Clearly the easiest way to save money on flowers is simply not to need any. Beautiful gardens with blooming plants don't need extra help from a florist. Couples can go to a local nursery and buy blooming plants to decorate a location and then return them the next day. Even if there is a return fee it still can save a bundle while giving you a beautiful display. 

 

For some couples cut flowers are truly a vital part of the wedding. They give the traditional look and help to make the statement “this is a wedding.” It may be important to some gay and lesbian couples to make a statement. 

 

Having worked at a church for years I have vivid memories of fights over flowers. It was always surprising to me. But people do care passionately about how flowers look. They assume that everyone shares their view because they are “right.” Some like a very casual rustic bouquet that has the feeling of just being thrown together. Others love cascades of flowers but the person next to them associates that with wilting branches and finds it deeply annoying. Take a look at different flower arrangements as a couple. Figure out whether you like arrangements that tight and formal, larger or smaller, mono-chromatic or vibrant spring mixes. What makes a difference to you? Having sample photos in hand does more than anything else to stop fighting. 

 

There are four important places where flowers are used at a traditional service. 

 

Flowers to wear-

These include corsages, lays, and crowns of flowers to single blooms for the hair. 

 

Flowers that are carried they may be in the form of a bouquet or in baskets. There are many types of bouquets. 

 

Flowers decorating the location

These include freestanding arrangements, altar flowers, as well as pew and decorations garlands, or potted plants around entryways. 

 

 

Table decorations for the reception

 Most people are able to do this but there are some alternatives worth looking at. 

For people who love flowers all of these may seem completely indispensable. But that gets very expensive. So it is important to take a good hard look at what you want before you get to the florist. Remember you do not have to do the entire flower arranging yourself. Some things that may be done by nonprofessionals and other arrangements you may wish to have a florist do. 

 Gay wedding flowers for grooms and male couples

Gay wedding flowers are different. Most men will not carry a bouquet so boutonnieres help to bend a tradition. Female attendants in a white dress with the big bouquet can upstage the guys. You need alternatives. 

 

Boutonnieres 

 

Boutonnieres are fun and beautiful. Traditionally, they are worn in the left lapel of a suit. Some popular flowers include rose, carnation, gardenia and lily. The color may pick up colors in the other flowers or in your necktie. For the white tie look you must have a white flower. The whole point is the black and white chic. 

 

Gay couples generally where matching boutonnieres. They may want something more elaborate than the average wedding would have. Sometimes they verge on the kind of corsage your grandmother might wear. Differentiate the grooms from the other men in wedding party. For example, if you are using rosebuds for both the grooms and the groom's men, include a sprig of baby's breath or give happy couple a small cluster of flowers instead of a single bloom. Keep in mind you also may need flowers for the grooms parents. Most men will not carry a bouquet so boutonnieres help to bend a tradition in a new direction that says something about gay weddings. 

 

 

May the grooms carry bouquets? 

 

Yes but few do. The most popular look is the Ballerina Bouquet or the Nose Gay mainly because they are small and compact. 

 

Flowers for Female attendants 

 

At weddings we are all trained to look at the women in the white dress with the big bouquet. So the potential for upstaging is enormous. Say no to the full bouquet. Some of your options are: 

 

Pillow with rings 

Book or parchment 

Wrist corsage 

Single rose 

Basket with rose petals or favors

 

 

Think about doing the flowers yourself. 

 

Many male couples decide to do the flowers themselves. This is particularly popular with guys who are not planning on baking cakes or doing their own catering but still need to shave some money off the total cost. If you like flowers and plan on putting on a bit of a floral display you can save around a thousand dollars and still make quite a splash. Flowers can be done a deadhead of time and keep well over night. Hit this not take a lot of experience to get a professional look. If all you need help with is the boutonniere there is lots of free advice available online