Bridesmaid bouquets and accessories

Heineken Helen

This is kinda bothering me. I've somehow ended up with 5 bridesmaids Got them these dresses for half price, still came to £400

http://www.whatruwearing.co.uk/image/5928/425/0/JS%20%20strapless%20celtic%20band%20long.jpg

Only now am I looking into flowers, it seems they're 55euro each for bridesmaids. I really can't afford to spend another 275 on them. Do they really need to have bouquets or can anyone think of cheaper alternatives? How about corsages for bridesmaids? Would that work? Or nothing?

Any help would be much appreciated!

sallysaucer101

What about a single flower of what ever is in your bouquet. I think a single flower is much nicer than a whole bouquet.

Heineken Helen

sallysaucer101 wrote: »

What about a single flower of what ever is in your bouquet. I think a single flower is much nicer than a whole bouquet.

Thanks Sally, See, in my head, that sounds really nice but everything I've thought would be nice hasn't been so good when I've actually seen it.

I really don't trust my own judgement anymore but also can't afford to spend that amount

Have you seen bridesmaids with a single flower?

smelltheglove

Have you thought of making the flowers yourself? I made my own flowers on the day before my wedding and it only took an hour or 2, It was really easy.

I just spent around 100 on all the bouqets, I bought grand prix roses, the bridesmaids bouquets had 6 roses, one in the centre and 5 surrounding iirc, these were very large roses though, they then haad babys breath which I got in tescos, €2 a bunch and I got 3 or 4 bunches but didnt use them all. Then for my own I used more roses, cant remember how many 10 or so and I surrounded them with chysantheums. The chrysantheums were from tesco too 3 a bunch and I only needed one bunch. I also bought diamante pins on ebay which I put into the centre of each rose.

Pic can be seen here

edit I should say I ordered the roses from the roses from the florist abotu 2 weeks before the wedding and I got the leaves from her also to surround the bouqets. I think the roses came in over 60 anyway.

SSFG

Heineken helen,
Just read your pm, did u look at go dutch flowers? Just looked at their website and the do some bouquets from 40 quid. Or how about getting flowergirl bouquets for the BMs?? Its not like anyone will know the difference???

dori_dormer

hey,

I definitly think your bridesmaids should be holding something as they go up the aisle! They wont know what to do with their hands otherwise!

You could look into silk flowers, some can look really well, and cost a fraction of real flowers, or if you ( or one of your BMs) is crafty you could try making some paper flowers


thought this one looked nice - http://www.suite101.com/content/how-to-make-a-full-paper-flower-bouquet-a345097

The single flower idea sounds lovely too!

RachaelVO

A single flower sounds like a great idea. Either that or just posies, if done with the right way they can look quiet grown up! You don't need to worry about what it looks like, trust me most people won't pass any comment nor will they really notice. Do what you can afford. It's your marriage followed by a party, and a party is all it is(dress it up any way you want), if you can't afford it don't do it! You future life with your future husband is much more important. You don't have to spend a fortune to have a great day!

sallysaucer101

I think the single flower looks fine and have seen it done before even with the bride just carrying one flower.

If you like you could just put some greens with it like large leaves which would be much cheaper!

dori_dormer

http://www.ehow.com/how_4422302_make-single-flower-bouquet.html


E-How on the single flower bouquet. Look great in my opinion!

Heineken Helen

Wow, thanks all I've found a couple of examples of single flowers which might work

http://www.flowerworksuk.com/florist/images/745-1.jpg

http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRGPyYD02qzLH51w-YT27Za57oqTMrFlXip_4YmlhKpvOdyT5B17Q&t=1

I'll suggest it to the florist and see what they can do. I'm sure something could be done for 20 flowergirl bouquets are definitely worth looking into also.

smelltheglove yours look absolutely amazing, great job... unfortunately I haven't an ounce of creativity in my at all I'm also useless at following instructions cos I get bored .

silk flowers or single flowers sound good, or a candle

Madame Razz

You could always go with a wrist corsage? With the style of dress I think that might look well!!! ALternatively, you could see if your florist could use a cheaper kind of flower(s)? Roses etc will push the cost up, but if you have a chat with your florist, I'm sure she can come up with a more reasonable alternative!

Heineken Helen

Madame Razz wrote: »

You could always go with a wrist corsage? With the style of dress I think that might look well!!! ALternatively, you could see if your florist could use a cheaper kind of flower(s)? Roses etc will push the cost up, but if you have a chat with your florist, I'm sure she can come up with a more reasonable alternative!

Hopefully, I've found most suppliers to be very flexible and helpful with cheaper alternatives when I've been honest about our budget.

SSFG, yeh I'm emailing them at the moment and trying to come to some arrangement.

To be honest, this is the last big thing we've to do and, since I know nothing about flowers, I simply want to get it out of the way without spending too much but still looking simple yet classy if possible . I don't ask for much do I?

I really can't picture a wrist corsage. I try and I keep coming up with 80s prom images lol..

Madame Razz

Lol, I know what you mean, but if you google wedding wrist corsage you should come up a few nice ideas, as they would really suit your BM dresses they are worth exploring as an option at least:)

kandr10

A little off topic but your bridesmaid dresses are absolutely gorgeous! With stunning dresses like that, no one will be looking at the flowers. Love the idea of the single flower.
Also - smelltheglove - your bouquets looked fab! Would never have known they were handmade!

smelltheglove

Just crossed my mind theree, I had a wedding last week where the flowers werel cala lillies. Dont have a pic of the bridesmaid flowers to show you as the bride hasnt seen them all but she had only 4 or 5 herself and the bms had 2 iirc. They were just tied together with little ribbons and were lovely.

