Your wedding flowers are so much more than just decorations—they’re a part of your love story! But what happens to all those beautiful blooms once the party’s over? With a little planning, your flowers can keep spreading joy long after your big day. Here are a few simple and meaningful ways to make that happen:

1. Donate Your Flowers

One of the sweetest things you can do with your wedding flowers is to donate them. There are local charities, like Scent with Love in Pittsburgh, that will collect and deliver your flowers to places like nursing homes, hospitals, or shelters. If this sounds like your kind of thing, here are a few tips to make it happen:

Put Someone in Charge: Ask a family member or friend to take care of collecting the flowers at the end of the night. They’ll need to have enough space in their car and some boxes or containers to transport everything.
Schedule a Pickup: If you’re working with a charity, reach out to them ahead of time to get on their schedule. These groups often rely on volunteers, so availability can vary. And remember, this isn’t something your florist typically handles, so make sure it’s part of your planning.

2. Share the Love with Your Guests

Another great option is to let your guests take some flowers home. But to make sure this goes smoothly, it’s good to plan ahead:

Check with Your Florist: Sometimes the containers your flowers are in are rentals, and other times they’re something you can keep. It’s important to check with your florist first. If the containers are rentals, your florist can switch them out for takeaway containers or provide vases just for your guests to take flowers home in.
Give Your DJ or Band a Heads-Up: Let your DJ or band’s MC know you want to give away flowers. They can make an announcement as the night winds down so everyone knows they can take a little piece of your day home with them.

3. Bring the Flowers Home

If you’re not jetting off on your honeymoon right away, why not take the flowers home with you? They’re still fresh and gorgeous, and you can enjoy them for days:

Use Them for a Post-Wedding Brunch: Hosting a brunch the next day? Your wedding flowers can be the perfect decoration!
Share with Neighbors or Family: Spread the love by giving some of the flowers to neighbors or family members.
Enjoy Them at Home: Keep the flowers around your house to relive the magic of your wedding day a little longer.

4. Let Your Florist Handle It

Some venues need everything cleared out by the end of the night, and any flowers left behind might get tossed by the staff. If that’s the case, you can ask your florist to take care of the flowers for you. Talk about this with your florist at your final planning meeting. They’ll know the best way to handle it!

A Little Planning Goes a Long Way

These decisions are best made well before the week of your wedding, so chat with your florist during your final planning meeting to get everything squared away. With just a bit of preparation, your flowers can continue to bring joy long after your wedding day is over!