Choosing Wedding Reception Flowers

Flowers at the reception can include anything from fresh cake toppers to garlands on the banisters. These flowers can be important, because they really help cement the look for the event. Since they can also be expensive, taking a few price-cutting shortcuts can be a good way to reduce a fat flower budget.

Cake Flowers:

These can be a great way to dress up a simple cake. Most florists will provide loose blossoms that can be draped on the cake, or small arrangements to serve as a cake topper. If you are concerned about putting real flowers on the edible cake, consider decorating the surrounding table with a few loose blooms. Easy and inexpensive!

Flowers as Décor:

Hanging flowers or draping garlands on surfaces like balustrades will add a beautiful, natural touch to any event. If your florist has worked at the venue before, he/she will likely know what spaces can be dressed up with flowers. You can also create dimension and depth to a space by hanging pomanders, which are round globes of sturdy blooms that can hang from the ceiling on ribbons.

Go Green:

Rather than spending oodles of cash on pricey florals, consider using relatively simple, and often seriously inexpensive greenery to decorate a reception space. Ivy, ferns, pine garlands, and autumn leaves can all be fantastic options that will cost a fraction of flowers. If you are doing your own decorating, consider using silk garlands for an even less-expensive option.

Centerpieces:

Though flowers aren’t the only option for table centerpieces, they are one of the most popular. This is a great place to show off your color palette while providing visual focal points for the reception space. See our article on wedding centerpieces for more detailed information.

Where to Buy Reception flowers:

If you are doing your own flowers, contact a wholesaler to see if they offer public access (many are designed primarily for professional florists). If this isn’t an option, search locally for a flower market that you can visit early on the day of the wedding or the day prior. While using a flower market leaves some things to chance, if you get there early and are aware of what types of flowers are in season, you can get incredible deals.

If you have a florist for your bouquets, ask them if you would be able to purchase floral materials from them- they may be able to offer them to you at cost, as long as you are doing all the preparation and arranging yourself. For those who want a foolproof option, consider buying highly realistic silk flowers or preserved flowers online, ordering them in plenty of time to make sure they will work.