Wedding Trend #5: Besides Flowers?

Flowers, flowers, flowers. What is a wedding without flowers? Or is it? Flowers normally take 10% of your entire budget; this has not included the frills of decoration from ambiance lighting to theme colored linens.

Don't get me wrong: Flowers are beautiful. In fact, there's nothing more classic than an all-white

bouquet filled with perfectly styled blooms (I would have loved gardenias as my bouquet, probably one of the priciest buds, too) expertly wrapped in silk ribbon. But flowers can take a serious stab into your wedding day budget, which will inevitably be exceeded when you add your mother's co-worker's first cousin (with a plus one) and that too die for gown.

That is why slowly but surely we have seen an evolving trend of bride’s doing away with flowers even in key areas of the wedding. Next year we will see even more couples going for quirky and different ideas to replace flowers. Their reasons are simple cost and/or concept.

Cost: It’s cheaper to give your bridesmaids a sandalwood fan to hold down the aisle vs. a traditional posy. So cost is a major factor for brides to swap flowers with props, this also makes sense if you want your bridal party to keep your prop as an appreciation gift.

Concept: For the love of the concept and theme, couples venture into more exciting and thematic props and setting to blend into the theme that may not always be flowers. Here we’ve seen candelabra’s as centerpieces, lanterns as aisle decoration and even vintage bicycles as entrance props.

Rather than sacrifice a romantic look, try one of these gorgeous ways to glam up your big day:

1. Candles, candles, candles. Whether you go with pillars, votive, or a mix of both, the mood lighting will cast a warm glow on all skin tones -- making everyone look prettier in pictures and in real life. Head to a local store to pick up a variety of shapes, sizes and heights; and play with scale to get a customized look. Another great lighting option? Vintage lanterns. But be warned, you may be stuck with 300 pcs of candleholders after the wedding, which would probably make you the best-lit house during an electricity shortage. 

2. Branches, sticks, weeds and wildflowers. Really! Don’t roll your eyes just yet; think filled pots with local wildflowers for centerpieces, chalkboards as menus for each table, branches for a beautiful wishing tree and weeds as the base decoration for the backdrop. Not only will you save a tremendous amount on decor, but also you will be able to create a traditional vibe without blowing serious cash.

3. Hurricane vases--filled with baubles. You know those glass beads you'll see at craft stores that resemble the Christmas decoration? Well, pick up a ton of 'em, along with a bunch of clear hurricanes or even jam/ mason jars. Choose different colors and fill each vase to a different level. Another great filler? Faux gemstones, seashells or even sand. With the right combination it can look luxe and couture. 

4. Feathers. Tie up a bunch together to make a luscious bouquet that's soft to the touch and pleasing to the eye. Dress 'em up a bit by inserting a few bouquet jewels or popping in a few fake pearls for extra luster. But be careful when purchasing the latter: Fake white pearls look far cheaper than their ivory or blush counterparts. And as for the bouquet jewels, use them sparingly--too much sparkle can scream "poor quality." Think about replacing corsages with feathers for that Avant-garde look.

5. Paper Flowers / Pom poms: Handmade paper flowers, pom poms or even hand sewn fabric flowers make great dress embellishments, boutonnieres or even backdrop/ photo station/ family photo table/ candy bar decoration. Need I say more?

6. Vintage Brooches / Hair Pins: Can you think of how gorgeous it would be to pin a bunch of beautiful pieces together to create one giant bouquet? I've seen it only once or twice but it's not only a visually striking idea, but also quite a sentimental one. Ask family members and friends to raid their own jewelry boxes for important jewels of his or her own; it's a touching nod to your guests (and good taste in jewelry).

7. Total Novelty Items: Work with me here. Best idea for a boutonniere I've ever seen? This little peacock feather boutonniere tied with little rhinestones in the theme color, it was simple, elegant and perfect for this Indian inspired wedding. Have your man pin just about anything on that works with your color scheme, location, or even just makes you laugh. Think about how great you'll look in your photos if you can't stop smiling throughout the ceremony.

And the one idea you should never take on?

Silk and/or plastic flowers.

They're cheesy, cheap looking and just in poor taste. If you must have a bloom on every table (not that there's anything wrong with that), think about floating a single blossom in a small container of water for an elegant and refined style. 

Your only limitation is your imagination.