Flowers

Fragrant flowers as centerpieces (and in bouquets)

We are getting married in the spring, which is a great time for flowers. Our centerpieces are very much up in the air. Some ideas I've had include just doing lanterns with some small flowers around them, getting potted orchids with votives, or of course doing more conventional floral arrangements. Which brings me to my question, I love love love sweat peas and peonies (I am hopefully posting a sweat pea picture below). They are both fragrant flowers. Do you think having the fragrant flowers all around will bother people? Will it be overwhelming or bother people while they eat? 

Emily Gilmore's voice keeps coming into my head, shouting at her maid about "floral wreak". 

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Re: Fragrant flowers as centerpieces (and in bouquets)

  • You would need to fill the entire room up with those flowers (meaning they would need to be everywhere, not just in centerpieces) for the scent to be overwhelming to your guests.  And honestly, I barely notice a scent when it comes to sweet peas and peonies.  The only time I notice one is if I am sticking my face directly into the flower.

  • You would need to fill the entire room up with those flowers (meaning they would need to be everywhere, not just in centerpieces) for the scent to be overwhelming to your guests.  And honestly, I barely notice a scent when it comes to sweet peas and peonies.  The only time I notice one is if I am sticking my face directly into the flower.
    Ok, good. I am used to encountering peonies and sweet peas that are home grown. My first sweet pea experience was one where a big bunch of them made the entire room smell lovely, which is what I always think of when I think of sweet peas.  I know that with other flower types the commercially grown have less scent, so it's likely that would be the case with the sweet peas and peonies I buy from a florist. 

    Also not sure why I typed sweat peas before, those sound gross. 
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  • Don't use alot of them.

     
  • Don't use alot of them.
    From experience? Now I am troubled again. 
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  • OP why don't you do this if you are concerned.  Get a bunch of peonies and sweet peas (if possible) and stick them in a smallish room in your home.  See how much scent permeates the room.  If it gets overwhelming after 6 hours then just use less of those flowers.

    I am guessing you will have them on each table and I am also assuming that your venue is larger then your typical dining room.  I think the size of the venue and the fact that you will really only have arrangements on each table...I really don't see this being an issue

  • OP why don't you do this if you are concerned.  Get a bunch of peonies and sweet peas (if possible) and stick them in a smallish room in your home.  See how much scent permeates the room.  If it gets overwhelming after 6 hours then just use less of those flowers.

    I am guessing you will have them on each table and I am also assuming that your venue is larger then your typical dining room.  I think the size of the venue and the fact that you will really only have arrangements on each table...I really don't see this being an issue
    This is a great idea, unfortunately, peonies and sweet peas are out of season right now. I may be able to get my hands on peonies, but sweet peas I can't find anywhere. I can count on one hand the time that a florist has even had them in stock in the spring, but I know I could order cases of them in the spring. I may just have to take the risk, I just thought someone might have experience with fragrant flowers as centerpieces. Lilies for example smell super strong sometimes, but I haven't been to a wedding where they were a large component of a centerpiece. 
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  • I think you should be fine.  Unless a guest is very sensitive to fragrances, I don't think the scents will be that strong.  
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