do their flowers. They want a romantic look and were hoping for shades of pastel. I know I can do a very elegant and lux looking white bouquets but because the wedding has 8 ladies I tried explaining that is basically 40 to 50% more than most weddings. We do not have wholesale status and we are doing DIY. I have done this many times but costs have risen and I have no idea why it is so tight. I also don't think the bride wants to wait for a day before to go to various places and hope they have what might work.
For $500 cdn I need petals or flower heads for 18 tables; two church arrangements to be used at the reception later; decorate two arches with flowers and greens, 8 bridesmaid/attendant bouquet, bridesmaid bouquet, 3 floral halos/wreaths for head, 16 boutonieres/corsages, two garlands for the two head tables for 14 people.
I know the tricks about greenery though this is not the look the bride picked other than the garlands, I can understand not so much in the bouquets but with two arches and two long head tables you know I am going to use greens. I know about re using flowers - I also have to take the arch and head table flowers and make them into two large arrangements for the second banquet the next day.
I am using Costco and grocery stores plus ordering or trying to find someone who will have white or light pink peonies in their garden. I am putting in $125 of my own money for a gift for their flowers and even then it is still tight. To save money I am ordering/buying about 60 to 70 stems of gladiolas. For the bridesmaids to create a high end look I am taking the "blossoms" from the gladiolas and wiring them into a special flower that will look like a rhododendrum/rose. I will mix them with a few roses, spray roses, carnations and hydrangeas. I really would love to get a few ranunculus, peonies and a couple of garden roses or mondial roses but I am not sure it is in the budget for the bride.
I have no idea why I am finding this wedding so tight and the bride keeps on say and assuming there are extra flowers... Like i am reusing the arch flowers - hoping they make it (we will have to recut and put them in water for me to making into other arrangements for Reception and to be used the next day at the second receipt.
Any ideas for really nice flowers - elegant. So we are staying away from Gerberas, sunflowers, daisies. We went a lot with costco. I could tear apart a dendrobian orchid and take the small heads and make them into flowers as well by wiring them but I do need some "real" flowers to support them so not everything is wired and taped showing. Sadly we do not have WHOLE FOODS as they have beautiful and fairly exotic flowers at good prices. Our Costco order includes Vendela roses, blush roses, white hydrangeas, white freesias, pale green carnations, white calla lilies, white and pink spray roses, white stock, baby's breath and various greens
THe pictures sent to me for inspiration unfortunately were not bouquets with lots of greens or loose greens and a few flowers.
THey are expecting a wedding for about 300 to 400. So the budget really is about $625--$650. And believe it or not I have like $30 dollars or so left to get peonies, ranunculus or whatever. One place wanted $8 a stem for peonies.
