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Wedding Flower Alternatives

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Looking for a creative way to save money on your wedding flowers? Choose a flower alternative to save money on your wedding decorations!

Wedding Flower Alternatives
Jessica Bishop Headshot

Let’s face it… fresh flowers can be expensive. We’ve talked about the fact that cutting back on fresh flowers can save you a chunk of money when it comes to your wedding budget. Finding other wedding flower alternatives is a key way to save money in this area!

But if you don’t use fresh blooms, what are you supposed to put in your wedding bouquets, reception centerpieces and miscellaneous decorations? You may actually be surprised at the sheer number of options for decorating your wedding without flowers. And most of them are far less expensive as well, so they’ll free up some cash in your wedding budget to put towards higher priority items.

To give you some savvy inspiration, we’ve rounded up a whole list of options to decorate your wedding to use instead of live flowers. This list of wedding flower alternatives is sure to inspire you to think outside the box when it comes to your wedding bouquets and other floral decor. We hope you’ll consider one of these unique flower alternatives and non-floral decor ideas for your wedding– and not just because they are inexpensive, but because they’re just as gorgeous as the real thing!

Wedding Flower Alternatives for Bouquets and Wedding Decorations

View More: http://sherrysutton.pass.us/jaimiejustin

Fabric Flowers for Wedding Decor

photo by Sherry Sutton Photography

Who says you can’t have flowers — just make them out of fabric! Not only will you spend less (depending on the fabric you choose) but you’ll create a memento you can keep forever! The options are really endless and you can completely customize your look with your color choice, fabric choice, and add-ons like buttons or gems. Go to town and make your perfect wedding bouquets from fabric!


Wheat is a beautiful decorative choice for fall weddings. It’s a great filler for bouquets and looks super chic as a centerpiece, like pictured above! Dried wheat is pretty easy to get, and fairly inexpensive – plus it just adds that extra touch of rustic whimsy to any event. Pair wheat stalks with a burlap table runner. Wheat also looks great in a bouquet with a colored ribbon to match your wedding color scheme as well.


brooch bouquet - flower alternatives for weddings

photo by Alice Hu Photography

Brooch bouquets feel so personal and special — especially if you use brooches that belong to family members. We’ve seen some bouquets made with pins given by each of the grandmothers from the couple’s family and it’s such a sweet and touching detail that it makes us tear up. They also make incredibly gorgeous mementos to keep to remember the wedding day.


photo by M. Newsom Photography

Felt is super versatile for crafting, and making flowers is no exception! We love these felt flower tutorials from our friend Jen over at Something Turquoise! Another great thing about using felt is that the resulting projects make such darling keepsakes!


vegetable wedding bouquet

Vegetables as Wedding Decorations

photo by Ann Althouse on Flickr

Veggies. Who knew they were pretty in addition to being delicious? Think leafy greens like kale- there are even some varieties that look like roses! Vegetables are a great eco-friendly wedding idea for couples who want to “go green” while saving green! We’ve even seen items like artichokes added into the mix. Maybe you could even eat them afterward – how’s that for not being wasteful? ?


babys breath wedding centerpiece mikkel paige photography

Baby’s Breath Wedding Accents

photo by Mikkel Paige Photography

Okay, so technically baby’s breath is a type of flower, but these “fillers” are cheap and look super chic when used en masse. Versatile and perfect for anything from bouquets, centerpieces, hanging decor, etc. Baby’s breath is really one of our favorites for weddings, so it’s awesome that it’s so inexpensive.


silk-flowers

photo by Ashleigh Jane Photography via Afloral

Would you ever think that these are SILK flowers? If you love the idea of a traditional floral look for your wedding, consider using silk flowers instead. Not only do they give you the most realistic version possible, but after the big day you can always sell the blooms to another bride in need.

