Can I grow my own flowers for my wedding's center pieces?

When should I start planting them? How long will they stay fresh for during the reception? I will be planting them indoors in little plant pots.Is this good idea.I really want to save as much money as I can for my wedding.How much money do you deem it will cost to decorate atleas 8 tables? Where i sthe best place for me to get the materials( flower seeds, pots, etc)?Thanks!

Can I grow my own flowers for my wedding's center pieces?
That will take a lot of time and you might not be great at it the first time... and you want nice flowers at your wedding I would think. It miht be worth the price of a professional so you don't have to take 3-4 months everyday taking care of tons of flowers and if they died right before the wedding you would be devistated. Not to mention not having to micro-manage your wedding = priceless
Reply:Really, you should be saving money in other areas, but if you want to try- it would be really nice. Gladiolus are a really nice cut flower and last for awhile but take a while to grow. Also, when is the wedding??/ Don't try this indoors. I would suggest asking ALL your friends what blooms in their gardens or neighborhoods around the time of the wedding. Then, the day before the wedding, call them all up and confirm what is blooming. Grab some shears and go to town. Don't forget that flowering trees (dogwood, redwood, pear, cherry, lilac, magnolia etc) produce some of the most beautiful and fragrant blossoms out there. A simple large vase with a few stems of dogwood blossoms is an amazing centerpiece.....good luck. But what if it frosts early????...I'd use a professional for this one - too risky
Reply:Hello


good luck with the wedding





the best person to ask is a keen gardener.





Do you know a neigbour or relative who has green fingers?





I am sure they will help with making your wedding rememberable.











Hope this helps





Kind regards
Reply:Jen, great idea but unless your super woman, oh my God. If your going to start from scratch play it wise and just buy your flowers for the event. You hands are going to be full and you dont need more to worrie about. I had our outside wedding in my back yard and I had it full of plants and flowers (18 years ago) just right for the wedding. But we had an early frost and the two night before the big day I was up keeping the frost from killing my plants. It was beautiful on the big day with more than 200 guest, but was it worth it? My wedding day I was burned out. My thought to you let it up to the pro's, try to do some yourself to make it personal but that way if it something goes wrong its not a total loss. P.S my ex (now) took all the creidit for it anyway, well it was her idea, I just did all the work LOL Best thing go to a plant store to get started
Reply:there is so much for you to worry about when planning a wedding and to add your flowers to the mix, honestly, that might be too much to handle. if you are not an experienced gardener i wouldn't try it , too much to risk if they didn't work out. You might end up spending more money on pots, seeds, soil etc and your time taking care of them then just buying the flowers and arranging them yourself
Reply:You have tooooo much toooooooooo do, to grow-ur-own !!!!!!! Maybe, a friend can ???
Reply:If you need to save money, then I would go with buying cut flowers from a store. Your variety will be better and the consistancy of the arrangements too.





For under $100 you can get enough greens, filler and flowers to do 8-10 vases. 1 lilly, a few carntions, some babys breath and the greens.





For best results, this should be done the day before
Reply:Nice idea, but I think it will cause you more worry than anything. You will be depending on them and if something goes wrong, then where will you be? I would use fake flowers or try cutting expenses somewhere it won't hurt your wedding if there is a problem. Homegrown flowers could be full of little bugs or gnats, that could be hard to get rid of also.
Reply:If you are an avid gardener who already has a wonderful garden established then I'd say go for it. If this would be something new then I say just go ahead and spend the money on the flowers. You might end up spending more money planting all the flowers and they may not even make it. If you are trying to save money, you might consider only having flowers on the bridal table and using ivy and votive candles on the other tables. I've seen this done and thought it looked very nice.
Reply:I think that is a lot of work but a great idea. I am going through the same reception thing right now. I do not think I am going to grow flowers but that is a cool spin on the same old. I do think that you should think aout planting more than you think you need. Quality is important. I am unsure of the arrangement that you are thinking but I would start with a test run now. You can buy a grow lamp at the hardware store to help.
Reply:After you figure out what it is going to cost for your containers, potting soil and seeds, you may change your mind about growing your own. May I suggest, that a less expensive alternative would be to purchase eight small individual Gerber Daisy's in colors that compliment yours. They will be already potted, and all you would have to do is wrap in tissue paper and add a nice bow. A small but large flowered plant like this should be no more then $5.00 a plant. You may even find a different plant you like better to do the same thing with. Check with a green house or garden center near you. Prices can vary from one part of the country to another but I am sure you can find a deal on something that will work fine. Best of luck to you. I understand you wanting to save money and think this would be the safest way.
Reply:why not?
Reply:I probably wouldn't if you want it to be a perfect wedding. What happens if they bloom the week before and are dead for your wedding day or what if they don't bloom until after. That is one advantage of going with a florist they know they will have a grower somewhere in the world to get them from and that they will be beautiful. If you still insist on going this route I would buy from Michigan Bulb or Brecks. As an avid gardener I love there products and they are guaranteed to bloom (just not neccessarily on your wedding day). I have a bulb garden with 300 bulbs+ and my crocus bloomed already this year, a whole 2 months early!!!! Be safe a go with a florist. You might check out Pro Flowers because they sell just fresh flowers and you could arrange your own and save a little. However as the bride you probably won't have much time to do it. Congratulations and good luck.