How to Recycle Leftover Wedding Flowers

Nothing brightens a wedding more than those beautiful bouquets of flowers. But what do you do with them once the ceremony is over? Why waste the gorgeous and often expensive blooms? Put them to good use.

Donate

Churches can often make good use of leftover wedding flowers. Some can use them for other brides on a much tighter budget, or they could use them for altar decorations, or for other activities. Ask if the church is holding a wedding after yours and if they could use the flowers.

You could also donate the flowers to a retirement home or long term care facility. Those who are housebound to the facility would certainly enjoy the lovely arrangements. One thing I remember from visiting long term care facilities is that even those who lost their mental faculties still enjoyed the flowers and plants. It has such a relaxing effect on people.

Re-Use

If you use silk flowers in any of the arrangements, rearrange them into smaller bouquets to decorate your home. We used silk flowers for the reception tables and it was a nice reminder of our special day later when we re-used them in a basket arrangement for our home.

You could also arrange them into a wreath. Wreaths are great for the new couple, especially those who are settling into their first home or for the parents who would like a keepsake from the wedding. Wreaths are fairly simple to make, even for those who are not craft-savvy. Here is a good link to quick start guide for making wreaths: Save-On-Craft's Guide to Wreaths.

If you are using real flowers, drying them is a good option if you want to keep them for a longer amount of time. Drying the flowers may not be an option with certain varieties but the hardier blooms, such as roses may hold up well. For further information on drying flowers, see Proflowers.com.

Honor a Loved One

Another great use for wedding flowers is to honor a loved one who has passed. You could take the flowers to the cemetery to "include" a loved one who could not be there to share in your wedding day. If time constraints are an issue, designate someone to deliver the flowers for you and visit the grave at a later time. I observed this with one wedding where the bride's mother had passed away a few months before. One mother's bouquet was set on the side of the altar and the new couple took it to the grave later. The bride said that though it was hard not having her mother there, at least they could remember her and honor her.

Wedding Favors

I have heard this was done at a wedding but it does require some forethought and good organization. After the ceremony was over, the altar flowers and other bouquets that decorated the church were dissembled and rearranged into small nosegays. A copy of the wedding ceremony bulletin, complete with a "thank you for coming" from the bride and groom, was attached and given out as wedding favors. Everyone went home with a pleasant reminder of the wedding.

If you do this for your wedding, be sure to have plenty of helpers on hand who know what they are doing. Hire help from local florists, if possible or train and use your wedding party. The bride who did this used her best friends, one of whom was a florist. They had a plan and supplies already laid out on a back table so they could work quickly. They used a few blooms, mostly roses and lilies, and tied it with a small sprig of pre-cut baby's breath and a little greenery from the bouquets. The ribbon was measured and pre-cut and they kept a few items such as scissors and thin wire handy just in case.

Most likely, this would work well if you have a very small wedding. Larger weddings would require more flowers, more work, and many more hands to help.

Flowers on your wedding day are an essential as the wedding gown. Hopefully, in this day and age of "going green," you can find a way to recycle your flowers. Best wishes!

Sources:
Proflowers.com