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Arggggh at local florists.

After feeling swamped with information over which flowers are in season and when, which are suitable for bouquets and button holes etc felt it necessary to start pestering florists for their advise and to get quotes for the impending wedding in October 2009.

Through here and various googled sites for prior information i felt i had my head screwed on by asking the first question - To match my colour scheme of red, white and black could you please tell me which flowers you recommend for an October wedding. The only reply i can obtain is roses. Now i am not a fan of roses but three florists i have visited have only offered these as an option. The down side is they are quoted at being £1.50 a stem and you need quite a few to make a decent looking hand tied posy. The other question i asked was what would be in season and the response was you dont need to worry about that all flowers are accessable - meaning paying a premium for them.

I will be needing one main posy for myself and two smaller for bridesmaids.

I will also be requiring 7 button holes and 4 corsages, two car arrangements which will double up as the centre pieces for top table and four centre pieces for remaining tables. (Are there any others?)

The obvious answer to most of this is to get off my behind and make them myself however i am no good at arranging basic shop bought flowers so will not risk messing something on this scale up. Another option would be to have artificial flowers but i have had orders from MIL2B not to go down this route and there are no flower arranging types in either families.

Although we do not have a set budget for flowers i am loathe to spend OTT for things that probably wont see out the day.

The cheapset way i have seen at present for table decorations without me having to 'faff' about is on eden 4 flowers, who are showing lillies in a vase for £17 - this is now half the price of the florists quoted price and they will not supply vase! (and hoping with everything crossed that price will still be similar around wedding)

Has anyone got any MSE tips or advise?
:j Was married 2nd october 2009 to the most wonderful man possible:j

DD 1994, DS 1996 AND DS 1997

Lost 3st 5lb with Slimming world so far!!
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Comments

  • nat82
    nat82 Posts: 1,115 Forumite
    I'd say is it your wedding or your MIL2B's?!!!!! I had the whole artificial flower argument with my mum but at the end of the day it's me who is paying for them so I've decided that I will be getting artificial flowers. Not least because I don't want to pay out all that money for something that will go in the bin at the end of the day. Not very MSE!

    Dunelm mill have goldfish bowl vases for £4.99 and stems of foam cala lily's for £1.49 so you could do your table decs for £8.00.

    These are some of the sites I've been looking at for artificial flowers:

    Sarah's Flowers
    Wooden Roses
    Flowers By Sara
    Finlows Wedding Flowers ( I LOVE the Crystal ones, though not very MSE!!!!)

    Maybe if you showed your MIL some of these then she'd change her mind? Alot of people associate artificial flowers with tacky cafe's and don't realise how many gorgeous one's there are.

    Give it some thought!!!

    xxx
  • stef240377
    stef240377 Posts: 2,798 Forumite
    Cheers but i must agree with MIL2B i do want the 'real' flowers. As we have managed to get such a good package on the wedding as it is we have agreed that real flowers are to be included in the day.

    I am looking more for advise on flowers in season and what will work well in the bouquets and button holes as i appreciate some flowers do not have the strength in the stems to be used even if wrapped in wire or such.
    :j Was married 2nd october 2009 to the most wonderful man possible:j

    DD 1994, DS 1996 AND DS 1997

    Lost 3st 5lb with Slimming world so far!!
  • nat82
    nat82 Posts: 1,115 Forumite
    It may still be worth considering the centre pieces? You could then give them to some of your guests at the end of the day so they have a keepsake?

    Hopefully someone with more flower knowledge will be along soo to give you more of an idea!

    xxx
  • Violetta_2
    Violetta_2 Posts: 3,588 Forumite
    edited 6 April 2009 at 9:24PM
    This site lets you search for flowers in season by month hope that helps a wee bit.
    Also I contacted the local Floral arts society who have been really helpful and a lady from there is doing my flower's quoting £30 to £35 for my bouquet. I liked the idea of someone who loves flowers doing it.
    Sorry ETA they have a section on Weddings which looks as if it has a few good ideas including scented flowers and budget flowers.
    Booo!!!
  • when I got married many moons ago I got fresh flowers and in season was stargazer lillies (sp?) my colour scheme was deep red too and they worked really well

    this time round I'm opting for foam flowers, but it is up to the individual
    Got married on 1st August :beer:

    thank you to everyone on the weddings and anniversary forum xxx

    Jayne x
  • whoops forgot to say it was mid-october when i got married too
    Got married on 1st August :beer:

    thank you to everyone on the weddings and anniversary forum xxx

    Jayne x
  • mookybargirl
    mookybargirl Posts: 1,380 Forumite
    Violetta wrote: »
    This site lets you search for flowers in season by month hope that helps a wee bit.
    Also I contacted the local Floral arts society who have been really helpful and a lady from there is doing my flower's quoting £30 to £35 for my bouquet. I liked the idea of someone who loves flowers doing it.
    Sorry ETA they have a section on Weddings which looks as if it has a few good ideas including scented flowers and budget flowers.

    Unfortunatey none in the North East, that's a shame....
    Love MSE, Las Vegas and chocolate!
  • VickyA_2
    VickyA_2 Posts: 4,614 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    A friend got married in October quite a few years ago (before digital photos were the thing, so I can't post any photos) and had some gorgeous blue flowers, including things like thistles (Scottish theme). I think that there were some cornflowers too......

    I appreciate what a nightmare flowers can be. We tried a local florist who was USELESS. Very unhelpful - needless to say, no flowers came from them! Where we did go, slightly further away, were amazing. Very helpful and plenty of options - not just roses!! However, mine was a July wedding so it won't be much use.

    If you're near Lincoln, then I can give you the name of a good florist! :)
    Sealed Pot Challenge #021 #8 975.71 #9 £881.44 #10 £961.13 #11 £782.13 #12 £741.83 #13 £2135.22 #14 £895.53 #15 £1240.40 #16 £1805.87 #17 £1820.01 declared
  • stef240377
    stef240377 Posts: 2,798 Forumite
    I am looking towards lillies however i am concerned that if any pollen is knocked off it will stain clothing.

    I will definitely do some more research and hunt around a few more florists.
    :j Was married 2nd october 2009 to the most wonderful man possible:j

    DD 1994, DS 1996 AND DS 1997

    Lost 3st 5lb with Slimming world so far!!
  • lindaatno9
    lindaatno9 Posts: 2,092 Forumite
    edited 9 April 2009 at 7:17AM
    I'm no good at arranging shop bought flowers but managed my, my bridesmaids and the gents buttonholes. (Ok it was only 2)
    Nip to your cheap Aldi, netto etc and pick up 2 bunches of roses. Using the cardboard tube of a loo roll or kitchen roll holder, start adding the roses. You can keep moving the heads. Once you have them bunched together, tie with wide ribbon or what I did, organza. Put them in the fridge over night.
    For the buttonholes. Nip to the florest and get some florist tape. Using a leaf from the roses, one which has 3 leaves approx, lay this on the table and add a rose on top. Using the tape, wind the two together.
    I hope this is enough to get the gist. The piccy is too small but you can enlarge with this link.



    Ps. I also used ivy from the local bushes which was free obviously. I'm sure you can do it.

    Came back to edit. Is there a church member who would be happy to arrange your flowers. Sometimes, these ladies who arrange for a hobby can be very good. Local college where students are learning floristry?
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