Repurposing Floral Arrangements from Your Wedding

You’ve been waiting your whole life for this moment. You’re getting married, and with great celebration comes great planning. First thoughts in the planning process are often the venue, your dream dress and food to impress the guests. Yet with all this in mind, it’s important to remember that your bridal flowers are something to put great thought and design into. They are a treasure to be seen, and a lot of time, planning and budgeting goes into your florals to bring your wedding and theme to life. However, due to the life span of these gentle blossoms and their fleeting beauty, many tend to shy away from grand floral pieces to avoid the guilt or afterthought that your flowers will only have a life span of a few hours. What happens to these radiant beauties after the reception has ended and guests are walking out after they danced the night away? Though their sole purpose is to bring beauty, romance and charm into your wedding day ceremony, pictures and reception, some couples deem it a waste of money that flowers are used only for one night. They end up scaling down the designs they had dreamed of, so as to not feel bad about having large amounts of “wasted money” sitting around.

 

 

What if there was a way to repurpose these gorgeous flowers and have them live on for days after the wedding day? It’s time to “go green” (pardon the pun!) and do even more justice to these living treasures. This is a new trend that is roaring in the floral industry. We love and value the longevity of a flower’s life and would love nothing more than to see flowers bring more pleasure to people’s lives after the big day. There are many awesome new DIY ideas to re-using, re-inventing and re-purposing your arrangements, and we know you will love them as much as we do.

For the Crafter: DIY till your heart’s content

 

For our Pinterest and DIY doers out there reading, we have the perfect relaxing day craft that is easy and simple to create! Turn your flowers into homemade potpourri and have your wedding day live on for years with this scented mixture. A real fun aspect about homemade potpourri is that you can tailor it to your personal liking and fragrance palette. With all of the flowers you take home, you can make different batches full of different recipes and a variety of ingredients, or even create a signature mix that is a classic in your home. Display it in a beautiful jar or divide your new creation into small burlap pouches and gift them as a thank you to your bridal party and guests for a sweet reminder of a good time. One recipe we found that works beautifully:

Ingredients

• Flowers
• Sheet pan
• Parchment paper
• Scissors
• Essential oils
• Spray bottle
• Citrus fruits (optional/ to your liking)
• Fresh herbs (optional)
• Whole spices (optional)

Here’s how to get started:

1. Preheat your oven to 200˚F.
2. Cover a sheet tray with parchment paper.
3. Cut the flowers from the stems right below the heads and place them on the tray, or remove individual petals and place in a single layer on the parchment paper.
4. Add scent to your potpourri: Citrus fruits, rosemary, lavender, thyme, cinnamon sticks, cloves, or allspice.

For more details on how to make this potpourri, visit Popsugar.com

 

Gifting Your Flowers

 

Lately, brides are selecting smaller and more intimate weddings, which leads to smaller and more intimate décor and florals. Though it may not be obvious, this serves in your favor while re-purposing your wedding day florals. You spent time choosing flowers, designing arrangement ideas with your chosen florist, and envisioning décor that works perfectly for your big day. When all is said and done, why not re-gift the joy you had handpicked and created with love? Your centerpieces can be a lovely way to gift a piece of your special day to those closest to you as a token thank you.

 

The Joy of Sharing

 

On your big day, the sheer joy, excitement and love, is a feeling that cannot be described. Not only are you celebrating union with the one you love, you are surrounded by the people that mean the most to you. You heart is as full as ever, and what better way to wrap up your journey than to pass that happiness and love on to others?  One way to share your bliss with others is donating your arrangements to those that may need something to smile about. Several hospitals and nursing homes gratefully accept arrangements for their patients to enjoy and adore. This is a beautiful gesture and a loving way to share pieces of your special day with those who could use a touch of cheering up.

 

Bridal Exchange

 

Lastly, a great way to repurpose your flowers and recycle them back into the floral world is by pay-it-forward floral style. Though it may sound like a foreign concept, it is a new creative way to help those who may not have the budget for flowers on their wedding day, and many generous brides are starting this exciting and selfless trend. It can be easily arranged and can bring a lot of hope to brides and families of those soon to be wedded. Simply ask your venue, planner or florist to help find a bride that may need assistance. Not only does this eliminate the question of what happens to your centerpieces after your reception, but it brings joy and light to someone else’s big day.

Repurposing your flowers, whichever style you ultimately choose, is a thoughtful and respectful way not to let these beautiful pieces go to waste, and it can touch and bring a lot of enjoyment to many people’s lives.