DIY Wedding Flowers: Take the Flowers and Run

Every couple deserves beautiful fresh flowers on their big day.  Unfortunately, spending anywhere from $5k and up is just not in the stars for every couple. Every so often I get an inquiry from a prospective client and once finding out they cannot afford their floral fantasy they will sheepishly ask “Can I just get the flowers from you and we’ll do it ourselves?”   And my answer has traditionally been “no I’m sorry but we are full service only.”  But, then I started thinking of how that’s not very fair. And I started reminiscing  back to my own wedding. Obviously I did my own florals and it was a nightmare.  I think this is why I try so hard to steer couples away from this.  I was up until 3am the morning of my wedding working on the florals and nearly had a nervous breakdown when I realized that we may not have room in 2 vehicles to transport everything.  Luckily, I was able to get help and the day was saved.  I was a tired bride but the flowers, well they were amazing and I saved thousands of dollars.  Yes, thousands of dollars.  So, I’m starting to open my mind a little more to DIY Flowers. In honor of Labor Day today, because flowers are labor, here are the pros and cons of doing your own wedding flowers::

The Pros

• You will save money.  There is no question you will save money by going the DIY wedding flower route. The average spend for standard wedding florals in 2022 is $3500.  If you want all the fancy tall centerpieces, arch and aisle adorned florals you are now in the 8k starting range. By doing your own flowers you are still buying the flowers but you are not paying the design fee, set up, take down fees.  So what would have cost you $3500 will more than likely cost you 1k if you take the flowers and run.  

• You are crafty and creative!  You have a pinterest board to die for, you live at JoAnn, Michaels and Hobby Lobby.  You are the queen of craftiness and cannot imagine letting anyone else do your creative work for you.  I get it.  And doing your own wedding flowers will be your pièce de résistance! You know that there are plenty of YouTube and Tik Tok videos that will show you the way! This is a great opportunity to enlist your wedding party and other craft minded relatives to help in the days before and most importantly the day of the wedding.  

The Cons

• Your wedding is a major event.  Listen, if you have the funds for a huge wedding that involves a wedding planner and lofty floral goals just leave it to the professionals.  We handle everything from start to finish so you don’t have to worry your pretty little head. 

• You are working with a perishable product.  Flowers must be stored properly in a cool environment.  You don’t need a cooler like a professional florist but you do need to ensure your flowers are stored out of sunlight and kept in a cool dark place.  I usually recommend a basement.  You also cannot work too far ahead with real flowers.  Typically we start our wedding work the Wed before a Saturday wedding.  We are processing the flowers on Wed and start working on boutonnieres and corsages on Thursday.  Friday is spent on center pieces and bridesmaid bouquets.  The bridal bouquet is always the last design we make, making sure to save all the perfect blooms along the way for this extra special piece.  

• You are  going to be busy on your wedding day and don’t want to mess around with flowers the day of.  Make sure you have your help in place to load up all the florals and set up the ceremony and reception venue.  Don’t be like me and have a last minute freak out the day of your wedding because all your florals do not fit in the 2 vehicles you allotted for the task.  My husband still reminds me that I interrupted his pre-wedding Orange Theory workout hyperventilating about flowers.  

Whew, hopefully this post either scared you enough to hire us to do your wedding florals or it inspired you to take the flowers and run!  I’m going to run a series of posts on how to do your own wedding florals and even post some how to videos for the brave and flower crafty couples out there! Keep checking back or just subscribe.  At the very least you can laugh at how many times I say “Umm” in the videos.  Happy Labor day everyone.

All the Little Bud Vases

One of my favorite ways to design for a wedding reception, dinner party or just my kitchen table is to place a single or a few exquisite blooms in bud vases. It’s so simple and can go from whimsical to classy depending on your vases and blooms of choice. For my kitchen table I love to take whatever is in bloom from my backyard and snip a few stems of the best flowers or foliage available. Right now it’s Exotic Emporer tulips - after a long winter in Northeast Ohio I LIVE for my tulips to bloom. As soon as their pale little yellow heads started to pop out, I started snipping some stems. I drop a few stems into a tall bud vase and voila! Super simple and brings me joy every time I look at it. For a dinner party I may bring out more vases of varying heights and do more of an “arrangement”. But still keeping it very simple with 1 -3 blooms per vase. I love to use focal flowers with large heads like peonies, dahlias, garden roses. To add whimsy to a table setting look for anemones or ranunculus with their curvy stems that can go in all different directions. I love to have a curved stem anemone that faces directly out at your table guests rather than up.

