Say 'I Do' to Sustainability: Eco-Friendly Flower Options for Your Dream Wedding

Are you looking for ways to keep your wedding eco-friendly? Look no further than your flowers! There are plenty of options for sustainable and earth-friendly blooms that will make your special day beautiful and environmentally conscious.

Some florists purchase flowers that are imported from across the world making a negative environmental impact just by shipping and flying in the specialty flowers. Choose locally sourced flowers that haven't traveled far distances, reducing the carbon footprint from transportation. This also supports local farmers and florists.

Another choice is to opt for organic flowers that have been grown without the use of harmful pesticides or fertilizers, which can be harmful to the environment and to the farmers growing the flowers.

You can also choose flowers that are in season to support the natural growing cycle and avoid forced greenhouse growth. You can always get married in the spring when all the trees are in bloom creating a beautiful backdrop.

GROW YOUR OWN FLOWERS

A way you can avoid the environmental impact is to grow your own! Use potted plants or live flowers that can be replanted after the wedding, like herbs, succulents, or wildflowers. This helps promote sustainability and can serve as a unique and memorable gift for guests.

If you choose to grow your own flowers please consider hiring a florist to create the arrangements, bouquets, and archways. Florists always have that magical touch that flowers need to look their best.

Here are six easy to grow flowers that make beautiful wedding bouquets. The good news is that even if you don’t have an outdoor space- you can grow these flowers  in pots! Another perk is that you will be creating a haven for bees and butterflies as your flowers grow.

Black Eyed Susan

This beautiful flower is drought tolerant and easy to grow in the sunshine in a container or garden. They bloom in the summertime and continue blooming into the early fall. Their orange and black coloring is a stand out in any bouquet. Add in some greenery and white flowers (maybe like the Yarrow mentioned below) and you have a beautiful summertime bouquet. 

Sunflowers

A perfect flower to grow if you are getting married in the late summer/ early fall. You can plant them from seed and watch them take off. They grow easily in pots or in your garden. Once they are big enough they will bloom continuously until the first fall frost. Most are heat and drought resistant making them good to grow just about anywhere! You can also harvest the seeds to eat after you enjoy the blooms at your wedding.

 Lavender

Not only is this purple flower vibrant and delicate it adds a lovely calming scent to your wedding. These flowers prefer full sun and can be grown in a 5 gallon bucket if you are tight on space! The lavender blooms in late summer. You can also dry the stems and use the pieces as a send off for your guest to throw- they show up beautifully for photos, are biodegradable and smell lovely too! 

Yarrow

This flower comes in purple, white and yellow and can be grown easily in containers or in your garden. Yarrow grows quickly from seed so you can choose to start from scratch or pick up a start at your local greenhouse. All it wants is sunshine and it takes off- it is a very easy plant to grow. It starts to bloom late spring/ early summer. This is a good filler plant to place around your other blooms and to put as stand alone for a table setting.

Chamomile

Not only does this plant grow easily in pots and outside directly from seed their blooms make a lovely tea. The flowers are almost like tiny daisies. Just one bunch of chamomile would make a lovely bouquet.

Moth Orchids

These flowers come in a variety of colors and blooms late winter through June/ July. They can be grown on your windowsill with just water and fertilizer. They make absolutely stunning standalone centerpieces and bouquets. When purchasing a moth orchid check for fleshy, live roots and make sure the plants have a deep green stem and leaves instead of yellow. 

When planning your wedding flower garden first check in your area what flowers are easy to grow and what time of year you are getting married. From there get creative and see what flowers work best in your area. If your wedding is next year you are in luck and can start planning your garden now!

The Old Farmers Almanac and A Way to Garden are wonderful resources for finding whether these plants will grow easily in your area. Good luck!

Stay tuned for the next installment of our sustainable wedding series.