Wedding flowers?

I need suggestions on wedding flowers. I was trying to plan for an elegant but in my budget wedding. I am only having one bridesmaid, and possibly a matron of honor (if my sis who hasn't had a wedding chooses to participate). One groomsman poss best man. I don't know a flower girl or a ring bearer. The facilatator from my church wants me to have a flowre girl, ring bearer, and at least three ushers and three hostess. Now she has said I need corsages, boutineers (spelling) and I don't know how to budget for this. I don't know how much wrist corsages cost and boutineers and I can't afford to spend over a thousand dollars on florwers. Any ideas on how to cut florist cost. I was thinking of making at least the bridesmaid bouquet and my throwaway bouquet from Michaels but she my facilatator got a little racial and stated african americans buy their flowers making them is too cheap. Please help me. I am getting married in April 08

Wedding flowers?
Buy fresh flowers in Walmart and make them your self. Enroll the help of crafty relatives or friends.





or





Have silk flowers instead.





As far as the church attentdant, be honest and tell her that you are looking into a more simple affair and that you don't need all of that. It seems like your church "buddy" is trying to bully you into something completly unnecesary, how tacky is that?





You don't have to have a flower girl or ring bearer. They are out of style as a matter of fact.





You need a bouquet for you, one for your bridesmaid and MOH, and bouttonniers for the groom, groomsman, best man, mother of the bride and father of the bride, That's it.





I've never hear of corsages for attendants!!! Do what you can afford and don't let nobody twist your arm and intimidate you into getting additional and unnecesary expenses just because they need to feel superior giving you so called "advice".





Do not listen to her and stand up to her and tell then that you have other plans in mind and that it's ultimately YOUR choice what to do at your own wedding.





Good luck
Reply:First off, no one should be telling you what you have to have at your wedding. There is no such thing as a requirement to have wedding flowers etc. If I were you, I would switch the place you are getting married at because the facilitator sounds like a real doush bag.





On another note, if you would like to make your own bouquets, go to Jo Ann Fabrics. They have the best silks and they are always having sales. Just go with something basic like all roses or w/e and wrap them up in some nice ribbon. It doesn't have to be extravagent for it to look nice.
Reply:First off, check with some local florists. You should be able to do everything for WAY under 1K. Depending upon where you are, even check with Safeway. I think that it's really nice to have real flowers for a wedding, but not for the ignorant reason the woman gave you - but because a wedding is special.


You need a bouquet for yourself - can be a full bouquet of assorted, or just roses, or carnations, and a smaller one for your bridesmaid. For your groom, a boutonniere of a main flower, and a smaller one for the groomsman. Corsages for grandmas and grandpas, moms and dads. Corsages really don't cost a lot; it's best to keep them simple anyway. For the moms, maybe three sweetheart roses; for the guys, mini carns.


Good luck!
Reply:You don't have to go overboard....It is not up to the church facilitator to decide how many bridesmaids and groomsmen you have much less a flower girl and a ring bearer.


It is your wedding...it is totally up to you to decide. You just need to tell this lady that you will decide who you want in your wedding and that her job is to assist you in making it a beautiful ceremony.





Now the question...you can buy simple boutonnieres at your local florist for about $5 - $6/each. You can purchase a bouquet for $35 - $50. I just got married in November and purchased a simple bouquet with 3 carnations for $12 or so. Just go to the florist and tell them what you a looking for. You can choose flowers that don't cost an arm and a leg. Etiquette says that you should provide a corsage for the mother's of the bride/groom and the grandmothers (if any) and that the groom, best man and groomsmen should have boutonnieres along with the fathers and grandfathers. You could have the maid of honor and/or bridesmaids carry a single calla lily tied with a bow/ribbon. It should cost you less than $10. You also need a flower arrangement for the church...either 1 big one or 2 small ones....This could be transported to the reception hall by a friend that you designate to double as a centerpiece for the reception table. All in all you should be able to come out less than $300...Believe me, it doesn't have to cost a fortune. You can do this! Congrats!
Reply:well, if you don't want ushers and flower girls and all don't have them, thats the first way to cut costs! If you are just getting bouquets and bouts and corsages for that many people, it should cost no where near a grand, I have just done that and have way more attendants than you and my bill is around 600.