Astilbe and Garden Rose assorted bud vase wedding centerpiece

Ranunculus and Garden Rose in white ceramic bud vases with candles

Hot Pink Ranunculus on a vintage tray

Heirloom bud vases are very easy to find in antique shops or secondhand stores. I find most of mine for under $10 and love to mix and match different heights and finishes. My collection is growing because when I find a bud vase I never pass it up. You can place the vases on an antique tray to add more detail to your tablescape.

Dahlia bud vase centerpieces placed in front of each guest. You can vary the blooms for more fun.

For a wedding reception mixing bud vases along with votives and tall taper candles can add a lovely flow to the table. Everywhere the eye looks there is something beautiful to look at. If a couple has special vases from a grandmother or mother these can be incorporated to add a sentimental touch. Placing a small vase at each place setting will make your guests feel extra special.

Bud vases running down a kings table. Guests can see each other yet still have beautiful flowers to look at.

Anemone bud vases with assorted candles running down a long table

This summer snip a few blooms from whatever you have growing in your garden and put it in a bud vase. You’ll be amazed at the simplicity yet big impact it provides for your next get together. If you are planning a wedding, consider using bud vases in place of long greenery garlands or large centerpieces. Your guests will love all the little beautiful things to look at and will be able to see each other without having their view obstructed. I can’t wait to see all your bud vases. Tag us @nicolemaefloral on instagram to show them off!

Wedding Flowers 101 - Color Themes

We take color theory pretty seriously here at Nicole Mae Floral. When picking out flowers for a wedding I like to build off the main focal color of the overall theme and create a cohesive design that is right out of nature. Very rarely will you see a flower that is one color shade. To play off mother nature I will generally pick the focal flower and then choose blooms that have the same tones featured in this main flower. A Cafe Au Lait Dahlia, for instance, has a base shade of creamy pale peach but in the very center you will often see dark pink and even hints of fuchsia. We tend to carry all of these colors out into the floral designs so nothing looks contrived or unnatural. Here is a look at our all time favorite color palettes and blooms to get your creativity flowing!

Mauve and Berry

Mauve and berry is one of my absolute favorite color combinations. It can work for any season and your choice of blooms is endless. I love to use crystal accents and vintage vases when using mauve and berry.

Ranunculus

Koko Loco Rose

Peaches and Cream is one of the most visually pleasing palates for a summer wedding.. Peach is a new neutral that goes beautifully with pops of bright pink, sage green, coral and yellow. The combinations are endless.

Styling/Photographs: Kyndal McKenzie Photography

Cake: The Hive Cake Studio

Florals: Nicole Mae Floral

Peach Ranunculus

Coral Charm Peony

David Austin Juliet Rose

Green and White continues to be one of the most popular wedding trends for flowers. It’s elegant and clean and photographs beautifully. My newest way to showcase green and white floral is to use crystal compote bows, vases and candles to create a stunning yet simple ambiance.

David Austin Purity Rose

Olive

White Sweet Pea

For a garden inspired wedding pastels are the way to go. Soft, lush and ultra romantic blooms surround you and your guests with amazing fragrance. So beautiful!

Clockwise from top: Photographer/Styling: Kyndal Mckenzie Photography. Florals: Nicole Mae Floral. Cake: Wild Flour Bakery/ Cake Flowers: Nicole Mae Floral/ Photograph: Shannon Ahlstrand Photography

Clooney Ranunculus

Pink Anemone

Pink Astilbe

Wedding Flowers 101 The Bridal Bouquet Style Guide

Did you know your bridal bouquet is the most photographed floral piece at your wedding? No pressure but this is one piece with which you should fall totally in love.  And if your florist starts throwing out terms like cascade, crescent, textural, organic to describe your bouquet options and you are a little confused, don’t fret!  An organic bouquet you ask?  These are industry terms that we florists like to throw around to identify the style of the bouquet.   Brides often comb through Pinterest or Instagram and just pick the bouquets that speak to them focusing on colors, blooms they like, and general shape.  However, knowing the name of the shape you are gravitating towards and and searching Pinterest or Google Images for the shape will pull up endless inspiration for your bouquet.   And if you tell your florist you are searching for a “crescent with lots of texture” you will be a flower goddess.    So, here is my 2020 Bridal Bouquet Style Guide to keep you in the know.  Happy wedding planning!

1.       Asymmetrical Bouquets  

This modern and fresh looking bouquet features lush greenery that draws the eye up on one side and drapes down the other side.   It’s a striking bouquet that pairs well with nearly every wedding dress style.  This bouquet can be described as “boho”, “romantic” or “dramatic”.  It’s visually pleasing in pictures and is one of our absolute favorites to design.  Paired with trailing silk ribbon it’s truly a show stopper. 

