Give Flowers a Second Time to Shine

Flowers & Decor >

You’ve spent months – and, to be sure, a fair amount of money – figuring out the perfect blooms to accent every nook and cranny of your big day. But where will all those fabulous flowers go the day after the wedding? Sure, maybe you want to take a few arrangements home, but there are likely tons of them and chances are you’ll be leaving soon for your honeymoon. 

If you’d like to prevent (or at least prolong) the moment when your beautiful blossoms end up as fertilizer, follow these leads

Regift

Mireya Navarro, an environmental writer for the New York Times and author of “Green Wedding: Planning Your Eco-Friendly Celebration” (Stewart, Tabori & Chang, 2009), suggests rewarding guests who close down the dance floor by having them take home centerpieces to enjoy for a few more days.

It would also be a thoughtful gesture to invite the servers, bartenders and other wedding crew to take home an arrangement, says Sandra Di Domizio, owner of eco-conscious Greenfox Events & Guest Services, which serves the Eastern Sierra Mountains region in California. “The venue staff work so hard and are usually the last to leave, after cleaning up. A bouquet of flowers for them – or their partner or kids at home – is such a treat,” she says.

Donate

Brighten a lot of people’s day by asking your coordinator or a friend to deliver your leftover blooms to a local fire or police department, school or day care, advises Di Domizio. Other great options include hospitals, senior centers and nursing homes, Navarro adds.

Reuse/Rebloom

Navarro recommends asking vendors like your florist or hotel if they have other uses for your flowers (or even just the petals) after your event. If not, see if your wedding planner or venue can arrange to have all your greenery composted.

Rethink

Instead of using fresh-cut flowers for your centerpieces, Navarro suggests selecting potted plants that you can give to guests as favors or take home for your garden. Di Domizio likes ice plants, succulents and bamboo because they re-root quickly and are very hardy.

© Brides 365

Tags: reuse, upcycling, bouquets, centerpieces, wedding donations