Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Flowers add drama and emotional impact to any wedding—but are they worth it? Bride's bouquets alone can cost around $100-150 on average, but financial resources are not the only ones to consider when shopping around for flowers. Taking a moment to consider the environmental impact of the flowers you choose can help reduce your carbon footprint and make your wedding more environmentally and socially responsible.
Shop Local When shopping for flowers, seek to support small or local boutiques in your community before going with a large chain. A local boutique should be happy to tell you about where they source their flowers from, and you'll find that privately owned boutiques can sometimes offer more personal, one-on-one customer service. Making sure they source their flowers from nearby farms will ensure that you receive the freshest flowers, and asking for organic options can help reduce the flowers' impact on the earth. Pesticides in non-organic flowers can be damaging to the earth, and can even reduce their lovely and natural fragrances.
Shop Fair Trade If you simply cannot source your flowers from a nearby farm, find a boutique that offers fair trade flowers. Even though they still must be flown in from another region of the world, these flowers are sure to come from farms in (often) developing countries that offer fair wages and working conditions to their employees. Again, purchasing certified organic flowers will reduce your impact on the earth by eliminating pesticides, and you can walk down the aisle knowing your bouquet is as fair and clean as it is beautiful.
Consider Alternatives Even though flowers have been thought of as a staple at traditional weddings for as far back as many remember, more and more couples are considering the alternatives. Not only will alternatives take less of a toll on your wallet, it will also reduce the environmental impact of the wedding. If you are a DIY-er, gather the bridesmaids together for a day of crafting these lovely (and unique!) bouquets, or seek out crafters in your area or online (many sellers on Etsy.com offer bouquet alternatives with a wide variety of options, including customized creations!) Some alternatives you may consider:
- Think about using paper flowers! They are memorable, and easy to make for the origami-lover in your life. People will be talking about your paper décor for weeks to come!
- Button bouquets and brooch bouquets have become more popular recently, and a quick online search yields thousands of breathtaking results. Pinterest is a great way to gain inspiration for any DIY bouquet!
- While cloth or silk flowers may seem an obvious choice, they can be made even more memorable by adding feathers to your bouquet. Just because they seem traditional doesn't mean they have to be boring!
- Consider even wilder alternatives, such as a pinecone bouquet for a rustic wedding, or even fans instead of bouquets to really show off your unique side. These can be easy and inexpensive DIY projects for the bride and bridesmaids to do together.
But What About Tradition?
Your mother, and her mother, and her mother's mother all had fresh pink roses at their wedding. But consider how that tradition began: someone broke the original mold. Don't be afraid to start a new tradition that might pass down to your own children someday. Your budget will breath a sigh of relief after being reduced by several hundred dollars ($700-1000, typically) as you reduce or eliminate the flowers in your wedding. You can still have the beauty, and if the fragrance is what you'll miss, try burning organic floral scented candles to create that atmosphere. Show your guests your creative side and break out of the norm—you may even have other bouquet alternatives up your sleeve! What is most important is to set the tone for your marriage and let your wedding reflect you and your new spouse's unique personalities.