Check out these silk wedding flower arrangements you can rent!


button bouquet - The Big Affair

photo by The Big Affair

Buttons are a colorful and unique way of creating a “bouquet” that won’t wilt and wither. Love this as a keepsake to treasure for years to come! Buttons can easily be turned into decor for centerpieces as well, and adds a quirky and playful touch to any wedding!


feather wedding bouquet - flower alternatives

photo from Kristin Danger Designs on Etsy 

We just love the soft and ethereal look of a feather bouquet. Feathers are amazingly versatile when it comes to what you can do with them – there are so many varieties, styles and colors. We think a feather bouquet adds an extra touch of glam to your day — and the cost would be easy to recoup if you sell your pieces after your wedding day, as this is becoming an increasingly popular style for weddings!


wedding-fans

Fans in Lieu of Bouquets

photo by  Luminaire Images 

Instead of splurging on fresh flower bouquets, consider some lace fans for your bridesmaids to carry instead. There’s something regal and glamorous about them, don’t you think?


tissue-paper-flowers

 photo from The Budget Savvy Bride

Why not create your own flowers out of tissue paper? These blooms are poofy and large and can create a big impact for a tiny price tag! Tissue paper flowers make great aisle decor, altar decor, centerpieces or even bouquets! Using Tissue Paper Pomanders is especially impactful in terms of getting the most bang for your buck compared to fresh blooms.


burlap wedding bouquet - etsy

We know, Burlap is just another form of fabric, but this style is distinct enough to stand on its own. Burlap comes in a variety of colors now and is great to use to make flowers for a rustic or farm wedding. Burlap is a great choice for rustic brides and fall weddings, in particular. You can use burlap as an accent within your bouquet mixed with other fabrics, or do a full burlap design!


paper wedding bouquet - wedding flower alternatives

Paper Wedding Flowers

photo from More Paper Than Shoes on Etsy

We just love all the things you can do with paper. After a quick search on Etsy, we saw dozens of gorgeous options for paper wedding bouquets, including the stunner above. Again, just like fabric, choosing the right variety of paper can really change up your look. Cardstock, crepe paper, tissue paper, etc can all create a unique and different effect!


sola wood wedding flowers

Wood Wedding Flowers

photo from Candice Becerra, Shabby Road Weddings

Have you heard of Sola Wood Wedding Flowers? These eco-friendly products are made from a tapioca plant root so they are sustainable for those who want a “green” wedding! They will last for years and can be reused in your home as decor after the wedding — what’s not to love? This is one of our favorite new wedding flower alternatives to consider!


book centerpiece_The_Burks

Books as Wedding Decorations

photo by The Burks

Books are a super convenient and inexpensive way to create a centerpiece. Pick them up at thrift stores or go through your bookshelves for old ones to repurpose as wedding decor. You can choose books in a similar color scheme or even remove the covers for a more primitive look. We love books as wedding centerpieces, or you could even use the pages of books to create paper flowers!


Browse More Flower Alternative Ideas:

Want more wedding flower alternative inspiration? Visit the posts below to see other options to consider instead of using fresh flowers for your wedding!

Choose a flower alternative to save money on your wedding decorations

So – we want to know – what do you think of our list of wedding flower alternatives? Is there anything we missed?

Are you planning to use an alternative to fresh flowers for your wedding day? Opting for fewer fresh blooms is just one of our tips to save money on your wedding. Check out more budget wedding tips!

Join us in our community to chat more about wedding decorating and more!


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Looking for a creative way to save money on your wedding flowers? Choose a flower alternative to save money on your wedding decorations!
Looking for a creative way to save money on your wedding flowers? Choose a flower alternative to save money on your wedding decorations!
Looking for a creative way to save money on your wedding flowers? Choose a flower alternative to save money on your wedding decorations!

Jessica Bishop Headshot

Jessica Bishop is the founder of TheBudgetSavvyBride.com, and has worked in various areas and roles within the wedding industry since 2007. She is the author of the best-selling book,The Budget-Savvy Wedding Planner & Organizer and also hosts The Bouquet Toss Wedding Planning Podcast. Jessica's expert wedding advice and savvy savings tips have been featured by Good Morning America, COSMOPOLITAN, Glamour, and more.