How to Talk to Clients About Repurposing Ceremony Flowers for Receptions
As an experienced floral designer, one of the most common questions I’ve received from clients over the years is, "How can I save money on my wedding flowers?"
For couples who don't want to skimp on blooms and want large arrangements filled with an array of beautiful flowers, I like to offer plenty of ideas for reusing bouquets and floral arrangements from the ceremony for the reception. Repurposing ceremony flowers for receptions can add up to potential cost savings.
Repurposing ceremony flowers for receptions can add up to potential cost savings.
However, I am also honest with clients during the initial design consultation about considerations. Since most couples have never been in a position to hire a floral designer and don't know what is required to create floral décor, it’s helpful to lead them in understanding the floral design process and what will (or will not) work when they want to make the most of every bloom.
When discussing the options for repurposing ceremony flowers for reception use with clients, consider the following types of arrangements:
The bridal bouquet
Bridesmaids’ bouquets
Ceremony arrangements
Large arch arrangements
Ceremony aisle decor
Molly Lichten Photography
The Bridal Bouquet
The bridal bouquet is often the biggest of the wedding party flowers with the most unique, exquisite, and expensive blooms. Every bride should consider the best way to display her beautiful bouquet long after she walks down the ceremony aisle.
It is important to share that immediately after the wedding ceremony and wedding party photos are taken, the bridal bouquet (and any other bouquets) need to be placed in a vase with fresh water. That way, the flowers don't wilt and the bouquet can be proudly displayed after the ceremony.
Every bride should consider the best way to display her beautiful bouquet long after she walks down the ceremony aisle.
Practical Tips for Repurposing a Bridal Bouquet:
The vase's size used to display the bridal bouquet depends on the length of the stems on the bouquet.
A bouquet with short stems will look best in a glass cylinder vase about 5’ to 7’ high.
A bouquet with long stems will do best in a taller glass vase so it doesn't topple over.
You can show bridal bouquets placed in a tall vase behind the guest book or escort cards.
Bridal bouquets placed in a shorter vase can be placed in the center or front of a table so that the flowers aren't lost.
The bridal bouquet can be displayed after the ceremony on the welcome table, gift table, memory table, or escort card table.
Overall, couples must keep in mind the photographer will want to take lots of photos of the bride with her bridal bouquet after the ceremony, and the bridal bouquet will not be arriving at the reception venue before many of the guests arrive.
Repurposing the bridal bouquet needs to take into consideration timing. If guests have already walked by the welcome table, escort table, or guest book table on the way to the ceremony, it may not make sense to put the bridal bouquet there after the ceremony. If guests arrive at a separate venue after the ceremony for the reception, then it makes sense to display the bridal bouquet on one of these tables.
When given the option, many couples prefer to have the bridal bouquet displayed in the center of the sweetheart table or placed in front of the bride and groom at the head table with the entire wedding party.
In the center of the sweetheart or head table, the bridal bouquet will be in a perfect position for photos taken of the bride and groom throughout the reception.
Rather than paying for a large sweetheart table arrangement, couples often choose to have some light greenery along the sweetheart table and let the bridal bouquet make the floral statement after making their reception entrance. In the center of the sweetheart or head table, the bridal bouquet will be in a perfect position for photos taken of the bride and groom throughout the reception.
Roman Grinev Photography
Bridesmaids’ Bouquets
Wedding couples find it helpful to understand that the bridesmaid's bouquets echo the wedding floral theme, but are generally smaller (and less expensive) than the bridal bouquet. Let your clients know these bouquet contain fewer large, more expensive flowers and more filler, supplemental flowers.
Tips for Using Bridesmaids’ Bouquets for Reception Flowers
Because these bouquets are smaller, bridesmaids' blooms look best on:
bars or refreshment tables
coffee tables in a lounge area
grouped around the wedding cake or on dessert tables
evenly spaced along the head table (as long as the wedding party is not sitting on both sides of the long table)
While couples often request to reuse the bridesmaid bouquet as a reception table centerpiece, it can be a challenge or look unusual on standard table sizes, and it’s important to communicate this with your clients.
Explain that, since bridesmaids' bouquets are generally smaller, they could look a bit out of scale for a 5' or 6' round reception table. Second, and most importantly, the bridesmaids' bouquets are wrapped with ribbon and will be placed in a tall vase as the stems are generally cut long. As a result, a bridesmaid's bouquet situated in the center of a round reception table may make it difficult for guests to see one another and converse across the table easily.
