Going Green: Easy Eco Friendly DIY Wedding Flowers & Botanicals [media_unique_centerpiece.jpg]Is reduce, reuse, recycle your mantra? At first blush, flowers may seem like the most anti-green element of an eco-friendly wedding. But there are many ways to green your DIY wedding flowers with a triple bottom-line friendly approach that creates beauty, reduces your wedding’s carbon footprint and saves 70 – 80 percent off retail by sourcing local flowers and sustainable botanical wedding décor at the wholesale LA Flower District California Flower Mall.
Here’s some easy, eco-friendly, affordable ways to think “green” about wedding flowers:
First Think Local – Use locally grown, in season blooms to reduce the impact of flying flowers from Holland or Hawaii. It’s easy to source fresh locally grown wholesale flowers and plants in the Southern California region. California is one of the largest growers of flowers and plants in the country. Local farms and nurseries supply the LA Flower District California Flower Mall daily with fresh, affordable plants and flowers from places like Calabasas, Camarillo, Oxnard, Lompoc, Carlsbad and neighboring Mexico. Most of the potted Phlaenopsis, Dendrobium and Cymbidium orchids here come from Oxnard, while gorgeous less expensive flowers like astromeria lilies and ranuculus bloom abundantly on farms in north San Diego County.
Think Seasonal & Reasonable – One third of all weddings are held in the summer months. Local seasonality affects price and there are plenty of spectacular June blooms at discount and wholesale prices here fresh from local farms. Ranuculus is a wonderful stand-in for pricier roses, they come in many colors. Freesia is another small delicate flower with a pleasant scent that can be used as a wonderful substitute for the more expensive stephanotis (a traditional “bridal” flower). Fluffy hydrangeas are so large they make excellent bouquets and centerpieces. You might need only three to five stems to create a lush look. They come in white, pink, blue and lavender. Warm weather tolerant calla lilies, mums, carnations, gerber daisies and gladiolus come in a variety of colors - hot bright orange, yellow and pink are dazzling colors for July and August weddings.
Sustainable Botanical Couture – Natural manzanita branches are called woodland driftwood because of their unusual shapes. It is the strongest and most popular of the local wood botanical branches. These lower carbon impact branches grow wild in the Southern California high chaparral and are harvested under permit. They are available loose or mounted in standing upright in plaster base contemporary planters.
Manzanita tree branches adorned with hanging votive candle holders is an easy, DIY wood botanical that is dramatic, yet elegantly Zen-like, they can be assembled in advance and can be reused as a post- wedding décor appointment or garden enhancement. Wedding design stylists decorate branches with blossoms, crystal strands and other creative adornment. Manzanita branches create an impressive high end look and a lower level carbon impact for casual beachfront twilight and elegant evening weddings. Choi Orchids has natural and sand blasted project grade manzanita branches ranging from 6 feet tall to smaller and lower 12 inch branches. For step by step directions to make your own DIY hanging votive candle holders see http://bit.ly/cp9Sxj. Dollar Tree direct is a great local source for bulk led or wax votive candles and other elegant wedding décor and floral supplies for $1 or less.
Another California Flower Mall affordable green reception table decoration is tall green fountain grass in a contemporary tall glass vase anchored with sand, stones or sea shells complimented with stems of Dendrobium orchids. Potted orchids, lush potted green plants and delicate green live grass in ceramic planters are sustainable locally grown eco-sensitive choices for reception décor that can also be reused and sustained in home or garden.
