One of the most common questions couples ask when inquiring is whether their ceremony flowers can be repurposed for the reception. We're all about that, but we want to do it right! Repurposing florals is a great way to get the most out of your budget, but it takes careful planning to make sure that the designs look intentional and stay fresh. Here are three important factors to consider when planning florals that can transition seamlessly from your ceremony to reception.
1. Designing for Both Spaces
While repurposing florals is a smart and sustainable choice, it's important to design with both the original and secondary placement in mind. Ceremony florals and reception florals are often viewed from different angles and at different heights. For example, centerpieces for guest tables should not be so tall that guests can't see each other across the table, and they should be beautiful on all sides. But ceremony florals, such as aisle arrangements and pedestal arrangements, tend to look best when they are large and tall. They're also viewed mostly from one side, so we focus most of the flowers (and your dollars) on the side that people are going to see.
To work around these problems, we recommend repurposing ceremony florals in places that will still be viewed primarily from one side and where their size is not a problem, like on top of your bar or in front of your seating chart, DJ table, head table, or cake table. Alternatively, if your goal is to have aisle arrangements that can be repurposed for guest tables, we can design the ceremony arrangements in layers. Aisle arrangements can incorporate a mix of smaller designs that can later sit on tables, along with taller elements (like greenery, branches, or grasses) that add height during the ceremony but aren't needed in the reception space, or that can be repurposed in a different way. When we know that repurposing for guest tables is the goal, we will also make sure they look great from all sides. That may mean a higher price than ceremony florals that would not be repurposed, but you get to use them twice. (And if you decide that you want shorter aisle arrangements, we'll still do them--it's your wedding!)
Additionally, florals are always designed with the viewing angle in mind. A floral meadow that is designed to be viewed on the ground won't always translate well to a higher surface unless it has been intentionally designed to do so, which may involve using more flowers. If at all possible, we recommend keeping the viewing angle the same when repurposing florals. That is, ground arrangements work best when they are repurposed on the ground, and arrangements at eye level work best when they stay at eye level.
2. The Impact of Heat and Sun on Fresh Flowers
Another consideration, especially for weddings in Texas, is how heat and sun affect florals. If your ceremony is outdoors (any time of year, but especially between April and October), outdoor conditions can easily take a toll on delicate flowers.
To keep florals looking fresh for both parts of the event, a few precautions can be taken:
Timing the setup strategically: Ceremony florals are typically placed as late as possible to minimize their exposure to heat and sun, especially if they will be repurposed. This helps ensure they look their best all night long. Make sure that your florist, planner or coordinator, and photographer are all on the same page about what time the ceremony florals will be set.
Selecting heat-tolerant designs: Certain designs hold up better in warm weather. During the hottest months, late May through September, using elements like greenery and potted plants (including flowering plants that can be designed to look more like floral arrangements) will hold up better throughout the evening than fresh flowers. We truly do not recommend repurposing fresh flowers during the hottest parts of the year, but we can always suggest designs that will repurpose well.
Accounting for replacement flowers: If it is important to repurpose your ceremony florals but we're worried about some of the flowers wilting in the heat, we can include a line item for replacement flowers. Assuming your cocktail hour is long enough for our team to refresh the designs (it usually is), we can pull out any wilted flowers from the designs and replace them with fresh flowers during cocktail hour, before your guests enter the reception hall.
Special precaution for bridesmaids bouquets: Bridesmaids bouquets introduce a different challenge, which is that they will be out of water for the entire duration of your ceremony and bridesmaids photos, in addition to being exposed to the sun and heat. For this reason, we do not recommend repurposing them during the hottest months of the year, and even during the cooler months (or if your ceremony is indoors), we only recommend repurposing them in flexible ways, such as on auxiliary tables like cocktail tables, the cake table, the welcome table, etc. That way if some of the bouquets don't make it, your guest tables will still have flowers. If repurposing bridesmaids bouquets is a must, we can provide vases with water for your girls to keep with them, so they can put their bouquets back in water whenever they are not being held.
3. Timing and Movement Between Spaces
Repurposing florals requires a coordinated effort to move designs from the ceremony to the reception in a way that feels seamless. While moving florals is a standard part of the process, there are logistical factors to consider:
Movement and space: Repurposing florals means that a team of florists will be walking back and forth between your ceremony area and reception area while guests enjoy cocktail hour. It takes some time to get get everything moved (especially because we can't start until your photographer finishes taking photos of you and your family in front of the ceremony florals), so we recommend only repurposing florals for your reception, not for your cocktail hour.
Time required for transitions: Depending on the number of pieces being repurposed and the distance between your ceremony and reception, moving florals may take anywhere from a few minutes to the entire cocktail hour. The timeline is always considered in advance to ensure everything is set up smoothly.
The need for additional team members: Most floral repurposing is included as part of our design service. However, if a larger team is required to move a significant number of floral pieces quickly, an additional repurposing fee may be necessary. This is always discussed in advance based on the event needs.
Considering photography: If some or most of your reception flowers are being repurposed from your ceremony, that means your photographer may not be able to get photos of the completed reception space before your guests enter (or they may have a shorter window of time for this). We find that this matters for some couples and doesn't for others, but it is something to consider.
Repurposing florals is a smart, cost-effective way to get the most out of your wedding flowers, but it's not always as simple as you think. With some careful planning, florals can be thoughtfully designed to transition between spaces with ease. If you would like to repurpose your florals, we can guide you through how to do that well, and we'll handle all the logistics on your wedding day so you don't have to worry about a thing.
(Photos in this blog post by Alyssa Jarae Photography.)
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