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2.     Crescent Bouquet

This is the anti-ball bouquet.  That classic round shape with very little greenery is the antithesis of this oblong bouquet that keeps her middle low and ends long.   This is achieved by using longer branchier style greenery and floral stems fanning out along with a large focal flower laying low in the middle.  Think peonies, garden roses or dahlias as the grand dame. This bouquet is another show stopper in pictures.  My secret is to keep the stems very short so in pictures you see all the beautiful blooms facing out.  Plus, it doesn’t feel quite so heavy for the bride. 

3.     Traditional Bouquet

I call this the Kardashian bouquet because they have made this lush style unique to their over the top style.  This bouquet is very traditional with a perfectly round shape filled with fluffy peonies or roses en masse.  Greenery is kept to a minimum and the bouquet is smaller in size than the more modern bouquets.   Although it looks simple, this bouquet uses a lot of premium blooms to achieve the perfect shape and it is a design feat to make this perfectly.   Traditionally these are wrapped with silk ribbon and will not have the trailing ribbon.  Be prepared to spend a little more money on this classic but if you are going for a luxe look this is the bouquet for you.  There is nothing more beautiful than a bride in a full ball room style wedding dress carrying the traditional bouquet. 

4.     Wildflower Bouquet

Another bouquet that holds a special place in my heart is the wildflower style.  It could be a loose round or crescent in shape with lots of texture coming from all the various blooms included.   Think smaller blooms like roses, poppies, dahlias, berries, lush greenery, and lots of them.   The wildflower bouquet can go from hippie to ultra chic depending on the types of flowers and color themes.  Trailing ribbons are a must to keep this bouquet looking modern.  I love my wildflower brides!

5.     Waterfall or Cascade Bouquet

This was the most requested bouquet style from my 2019 brides and hopefully the trend continues into 2020!  It’s actually a throwback to the 1980’s but updated to be a looser and more organic looking design spilling over with beautiful blooms and vine greenery.  If you are looking for a luxurious garden style bouquet for an outdoor wedding this is a bouquet that will complete the vision.  I use premium garden roses for this style and medium sized focal flowers like ranunculus and anemone. This is one bouquet that can go from traditional to industrial chic pretty easily depending on the types of flowers and greenery used. 

6.     Simple Hand Tied

Think Meghan Markle’s simple and delicate bouquet.   The hand tied bouquet is light to carry and looks beautiful with a classic sheath style wedding gown.  Like the Duchess’s bouquet you can take the opportunity to fill this bouquet with blooms that are meaningful to you.   Her bouquet was filled with traditional lily of the valley, myrtle and forget me nots.   It’s a subtle classic that doesn’t stand out on its own but just completes the overall vision for your wedding day.  It’s stunning in its simplicity.    

I hope you find a bouquet that speaks to you.   Stay tuned for the next blog post where I look at different color themes for your wedding day flowers. Happy wedding planning!

Budgeting For Wedding Florals

“How much of my wedding budget should I allocate to flowers?”

When I get asked this question from prospective brides I always give the dreaded “it depends…….” answer.   And when I say this it isn’t to be misleading or vague or to confuse you about pricing.  Flowers are the one component of your big day that lies in the unknown area for most brides.   Your venue has a set price with a set number of hours.   Your photographer has a set price for different packages.   You often have a set budget for your wedding gown.   I had a bride recently say “I don’t know why the flower piece is so hard!”  Wedding flowers are generally not preselected package choices.   So when a future bride asks me how much she should be allocating towards her flower budget I ask her how important flowers are to her.   Sometimes I use the handbag analogy to explain.   In the world of handbags there are ultra- high luxury brands such as Hermes, Louis Vuitton, Chanel and Fendi.   These handbags are for the lady who does not mess around and wants the most luxurious materials and design money can buy. There are well made bags such as Coach and Michael Kors that are stylish and still get attention but do not break the bank.   And then there are handbags that you can pick up for a fraction of the cost at any department store.  I explain to my brides that I do not judge anyone if they decide to buy a $10,000 bag or a $500 bag or a $20 handbag.   This is their right to spend as much money or as little money depending on how important that bag is to them.  There are some women who place enormous value on that $10,000 handbag and that is wonderful.   There are women who rank a costly handbag extremely low on their list of priorities and that’s wonderful too.   My sixteen year old daughter has zero interest in any handbags and wears a backpack instead.   It’s all good.  So how do handbags relate to flowers?  There are brides who absolutely love flowers and want the arbors decorated, lush bouquets and centerpieces, hanging floral chandeliers, rose petaled cover aisleway, flowers and greenery everywhere.   These brides place a higher value on flowers and will allocate more of her budget to see  that her vision comes to life.   There are some brides who want flowers to complete the theme of their vision but not be the focal point.  They want full centerpieces and beautiful bouquets and a lightly decorated arch.  And there are the brides who are happy as can be with a bouquet and some greenery on the tables.  Flowers are not their passion.   And that is perfectly acceptable!  So if we break this down into real figures you can see how this works out in actual dollar amounts and percentages based on the 2019 average wedding budget:

Entire Wedding Budget: $38,000

Louis Vuitton Flower Budget: 20-30% or $7600 - $11,400

Coach Flower Flower Budget: 10-15% or $3800-$5700

Target Flower Budget: 5% or $1900

So, to answer the question as to how much you should allocate it really depends on the importance you place on flowers.   When talking to a florist and they recommend 15% of the budget because this happens to be a national average please challenge this assumption if you know flowers are going to play a very important part.  You will need a bigger budget.   And conversely, if you do not have flower filled dreams for your wedding day, go with the 5% and spend the extra money where it does matter to you!

