Ask a Friend to Help Arrange the Wedding Flowers
The cardinal rule for any type of wedding-related expense is "ask around". Craft-minded friends are usually very willing to help out with flower arrangements—for a nominal fee, the cost of the materials only, or as a wedding gift to the couple. If the thought of making the bouquets proves too daunting, ask whether the helper would consider arranging the flowers for the church or reception area, or making the buttonholes or corsages. Professional florists are expensive; if even one or two of the floral arrangements can be done by a friend, the savings will be considerable.
Helping out need not be limited to arrangement. Amateur florists usually source their flowers from farmers' markets, but friends with superb flower gardens may be happy to donate, particularly if they are given plenty of advance warning.
Choose Seasonal, Local and Cheaper Flowers
The price of flowers will vary depending on your region, the season and the demand, so Valentine's Day is not the time to be ordering dozens of red roses. Think seasonally and locally—imported flowers tend to be very expensive. Orchids, roses, lily of the valley and other lilies are generally expensive, so it may be wise to avoid these. Think outside the box—lavender bouquets are a charming and inexpensive choice for an English country wedding, while a brighter and more modern wedding may be enlivened by gerberas.
Consider Using Flax Flowers
Flax flowers are a cheaper, modern alternative to real flowers. They can be used alone or combined with real blooms, and come in a few different shapes (usually rose and lily). An advantage of flax flowers is that they can be dyed to exactly match wedding theme colours.
Reduce the Number of Buttonholes
Boutonnieres and corsages add up—save them for very important guests only, such as the mothers of the bride and groom. Groomsmen can wear brightly-coloured handkerchiefs, carefully folded, in their waistcoat pockets as an alternative to buttonholes.
Reduce the Number of Blooms Per Bouquet
A bunch of solidly-packed flowers will generally be far more costly than a bouquet containing greenery. If your theme flower is expensive, "pad" the bouquet with ivy, ferns, and cheaper flowers such as baby's breath. Be creative—ribbon, tulle, wire, seed pods, pinecones and even fruit can be used to bulk up a bouquet. Nor do bouquets have to be large—modest posies or even a single bloom can make a dramatic statement.
Above all, don't worry. It has been known for a wedding party to travel to the ceremony before discovering they have left the bouquets behind, only to receive lavish compliments on their hastily-gathered wildflowers!
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