There you are. On the dancefloor, looking around at your friends and family and the last song of your wedding reception is playing. You look around the room and see all of your AMAZING flowers. Whether you have spent hundreds of dollars or thousands of dollars, here are 6 ways to repurpose your wedding flowers to bring extra joy to others after your wedding reception ends
1. Gift them to your wedding guests via a “flower bar”
It’s becoming super popular to gift your wedding flowers to your wedding guests. As you are enjoying the last hour or so on the dancefloor, your wedding coordinator or florist can bundle up flowers and create a “flower bar”. Presenting bunches of flowers to your wedding guests as they leave will leave them delighted.
Top tip: Guests LOVE being gifted flowers at the end of the night. But make sure that you save the best blooms for yourselves, your parents and loved ones.
2. Gift specific arrangements to close family and friends
Trying to find a way to thank those who have helped your pull your wedding day together? Or just want to honour family members who mean the world to you? Towards the end of your reception, have your venue team or wedding coordinator place a card with relevant family and friend names next to specific arrangements around your venue. This is such a thoughtful way to repurpose your wedding flowers.
Nominate someone (again, your venue coordinator or wedding coordinator are a good option) to let those special people know that the flowers are a gift for them to take at the end of the night. There is nothing like a few beautiful words and flowers to make the day of those who are celebrating with you.
We have a printable Flower Planning Bundle to help you plan your wedding day florals like a pro.
3. Gift some or all of your florals to local nursing homes or hospitals
Whilst you might want to take some flowers home, your house or hotel room might not be large enough to take everything! As a way to repurpose your wedding flowers, consider donating some of your larger wedding flower arrangements to a local nursing home or a nearby hospital.
You might want to deliver the flowers yourselves or ask your florist to do the honours. Either way, you are going to make the week of those who need a little brightness in their lives.
4. Sell or donate faux flowers on market places like eBay, Facebook Marketplace or Gumtree
Its more than likely you have the most epic photos of your wedding day flowers. So why not use those to sell or donate your faux wedding flowers so another couple can enjoy them too. Obviously the flower colour palette and style you chose is going to be a very personal to you, but be patient. It’s completely possible that someone else will share your wedding day vision and be prepared to pay you for your faux wedding flowers. We all know how expensive weddings can be. So gaining a little money back is always good for the bank account.
Not interested in a little pocket money? Consider donating your faux wedding flowers to another couple who is willing to come and collect them from you. Recycling wedding day items feels AMAZING (and the planet will love you too).
5. Re use some of all of your wedding flowers are your recovery event the following day
Why only enjoy your wedding flowers for one day? Consider having your florals moved from your reception venue to the location of your recovery event. Whether you are hosting a wedding brunch, lunch or full day recovery by a pool, re-purpose your florals.
You might choose to present them in exactly the same way as your wedding day in vases and on plinths, scattered around your recovery event space. Or mix things up a little and restyle flowers into larger vases that are placed on food and drink buffets.
Top tip: Some delicate flowers might not last that well overnight. Flowers such as hydrangeas might become limp and lifeless over night so some of your arrangements might need a little light “pruning” so they look best for the following day.
6. Have your wedding day flowers pressed
Whether you choose have your wedding day flowers pressed professionally or head down a DIY route, you can press your wedding day flowers to preserve memories of your day for life.
Bouquets are commonly used for this purpose. But if you are not having a flower bouquet, consider having flowers from vases or arrangements preserved instead.
Need a hand choosing your wedding day florist or just not sure what to ask before you lock someone in? Check out the Hey Lovers Wedding Flowers Printables pack.
It’s complete with key questions to ask a florist before booking them for your wedding, a flower checklist for your wedding day so you don’t miss a thing and a Wedding Florals at a Glance summary sheet. Plan your wedding like a boss.