Severe Allergies! Need Suggestions!

glynnann6

Hello all,

This is my first post on The knot...

I have met with our florist twice now and left with hives, runny nose, itchy, burning eyes etc. both times. I have always had annoying allergies, but this is one of the worst I have ever seen!

I am very bummed out because I love the look of real flowers, I am not sure how I feel about silk or artificial flowers for our wedding...

We have thought about brooch bouquets... but I am not sure if it is the look and feel I am going for.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

daria24

I have awful allergies, as does most of my family. We used succulents and a variety of variegated leaves/plants in the bouquets and centerpiences. No one had any problems with any of my plants and it looked awesome. I'm not sure if green works with your color scheme, but it's worth a shot. Maybe ask your florist if they can make a small bouquet of some sample greens for you to take home, and see if you have any reaction to it?

If you can't do real flowers, check out the Offbeat Bride website for non-floral ideas-pinwheels, paper flowers, button bouquets, etc-they have really awesome ideas. Personally if I couldn't have real flowers, I'd rather not use artificial, I'd rather have something quirky. 

lovelyheather

If you really want to go with real flowers, I would try to find an allergy medicine that works for you (assuming you don't currently take something).

I take Zyrtec every singe day.  It is the only thing that works for my allergies.  Claritin isn't strong enough and I am allergic to Allegra.  It also lasts for 24 hours, so if it makes you tired (that is one of the possible side effects) you could take it the night before the wedding and be fine the next day. 

Unless you know how you react to Benadryl I wouldn't suggest taking that.  I know it makes most people very sleepy and I am assuming you don't want to be half asleep during your wedding!

Another thing to think about is that the allergens in the florist's shop might be more concentrated than they will be at your wedding.  Most floral shops I've been to have been pretty small and packed with flowers. 

glynnann6

Great Suggestion! Green is actually the color I was hoping for for our wedding flowers!

In Response to Re: Severe Allergies! Need Suggestions!:
[QUOTE]I have awful allergies, as does most of my family. We used succulents and a variety of variegated leaves/plants in the bouquets and centerpiences. No one had any problems with any of my plants and it looked awesome. I'm not sure if green works with your color scheme, but it's worth a shot. Maybe ask your florist if they can make a small bouquet of some sample greens for you to take home, and see if you have any reaction to it? If you can't do real flowers, check out the Offbeat Bride website for non-floral ideas-pinwheels, paper flowers, button bouquets, etc-they have really awesome ideas. Personally if I couldn't have real flowers, I'd rather not use artificial, I'd rather have something quirky. 
Posted by daria24[/QUOTE]

RaptorSLH

My husband has allergies, so we went in asking what they could put in a bouttonier that wasn't floral.  We also used floating candles with greens as centerpieces.  Then Mr. Raptor was able to handle the real flowers in my bouquet.

Agree that the florists' shop is a worst case scenario.  What is your usual reaction to a moderate number of flowers?  What happens in a park, or in someone's home?  How long before exposure becomes a problem?

If you can usually handle some varieties, or some limited quantity, then figure out the "must have" places and put your flowers there.  Then work with your florist to figure out visually interesting alternatives for everywhere else.  Maybe that's no flowers at all, or maybe it's a few high-impact flowers in a bouquet of greens, or a few long-stem blooms instead of a traditional bouquet.  Maybe that means the flowers stay outside, and candles inside, and your bouquet doesn't join you at the dinner table.