"Circle of Friends Bouquet"

Erica1011

I saw this on description posted on a local board and would like to know if anyone has seen this done or if you've done this during your own ceremony.  I'd love to know how it was done and how it looked to the guests.

"The bride used a "circle of friends bouquet" or something like hatt.  She gave a cut flower to each friend or close person that has had an immediate/important impact on her life.  During the ceremony they all got up and gave her the flowers to make a beautiful bouquet of fresh cut flowers."

It's an interesting idea.  And for someone like me (i'm not having a wedding party) it would be nice to honor some of my closest friends this way.  What do you ladies think?

jerseydevil

I'm curious why you're not having a wedding party? That's usually how friends are honored

How are you honoring them by giving them flowers to give back to you?

I've seen it done where the bride and groom give flowers to parents during the ceremony, so maybe you could GIVE them each a cut flower during the ceremony instead.

Erica1011

I'm not having a wedding party bc my bf doesnt want to.  He's anti the whole formal wedding idea, he wanted to elope.  We both had to make compromises in the wedding planning and this was something I gave into.  We will have a maid of honor and best man but that's it.

As for honoring friends...  I see it as a way to include them and single them out.  Not so much as them "giving me a flower" but as including them in the ceremony.  Isn't that why you ask people to do readings and give people other "jobs" in a wedding?  To acknowledge that they are special in your life and you want them to take an active part in the ceremony?  This is how I view it anyway.

I found this idea interesting and wanted to know if anyone has seen this done before.  I'm trying to imagine how it would work smoothly. 

jmkapel

I've heard of this being done and it was very touching when it was. I am not sure of the details or particulars of making it smooth, but it was a way the bride honored the women in her life (there was something with her mother not being there, I'm not sure why). I say go for it!

younge bride 101

I think its fantastic, find your own smooth way to do it and make it personal for you

deejandhil

I think this is a very touching idea, though I'm also not sure how the logistics would work! It reminds me a little bit of a ring warming ceremony (where the couple's rings are passed around), but with flowers.

One of my friends did something beautiful that might be a good alternative if you aren't picky about which flowers are in your bouquet. She asked all of her close girlfriends to bring a flower with them to the ceremony that reminded them of her, and she tied them all together, and that was her bouquet! The bouquet was like a beautiful crazy quilt, and it worked so well... and it meant a lot to everyone to contribute that way.

Erica1011

That's a great idea!  It should be fun researching and thinking of unique ways to include my close friends and family...  Thanks for the feedback!

jentellett

I saw something like this done except that it was at the beginning not throughout.  as she walked down the aisle, she stopped at various ppl close to her (i.e. grandparents) and formed her bouquet while making her way down the aisle.  it was nice, but if you couldn't see what was happening, it took a while for her to get down the aisle!  

Erica1011

That's exactly how I had it imagined in my head.  That I would collect them as I walked down the aisle.  My concern was that it would take me forever to get down there though as you said.  I'm also torn bc I want to include some of my friends and family but I don't want to distract from my brother walking me down the aisle (my father is deceased) as that will be a special moment for my brother too.  Decisions, decisions...

laurebkraft

It sounds like a wonderful idea! Go for it! How special to honor your friends, and still respect your FI's wishes.

Congrats!

missbrittany88

I will be doing this during my ceremony.
I have 7 bridesmaids - everyone looks at me like I'm nuts whe I tell them that.
In addition to these girls, I have MORE girls that I want to include in the wedding, but I just can't have them ALL in the bridal party.
I am having a group of "house party" girls, there are 10 girls in that group. All of those girls will do everything with us, come to the parties, sleep over the night before, and get ready the day of. They will walk in right after my family each holding a single flower. At the ceremony, there will be a vase on the altar. In the vase will be a single flower for each member of the bridal party (and our parents). There will be a time during the ceremony that the pastor mentions the "bouquet of love and support" and what it means, and each of the house party girls will at that time, bring their flowers up to the vase.
I think its a great way to incorporate people into your wedding who you just can't necessarily fit into the wedding party.

Erica1011

Brittany: This is def a creative/unique way to include your other friends that could not be included in your wedding.  I have a question though: Will these flowers form your bouquet?  Or will the flowers remain the vase at the end of the ceremony? 

missbrittany88

No, I will have my own seperate bouquet. These flowers will remain in the bouquet in the vase at the end of the ceremony. The will be silk flowers, mainly because I am on a budget and silk flowers are less expensive than cut flowers.
I have considered making an arrangement out of this and using it in our home. I'm not sure what I am going to do with it after the wedding.

Thank you - I really like this idea (I actually had a friend do this at her wedding) - and I agree, I think it is very creative and unique. I just had so many girls I wanted to incorporate into the wedding, but I just can't have 15 thousand girls in my wedding party - people aready look at me like I'm nuts when I tell them I have 7 bridesmaids.