Wedding Flowers!!

[Kilala]

Hello there,

I am getting married in March and we are doing most things ourselves- including the flowers. Nothing fussy- I am a practical outdoors type (but still girly really!) Each of the tables are going to have a small vase of Daff's on, but I need some advice - If I buy a load of closed Daff's and want them to be at their peak on March 18th, when do I buy them? How do I store them? Also, I need to make my bouquet- HOW? What would look good with Daffs? I am awful with knowing about flowers unless they are endangered chalk downland ones...

My fiance has gone to Uni as a mature student, and we have chosen the most broke time of our lives to get married hence no florist actually involved...

Thank you in advance!!

[joko]

i would suggest buying ones with the bulbs still on, or just bulbs and planting then in your garden or in large pots and just pick them on the day - then you can be certain they will be at their best. i think daffs are pretty easy to grow. you could get a few of the different varieties to add some different shades of yellows, creams and oranges.

you may find a kindly neighbour or relative with green fingers willing to help out if you don't want to bother.

[mullein3]

get them on the 16th make sure they are tightly closed and they will be perfect for the day..look around the garden for some evergreen shrubs i.e rosemary etc and use these to make your bouquets up..its st patricks day around this time so you should be able to get some shamrock..which is wispy and lovely..the florist should also have some wispy flowers to add to the daffodils..its not the cost of the wedding its what comes after 27 years ago i got married i didnt have a dress a reception..flowers honeymoon nothing and i am still happily married my cousin in the same year spent �15.000 on her wedding it was all show !! and her marriage didnt last a year!! its the people not money that are important..i like wild flowers better than anything cultivated and if i was to get a bouquet i would love it to be made of evergreen and wild flowers..herbs etc...best of luck..

[Kilala]

Thanks for the advice, so they'll open up wide within two days then, mullein? Doesn't seem long!

Joko- I don't think I have time to plant them- the wedding is in under 10 weeks! (That is disregarding the fact that I live in a first floor flat...)

[Robert G]

No, no, no. Forget all that, and stop worrying. Do nothing about it but this:

Arrive at the church without a bride's bouquet. Say to the priest: "Oh dear, I've forgotten my bouquet! What shall I do? I know, I'll raid the pub's beer garden and hanging baskets. Give me just two minutes."

This is exactly what happened when my bride married me last August. The pub landlord was only to happy to oblige, and it was easy to get the local newspaper to include a piece about it, complete with photo. It was just one of a number of talking points about our wonderful wedding.

We didn't hire expensive chauffeur-driven cars, neither did we pay a wedding photographer, nor caterers, and everyone (150 guests) said it was the best wedding they'd been to!

I humbly offer you these further tips for you to consider:

Think of a few ways to be a bit different, both in the service/ceremony and at the reception/party afterwards. It is your day, of course, but in the planning of it, try to focus on giving your guests a splendid day. Do of course be yourselves, and 'give of yourselves' to your guests. As the bride, you should build on your uniqueness. They'll love you for it. Don't try to be someone/something you are not.

For us it was no long white elaborate wedding gown; no 'Here Comes the Bride'; no 'Wedding March'.

My bride wore a long, bright red, sleeveless/strapless dress and arrived at my side carrying an armful of pub flowers and a huge smile. In the readings we spoke of our love for each other (each not knowing what the other was going to say) and afterwards we learned that there wasn't a dry eye in the congregation. And at the end of the service we sang and danced down the isle!

I wish you as wonderful day as we had. Good luck to you both.

[mullein3]

kilala ..as soon as you put the daffodils in the vases or whatever then they will start to open..i think they keep them refrigerated in florists ..they will definately be open for when you need them..

[Kilala]

Excellent, Thank you everyone!

This is our wedding, and we are not the slightest bit interested in what this season's bride and groom are wearing...

i went to my mum and dad's wedding, there was not a suit to be seen- My dad hates them, so I am from a 'very indiviual family where what makes people happy is the best idea.

I just love the srping and the scent of new life associated with it and that's why there will be daffs everywhere!

I had better find a florist and put an order in then!

[Polotoo]

If you are ordering the flowers, why don't you ask the florists advice? I'm sure they would be only too happy to give you some pointers, even though you are doing the flowers yourself. I've asked about lifetimes of flowers and storage etc for taking to see relatives and normally they will give you pointers.

Have a lovely day and enjoy every moment! As everyone else says its the people that make the day not the amount of money spent!

xx