Posted by Mary of mywedding.com

Are you planning to embark on your honeymoon armed with a giant vase full of your leftover wedding flowers ? What, that’s unlikely you say? If you’re flying, that means that you will need to be able to cram them all into a 3-ounce test-tube sized water receptacle and zip that into a teeny baggie for security purposes. If you can do that, kudos for being conservative with your resources but I don’t think they’ll show up very well in your photos.

On the other hand, if you’re a member of the vast majority who doesn’t know what to do with those lovely blooms after they’ve enhanced your celebration, consider donating your wedding flowers to brighten the days of sick or elderly members of your community. Check with local hospitals, nursing homes and assisted living centers in your wedding area to see if they will accept your donation, and also find out how they would like the flowers to be delivered. It’s possible that they will send somebody to the reception facility to pick them up, which would make the task especially easy to accomplish…just make sure they don’t schedule the pickup before you’ve said your I Do’s! Otherwise, you could delegate the responsibility to a friend or family member who will be available after your wedding day to help.

Check out the following websites for some guidance in your search for a facility in your area:

American Hospital Directory

Nursing Home Info

Assisted Living Info

You can also donate the leftover food from your reception to a local food rescue group that will bring it to a local shelter or soup kitchen that day. They will send delegates to march into your reception and demand of each of your guests: “Hey, you gonna finish that?” before yanking their plates out from under them and emptying the gourmet fare into a giant doggy bag. I kid. I think. Anyhoo, unlike food banks, who cannot accept perishable items, food rescue groups will be able to put your leftovers (that haven’t been served, of course) to good use. See the I Do Foundation’s tips page for more information on donating your leftover reception grub.

You can also get in touch with a community soup kitchen to find out about local food rescue groups. Or contact the Second Harvest Organization, which is an extensive network of food rescue programs.

Autumn is always a great time of the year. There is that terrific crispness in the air that signals the beginning of wool sweaters and hot cocoa. Usually, fall is the time to switch back to earth tones, but this year all trends point to livening up traditional colors, such as burnt sienna and olive green, with pops of bright and vibrant color accents.

In your floral arrangements you can use orange minicallas with purple  lisianthus. Perk up white roses with black magic red roses or even the black baccara roses which will give your arrangements that velvet look that is always beautiful in the fall . Your wedding flowers  can be all bronze color mixed with brigth yellows and purples.

Posted by Guest Blogger of Planning Tips and Ideas for mywedding.com

Photography by Jay Reilly Weddings – see more at www.jayreillyweddings.com

Many brides will be walking down the aisle this summer because who can resist the classic strapless dresses, the romantic summer breezes and, most importantly, all of the beautiful floral options available this time of year.

Bright colors are everywhere this season. From pinks, to purples, to orange and peach tones, there are so many wonderful choices for brides to make. Dahlia’s are always a popular choice because they come in a variety of shapes and colors. Dahlia’s add vibrancy to any bouquet, or floral arrangement and stand up well in the heat!

Roses are also perfect for summer, but forget your idea of the traditional red rose and experiment with the many colors and varieties that are in abundance. Garden Roses, like the Yves Piaget, make the perfect replica of peonies, which is the most popular wedding flowers by far, yet is not in season in summer. They are also more cost effective than peonies

If you are planning a wedding this summer, I encourage you to think dahlia’s and roses to set a colorful stage for your special day.

- Amy Child Marella | Owner | Hidden Garden Flowers

Red roses are the traditional symbol for love and romance, and a time-honored way to say “I love you.” The red rose has long symbolized beauty and perfection.

  Pink

As a symbol of grace and elegance, the pink rose is often given as an expression of admiration. Pink roses can also convey appreciation as well as joyfulness. Pink rose bouquets often impart a gentler meaning than their red counterparts. Pink Roses are used as flowers for weddings

 Yellow