Check this album for an idea of what they were like.

toadfly

smelltheglove wrote: »

Have you thought of making the flowers yourself? I made my own flowers on the day before my wedding and it only took an hour or 2, It was really easy.

Your flowers are stunning

Ginny

You could do what Andrea Corr did, she just had a bouquet of babys breath I think.

smelltheglove

Ginny wrote: »

You could do what Andrea Corr did, she just had a bouquet of babys breath I think.

Yeah that was lovely and as I said babys breath is only around 2 or 3 euro in tesco, a nice ribbon to match the dresses and it would go down perfect, maybe babys breath and another flower like the cala lilly for yourself to make yours a bit nicer. Surely even on of your bridesmaids would be able to manage doing this.

Heineken Helen

kandr10 wrote: »

A little off topic but your bridesmaid dresses are absolutely gorgeous! With stunning dresses like that, no one will be looking at the flowers. Love the idea of the single flower.
Also - smelltheglove - your bouquets looked fab! Would never have known they were handmade!

Thank you they're amazing on too and suit everyone so it was a no brainer when I found them.

So I've come to an arrangement whereby they can have a small bouquet of three roses with foliage for 25 each. That's just within budget and sounds like it would be nice.

Heineken Helen

smelltheglove wrote: »

Yeah that was lovely and as I said babys breath is only around 2 or 3 euro in tesco, a nice ribbon to match the dresses and it would go down perfect, maybe babys breath and another flower like the cala lilly for yourself to make yours a bit nicer. Surely even on of your bridesmaids would be able to manage doing this.

Just had a look and they're gorgeous... I think the problem is we're completely lazy . I'm from Cavan but living in England and having the wedding in Galway so everyone is travelling. I can't really ask anyone to do something like that. I know it wouldn't take long but I'd rather just get the florist to do it all and drop them off at my hotel room . We've got all the flowers now for 235 - my bouquet, 5 bridesmaids and 8 buttonholes. I know it's not exactly rock bottom and, if I were creative, it could be done much cheaper but I think now I've found a price I'm pretty satisfied with.

He's off sorting the suits out at the mo and I just brought my shoes home with me so it's all falling into place.

Thank you all for your help and advice though and keep it coming as it may be handy for somebody else. Plenty of great ideas here.

Oh my bm's are getting their own shoes (I've just said silver) and I might specify no jewellery and they're all just going to do eachothers hair probably down since mine will be up.

SSFG

Heineken Helen wrote: »

We've got all the flowers now for 235 - my bouquet, 5 bridesmaids and 8 buttonholes. I know it's not exactly rock bottom and, if I were creative, it could be done much cheaper but I think now I've found a price I'm pretty satisfied with.

OMG :eek: that IS a rock bottom price you know I'm a Galway bride so WHERE WHERE WHERE?!!!!!

Heineken Helen

SSFG wrote: »

OMG :eek: that IS a rock bottom price you know I'm a Galway bride so WHERE WHERE WHERE?!!!!!

PM sent... calm down Yep, tis a pretty good price alright. Need to confirm our order tomorrow and that's that.

Heineken Helen

We went with Go Dutch in the end. Does anybody know anything about them? Can't find much online. They are very very reasonable though.

Heineken Helen

Oh noooooo I had asked them all to wear silver shoes cos most people have them and if not they're pretty easy to get. One of his sisters just came home and said 'oh I've got the wedding shoes, but they're not really silver' and showed me. They're not silver at all they're blue and cream! And she bought the same pair for her sister, meaning those two will match and the others won't in their silver shoes.

I know I have to let this go and not make a big deal about it but just wanted to let off some steam. I was even with her when she saw them online and she asked me and I said no (nicely) and that I'd told the others silver so they wouldn't go and she said ok but then got them anyway . I'm a bit disappointed in her to be honest! They're statement shoes anyway and probably a good 6 inches too!

SSFG

Heineken Helen wrote: »

Oh noooooo I had asked them all to wear silver shoes cos most people have them and if not they're pretty easy to get. One of his sisters just came home and said 'oh I've got the wedding shoes, but they're not really silver' and showed me. They're not silver at all they're blue and cream! And she bought the same pair for her sister, meaning those two will match and the others won't in their silver shoes.

I know I have to let this go and not make a big deal about it but just wanted to let off some steam. I was even with her when she saw them online and she asked me and I said no (nicely) and that I'd told the others silver so they wouldn't go and she said ok but then got them anyway . I'm a bit disappointed in her to be honest! They're statement shoes anyway and probably a good 6 inches too!

Oh grrr what a wagon!!! Hope the dresses will cover them??

Heineken Helen

SSFG wrote: »

Oh grrr what a wagon!!! Hope the dresses will cover them??

Yep but still, they're gonna tower over everyone now and it was the one thing I didn't buy for them so I just think it's a bit meh! There's a couple of other things too and I'm on the verge of getting annoyed. The one person we're not allowed to invite is cos she said no to him coming but it was down to us to let him know and that was a real low point. Thankfully he got the hint and backed out before we were able to tell him.

omr2011

i could be totally wrong here but what about fake flowers? would they be cheaper than fresh flowers? i was at a wedding fair a few months ago and she had fake flowers to display, looked the exact same, didnt ask her prices....could be an option tho

Sorry, didnt see the second page and saw ud ordered them already..my bad! Really good price!!!

Heineken Helen

omr2011 wrote: »

i could be totally wrong here but what about fake flowers? would they be cheaper than fresh flowers? i was at a wedding fair a few months ago and she had fake flowers to display, looked the exact same, didnt ask her prices....could be an option tho

Sorry, didnt see the second page and saw ud ordered them already..my bad! Really good price!!!

Lol, no probs thank you though! Some of the fake flowers around at the moment really are great quality alright!