Digging in the Dirt

So it’s been one of those weeks for me.  The saying that you are only as happy as your unhappiest child is one that is heartrendingly true.  I feel the pain one thousand percent and want to swoop in and take it all away. The problems are immense, and I cannot solve it as much as I really want to be able to solve everything.  My small piece of advice to my child is to focus on the things that bring you joy.   For her it’s music and companionship.  So, we go on drives and listen to Broadway musicals.   We talk about music and go to shows.  I truly believe that you must find your thing.  Whether it’s music, exercise, painting, reading or a whole world of things. You have to figure out what it is and have it consume you as often as necessary.  

For me it’s digging in the dirt and being outdoors with my flowers.  Unfortunately for me it’s also April in Cleveland, Ohio and the dirt does not want to budge or be bothered in any way.  It’s frozen and stubborn.  Kind of reminds me of myself right now.    I do have lots of plans in my head, and some on paper, for the garden this year.   And if all goes well it’s going to be magnificent.   One of the exciting aspects of gardening in zone 6a is that things rarely go as planned.  Temps here can swing significantly in one day.  Rain can be endless, or you may have a total drought.  It’s not uncommon to have a 20-degree temperature drop in one day. Most flowers are resilient and will keep soldiering on given little extra attention.  Others need a nice blanket for the cold nights or good irrigation for the dry days. You do everything you can by giving flowers the best foundation in the way of soil and hope for the best.  I’m an optimist so I can feel it in my bones that the gardening gods will bring a most magnificent garden this year.   So onward with the plan.  I’m giving the dahlias a nice start indoors as well as different shades of Queen Anne’s lace.   I’m redesigning the roses for this year and bringing in a new member of the family and her name is Desdemona.  A beautiful white rose with hints of blush.  For late summer and early fall there will be lots of moody burgundy from karma dahlias.  I’m planting some pretty vines and greenery to incorporate into bouquets and garlands.  And with that life will be back on track. 

Spring is Right Around the Corner

With spring knocking on our doors in a few days I’m craving bright colors in my arrangements.   I was musing through the flower cooler looking for some inspiration last week and came across bright yellow ranunculus and orange tulips.  Perfection!  And every time I look at this beautiful arrangement on my kitchen table I smile.  It makes me happy. And it makes me want to start throwing open all the windows in the house to smell the fresh spring air!  And then I remember that I’m in Cleveland and it’s still 34 degrees out.  But what is better than throwing together some flowers and every time – EVERY TIME – you look in their direction you feel a jolt of joy?  When it comes to weddings, I want my brides to feel something when they walk into a room.  I’m so excited to incorporate happy colors into my designs this year!   Yes, the white garden rose bouquet with seeded greens will remain a classic and is gorgeous in its simplicity.  All greenery wedding with warm candlelight and twinkly string lights for a summer evening reception? Yes.  Lush mounds of blush and more blush? Yes and Yes.  But let’s not forget our happy colors – coral, yellow, orange!  And our deep moody colors – burgundy, reds, purples.   And throw some flowers in a vase on your kitchen table for goodness sake.  Flowers make people happy!

And here is my little ray of sunshine that inspired this post:

Living Coral – Pantone Color of year 2019

The color experts have spoken and it’s going to be all about Coral for 2019!  For the past two decades the Pantone color of the year selection influences the design industry and that includes flowers.  They base their selection on thorough analysis of current world wide trends in the fields of art, travel, film and fashion.  Could this signal a move from the soft blush tones that we have seen over the past five or so wedding seasons to a more vibrant hue? Maybe.  I do have a soft spot in my heart for a beautiful blush wedding as that was my color theme for my own wedding.  But maybe 2019 will be the year of “mellow vibrancy” as Pantone describes the color Living Coral.  In these trying times we could all use a little warm comfort and what better way to convey this then through flowers?  Flower options in coral are endless and oh so beautiful.   Pairing a focal coral flower amongst blush tones in a bouquet is stunning and just makes me happy.  I can’t wait to see how many brides want to bring a little warmth and happiness into their weddings this season!