Waste in Bridal Bouquets

I have never had a bride ask me how wasteful their bouquet is - they are always focused on a certain style, shape, flower, colors, or inspo. Disclaimer - I ALWAYS find a way to use the "waste" because I hate to see it go into the garbage when it can still be used. This is an educational piece and absolutely not to shame any brides I have done this type of work for because they don't know what they don't know. I will keep making bouquets like this when asked, and finding a use for the "waste". Every bride deserves to see her vision come to life and hold it in her hands.

When a bride asks for a perfectly round bouquet - especially out of babies breath, greenery, or some other floral that does not have one height for the blooms on the stem, they don't know how much waste/excess product is created out of it. My counter ends up covered in scraps of greenery, babies breath, and small blooms from stems that have multiple blooms on them. I always start with the bouquets so that I can use these "waste" pieces in corsages, boutonnieres, centerpieces, and other florals I am creating for the wedding.

The pictures shown are waste created from just one bridal bouquet.

How do I use these stems if there are no corsages, boutonnieres, centerpieces, etc? Great question! I can use these in other pieces in the shop - small arrangements for the cooler, or bud vases. I can also put them into a vase with water until we need short stems, rather than putting them into the garbage. We can also press them to use on our handmade cards.

If a bride sits down with me, and asks me how much waste it would create, I would happily share that information. If a bride says she has a vision and wants it created to a T, then I will do my best to execute it. My goal at the end of the day is to make the bride happy, not to judge the bouquet that she has me making.