Weddings are an expression of a couple’s love and a reflection of their values and personalities. In an era where sustainability has become increasingly important, more and more couples are seeking eco-friendly ways to celebrate their big day. A fantastic and cost-effective way to embrace this trend is by repurposing ceremony flowers for the reception décor. This innovative practice reduces waste and ensures a coherent aesthetic throughout your event.
The Advantages of Flower Repurposing
When planning a wedding, flowers often comprise a significant portion of the budget. By repurposing flowers from the ceremony for the reception, you can make your budget stretch further without compromising style or ambience.
Moreover, this practice is an excellent opportunity to limit waste and reduce your wedding’s environmental footprint. The average wedding produces hundreds of kilograms of waste, much non-biodegradable. You’re taking a small but important step towards a greener event by reusing your ceremony flowers.
Lastly, maintaining the floral theme from the ceremony to the reception creates a seamless and cohesive aesthetic, tying all elements of your wedding day together beautifully.
Making the Transition
Before we delve into transforming ceremony flowers into reception centrepieces or repurposing floral arches into statement pieces, it’s essential to have a game plan. A team should be designated to handle the transition. This could be your wedding planner, a team of willing friends, or the florists themselves.
Additionally, when planning your wedding flowers, make your intentions clear to your florist. They can then design arrangements that are easy to move and repurpose, making the transition smoother and more efficient.
From Aisle Arrangements to Table Centerpieces
Let’s start with one of the easiest and most popular repurposing techniques: transforming ceremony aisle flowers into reception table centrepieces. Follow these steps to create a stunning effect:
- Choose the Right Containers: For this transformation to work, the containers you choose for your aisle flowers should also be suitable for a table setting. Consider elegant vases or rustic mason jars, depending on your theme.
- Design With Versatility: Opt for floral designs that are easily adaptable. Loosely arranged, medium-height flowers work well, allowing guests to view across the table.
- Assign a Team: Delegate moving the flowers to a designated team as soon as the ceremony ends. This could be as simple as lifting the arrangements from the ceremony space and placing them directly on the reception tables.
Repurposing the Floral Arch
Your floral arch is a focal point during the ceremony, but it doesn’t have to lose its shine at the reception. Here’s how to turn it into a stunning statement piece:
- Pre-Plan the Repurposing: Speak to your florist about designing an arch that can be easily deconstructed and moved. A modular design can be an excellent option.
- Transform into a Head Table Backdrop: Once deconstructed, use the elements of the arch as a backdrop for the newlyweds’ table. This creates a stunning visual focus and a gorgeous backdrop for photos.
- Create a Photo Booth: Another popular option is to turn the arch into a photo booth. Guests will love taking photos with such a beautiful backdrop, and it creates lovely keepsakes from your wedding day.
Some Additional Tips
- Timing is Essential: Ensure the transition team has enough time to move and arrange the flowers between the ceremony and the reception. This is typically easier to manage if the two events are in the same venue.
- Hydrate the Flowers: To keep your flowers fresh during the transition, ensure they have plenty of water. Have the transition team add water to the containers once they’re moved to the reception venue.
- Double-Check with Your Venue: Some venues may have policies against moving décor, so discussing your plans in advance is essential and ensuring they’re on board.
Remember, repurposing flowers from the aisle to the table is about more than saving money; it’s a symbol of your commitment to sustainability and a tangible way to reduce the environmental impact of your big day. As a bonus, it adds a unique and personal touch to your wedding décor, creating a seamless aesthetic from ceremony to reception.