A bridesmaid's bouquet situated in the center of a round reception table may make it difficult for guests to see one another and converse across the table easily.
Sometimes the wedding couple requests that the floral designer collect the bridesmaid's bouquets immediately following the ceremony to cut off the ribbon, shorten stems, and arrange them in vases for reception centerpieces. While this is undoubtedly an option, an honest discussion is necessary about the additional labor charge for the designer(s) to stay past the wedding ceremony and the time and space needed to make suitable reception table arrangements.
In addition, photographers often want to capture bridal party photos after the ceremony. As a result, the bridesmaids' bouquets won't be available for rearranging until many of the guests have already taken their seats at the reception.
Gabriele Stonyte Photography
Gabriele Stonyte Photography
Repurposing Ceremony Arrangements for the Reception
Large ceremony arrangements are often created in a plastic designer dish and then placed on top of a large urn or a pillar to provide a visual frame around the couple. Couples quickly learn that these arrangements are expensive as they require lots of flowers and greenery and need to be large enough to be seen from the back of the ceremony rows.
Some ceremony arrangements include flowers that are only the three front-facing sides of the arrangements (with fewer flowers in the back as they cannot be seen from the aisle chairs or pews). If the bulk of flowers are on three sides, the ceremony arrangement's placement at the reception must be considered.
Clients appreciate hearing that when the ceremony arrangement is created in a designer dish, it can be easily moved and displayed in a number of places, such as:
at the reception beside the head table
on a welcome table
on a buffet table
next to the stage with a band or DJ
If the arrangement is reused for an elevated floral arrangement on top of a tall vase on a reception table, it can also be a considerable cost saving.
However, the couple needs to understand that when the ceremony arrangement is reused as an elevated centerpiece arrangement, it would need to be created so that the flowers are evenly arranged around all sides. Therefore, pricing will be reflected in the additional amount of flowers required.
Kemp Collective
Reusing Large Ceremony Arch Arrangements
Clients are often unaware that floral arrangements for a wedding arch, gazebo, or chuppah are often created in a large floral cage or structure to hold the flowers and greenery and are very large, heavy, and wet with water. This can make for very tricky repurposing!
Tips for Repurposing Large Ceremony Arch Arrangements in Receptions:
Instead of deconstructing and repurposing the floral ingredients, you might want to discuss with clients how to repurpose the entire large arrangement.
It helps our clients when we educate them that these arrangements may be too large, bulky, and wet to be placed on fancy linens on a small sweetheart table.
If the arch structure is light enough to move to the reception area, it can be a beautiful backdrop for the sweetheart or head table.
Sometimes the wedding space is switched out after the ceremony for the reception. In this case, a large arch or a design that is too large to move can remain in place and be reused as a backdrop for the sweetheart table.
If the ceremony structure can't be moved, it can also be used as a beautiful ready-made photo booth backdrop—an added bonus for couples planning to set up a photo booth.
Sometimes couples request that these floral ceremony arrangements be removed from the structure and placed on the reception sweetheart table or other location. However, couples need to understand that the additional labor and time required to remove, recreate, and rearrange the arrangement from the ceremony to the reception may be equal to the costs of having a different arrangement specifically made for the space.
Rearranging of the floral arrangement from the ceremony to the reception may be equal to the costs of having a different arrangement specifically made for the space.
Another consideration for removing floral arrangements from large structures is that following the ceremony, photographers and guests often love to take photos of the wedding couple, wedding party, family, and friends in front of the ceremony structure. Moving them before photos are taken can be disappointing for all involved.
Kemp Collective
Du Soleil Photographie
Reusing Ceremony Aisle Décor
One could reuse small floral, greenery, and/or ribbon bows that were hung on the chairs or the pews of the ceremony aisle for the backs of chairs on the sweetheart table or the head/bridal party table. They can also be placed beside photos on a memory table.
When consulting with the wedding couple, ask if they want the ribbons or ties removed and cut off before reusing them as table décor. Also, consider that these aisle arrangements may be wet in Oasis or sprayed with water (to keep the flowers alive) and may need to be carefully wrapped in plastic, the holder dried, or placed on a towel before they can be placed on fancy table linens.
Final Thoughts
During the design consultation process, as the wedding floral designer, be prepared to candidly discuss options that make the most sense for repurposing wedding bouquets and arrangements.
Encourage couples to share ideas and suggestions as well! But carefully weigh the pros and cons. Ultimately, couples have selected their floral designer because they trust their experience and recommendations. Working together will make it possible to implement their wedding vision while staying within the target wedding floral budget.
