Florist - can I get away without one?

Can't you just buy silk ones to keep cost down if you want them?

What are you doing (if anything) for a bouquet?

I've ordered all our flowers from Etsy - fraction of the cost of real flowers, plus the button holes and bouquets will all arrive made, but we have plenty of loose stems to make our own arrangements in the church and venue. Our wedding isn't costing as much as yours, but I definitely begrudged paying extortionate prices for a florist!! xx

Hmmm... Sounds interesting, will have to check out Etsy!

I'm not having a bouquet, not sure why but feel like it doesn't really need to be part of my wedding outfit so thankfully no colour scheme to follow with the flowers!

I certainly wouldn't want the stress of organising my own fresh flowers, i think plants such like you mention can be a good compromise but you still need to store them get them to the venue etc if you leave it too late might not have enough of what you want on day before/of the wedding buy too far in advance and they might not be at their best come the wedding.

As the others have mentioned if you go with artificial at least you can create the arrangements in advance...but personally for me not keen on artificial flowers although that said i have been fooled when they were mixed with real flowers.

We are not having flowers in our ceremony venue. It simply doesn't need it. If you feel yours doesn't, then proceed without the unnecessary cost and hassle!

For our reception venue, yes we're having centerpieces, but I've see plenty of centerpieces that aren't flowers. You can get creative with candles, fruit, books, just about anything!

Though not candles and books at the same time. Fire hazard lol! You may want to check with venue, re candles, even if it is outdoors x

Our wedding is costing us about £16000 and the florist is costing more than my wedding dress. We have paid £1000 for it but we are having lots and lots and lots lol. From what you said I dont think you need to spend that much and you wouldnt need much detail but I would definitely add some flowers on the day to give it some colour and elegance. You dont need to go to a proper florist unless you need certain things to be made. If you only want some flowers to decorate then yes pop to the garden certain and pick your favourite flowers with the relevant colour scheme! You would have fun doing it!

I bought ours off eBay and from hobbycraft as loose flowers and we made up all the decorations and bouquets. It didn't take long as you can really have the arrangement as you wish. I'm sure there are guides and tips on line that you can follow and hobbycraft have leaflets on how to the the basic arrangements.

If your ceremony room can get away without any floral decoration, then go without.

I didn't have a 'florist'. I bought artificial flowers from Sarah's Flowers online for my bridal party and my mum made my bouquet out of M&S roses and some flowers and herbs from her own garden.

Our ceremony venue had no need of flowers... I just placed my bouquet on the front 'desk'. Our reception venue didn't need them either really, I had floral centrepieces but the caterers took care of those.

If you're not fussed by flowers, or at least fresh flowers, don't have a florist. Equally if they are important to you and you want to spend the money then do so.

Hi,

We have bought some stunning artificial roses from Van Hage garden centre to make my daughter`s bridal posies. Well worth a look.

Hope this helps

lynne

I'm not having any fresh flowers at all. I did dream of a wedding full of fresh flowers but cost and hayfever have put paid to that.

We're having stunning bespoke silk flowers made for us by Rainbow Wedding Flowers and then Jules.40 (her company is A Sixpence for her Shoe) is supplying us with our table decorations which are an ivory candelabra with silk flowers around the base of ivory and pink roses and purple hydrangea which matches our bridal flowers and colour scheme perfectly. For other little touches of flowers we having a silk ivory rose placed in the knott of each chair cover.

For the church, D's mum is making some lovely hanging baskets to hang on the lytch gate, and then inside I am making organza bows and in the knott of each bow is a cream foam rose and three stems of silk heather to match D's button hole. We might also ask the church flower lady to do her normal set of weekly flowers that she usually does for the Sunday service but see if she might be willing to match them to our colour scheme if we pay a small donation towards them.

I didn't have a florist. I made my own brooch bouquet, the BMs silk flower bouquets and silk flower buttonholes for the men. Our venue provided stunning centrepieces, ceremony decorations and the like (fortunate, as I would never have been able to do a better job than them). Admittedly, without this provision by the venue, I probably would have consulted a florist (and spent a small fortune in the process).