If you are looking to do floral decorations with it, use things like colums with ferns and greenery on top and drape them with pretty sheer fabric, this goes a long way, for a lot less money that lots of floral arrrangements.





to cut costs, avoid calla lilies is the first thing $8-12 a stem, no thanks! use things like roses, gerbera daisies, normal lillies, and greenery that aren't necessarily the cheapest flowers you can get, but they aren't the most expensive either, and they are bigger so they cover more area in a bouquet. Average bridal bouquet is around 150 in my area and bridesmaids around 40 a piece, but you can go smaller if needed





As far as the corsages and bouts, use things like shasta daisies or carnations instead of pricier flowers, they will still be pretty and will actually last a lot longer. price wise, if you go with a wrist corsage it will cost more, they are harder for florists to make so you pay for labor mostly, go with sholder corsages. At the florist I worked for, it was 7.50 per shoulder corsage and 18.50 for a wrist corsage, BIG difference! Bouts shouldn't be that expensive either, around $5 each!





I am basing these prices on Mississippi costs, so things may be more expensive in your area, but you should still be able to have beautiful flowers for that amount, let me know if you need anymore ideas, I have gobs of um!
Reply:That woman at your church should be ashamed of herself-what does being African American have to do with choosing flowers? That's moronic! You only need to have as many attendants as you wish to have--we aren't having ANY at all!





You can get fresh flowers for under $1000 if you want-a small wrist corsage shouldn't cost more than $25. Don't tell the florist its for a wedding-they automatically jack up the price the minute you say wedding.
Reply:No one should say things like that!! You will be about to find flowers for way under $1000.00 And don't go with the first quote you get. Plus you have plenty of time.
Reply:I would suggest getting a new wedding planner/facilitator. For her to tell you how many people to have and what items need to be purchased is just wrong.





Otherwise, put her in her place and say look, you are free to offer up suggestions, but I make the decisions. Based on my budget, we're not having ushers or hostesses.





Advise her that her racial comments will be brought to the attention of the church.
Reply:First, don't let ANYONE pressure you into something you don't want or can't afford. You don't HAVE to have three ushers, three attendants or anything else she suggested (is she paying for your wedding?). Second, cut floral cost by creating your own bouquet, boutonnieres and arrangement using silk vs. real flowers. Go to www.save-on-crafts.com they have really reasonable rates and great ideas and you have plenty of time to make things since you have over a year. Good luck.
Reply:You've got over a year to decide what flowers to have...you need help with that? Duh! Why do women complicate everything?
Reply:Congratulations!





I'm planning my own wedding and I'm making ALL of the floral arrangements, bouquets, corsages, etc. by myself. Here's the sites I'm buying my flowers from:





www.bigrose.com


www.fiftyflowers.com





BigRose actually has entire bridal kits where they make everything FOR YOU and their prices are VERY reasonable (range from $399 to $799). The largest package includes:





1 Bridal Bouquet (up to 50 stems)


1 Maid of Honor Bouquet (up to 18 stems)


4 Bridesmaid Bouquets (up to 12 stems)


1 Toss Away Bouquet (up to 12 stems)


2 Petit Hand-tied Mother's Bouquets (up to 8 stems)


16 Attendant Boutonnieres (up to 3 stems)


14 Centerpieces (No Vases Included) (up to 24 stems)


3 Rose Petal (Boxes)





Hope this helps, and good luck!
Reply:I got all of my flowers off ebay for 200. I had 4 groomsmen and 4 bridesmaids, 3 flower girls. 4 set of parents and 2 sets of grandparents. I thought that was a really good deal and they really turned out nice.
Reply:I helped my friend plan her wedding and was in charge of the flowers (among many other things). I found that if you go to a wholesaler that you'll get the best price. I talked to some independent florist and looked at their books and prices and they seemed pretty good. Then i asked where they got their flowers from and it was a local wholesaler. So i cut out the middle man and went strait to them. They were way more affordable.



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