My dream as a little girl was to head out on the morning of my wedding and to pick wild flowers for my bouquet, with my bridesmaids in tow. It was a romantic notion, and part of me wistfully thought it would never come true.
When the time came for me to get married however, I thought, "Why not?!". I love the way they look, and while the 'wild' aesthetic has certainly trended for wedding flowers in recent years, in pretty much all cases the flowers are not in actual fact wild.
I did meet a few raised eyebrows when I said this was what I wanted to do. People were worried about the reliability of this approach, and also the amount of work it would entail. I thought long and hard about what was really important to me; what I wanted my wedding to represent in terms of morals and aesthetics, and also where I wanted to spend money.
Yes - It was a bit of a wild concept, but I really wanted my wedding to feel authentic. And weddings are SO expensive, and this would also be a way to save some money. I also chose not to have a photographer or beautician, because I don't enjoy getting my makeup done or photo taken!
So, I did a lot of research, and I'd say I managed to pull it off -- with a LOT of help from family and friends on the day, which actually turned out to be a lovely bonding experience.
I was very happy with the results - every single plant at my wedding was a wild or foraged plant, without exception! Below I've shared what I learnt in case it's helpful to you.
Here's a quick menu of what you'll find in this blog:
1) Why forage wild flowers for your wedding?
I guess the question you might be asking is, "Why bother?". It's fair enough, and ultimately it comes down to personal choice. The reasons I'd give for considering it are as follows:
Wild flowers are...free!
Let's not beat about the bush, high inflation has not helped the cost of weddings. Flowers can be pretty costly, with people often spending thousands of pounds on something that will last for a few days before dying. On average, couples spend up to £1,500 on wedding flowers. Foraging the plants is totally and utterly free. It won't cost you a single penny.
Using wild flowers at your wedding is better for the environment
Store bought plants are terrible for the environment. For example:
Travel: Wedding flowers, especially out-of-season or exotic varieties, are flown in from countries like Kenya, Colombia, or the Netherlands. This results in a substantial carbon footprint due to air transportation and refrigeration.
Pesticides: Non-organic flowers are often treated with pesticides, herbicides, and chemical fertilizers. These chemicals can harm the environment by contaminating soil, waterways, and ecosystems (foraged wild plants can just be composted without these concerns).
Water usage: Flower farming is water-intensive, particularly in countries where water resources are scarce. Growing flowers in water-stressed areas can exacerbate local water shortages. It takes an estimated 12 liters of water to produce a single rose. In Kenya, one of the largest exporters of flowers, flower farms use up to 900,000 cubic meters of water daily, contributing to water shortages in some areas.
Plastic Packaging: Many flowers are wrapped in plastic during transport, which contributes to plastic waste if not properly disposed of or recycled.
Floral Foam: Commonly used in floral arrangements, this foam is made from plastic and releases microplastics into the environment. It’s non-biodegradable and harmful to aquatic life.
Single-Use Flowers: Most wedding flowers are used for a single day and are often discarded afterward, contributing to waste. For a typical UK wedding, couples use around 500 to 1,000 stems, most of which are discarded after the event.
It brings the wedding party together
I was so lucky that our family and friends really threw themselves into the project. My aunt and bridesmaids were out with me at 5am (in the rain) picking flowers. So many people pitched in with the decorating, making the flower crowns and picking evergreens. It was a unique experience and something that people tell me really sticks out in their memory as an enjoyable and bonding experience.
Wild flowers look great!
I think the beauty of wild plants shines through in a really subtle and understated way! I see wild plants as an expression of nature, of the earth’s will. And there’s something about accepting and appreciating that which grows around us of its own volition for what it is. Why does it need to be “improved” or exaggerated? This is the earth’s authentic offering to the world; it’s good enough for the birds and the bees, so why not us? Slowing down and tuning into it also shows a certain acceptance for who we are within the tangled web of life.
2) What can you use wild flowers for in your wedding?
Wild Flower Bouquets
Like many a bride, one key thing on my mind was the bouquet. It was the main aspect of my childhood dream, symbolizing not just a floral arrangement but a representation of my personality, style, and the overall theme of the wedding. We made bouquets for myself and my 2 bridemaids (and floral crowns for the younger bridesmaids - see below)
In the weeks and months when I was preparing for my wedding, I tried to research wild flower bouquets, but none of them were actually wild. They were from a florist, made in a wild style. As I predicted, having a genuine wild flower bouquet was so stunning, and in a less flamboyant and exaggerated way than the store bought equivalents. I was delighted with the results.
Wild flower crowns
Flower crowns are all the rage but getting them custom made is really expensive! You can make them yourself, with a bit of research beforehand! I actually made the bases myself ahead of time using floristry wire covered by floristry tape - which was really quick, simple and cheap (below, right)!
Decorating the crown is very simple, start with evergreens, at one end of the base, attatching the evergreens with some florestry wire wrapping round and round the base and attaching the plants as you go, then do the same for the flowers. If the bridesmaids get involved with the process, they can even decorate them themselves in the morning before the wedding, so their own crown reflects their personal style, which is an added bonus.
Above are some photos of my niece looking stunning in her oxeye daisy and evergreen flower crown which she wore while she sung a beautful rendition of "I just can't help falling in love with you" (we were all in tears!).
Blossom Confetti
This one takes a bit of advanced prep, I'll admit. I foraged cherry blossoms from my garden in early spring and let them rest in jars of silica gel beads. I also dried some in between pages of heavy books which is a much more environmentally friendly way of doing it but more time consuming and they do come out more flat. Experiment and see what works for you! We then put the petals in cardboard packages and had them set out for the guests on arrival.
Ceremony decorations
We chose a very simple aesthetic for the chapel where we got married - with foraged wild flowers in glass bottles that I had saved in the months before the wedding. The chapel itself was so pretty that we didn't need to add much in terms of decoration. The atmosphere was so intimate and cosy, I was really happy with the results.
Table decorations
We also kept the table decorations fairly simple - with foraged connifer garland on top of a hessian runner, interspersed with candles in glass jars. Unfortunately we didn't get many great photos of the decorations, but the below gives you an idea!
Party favours - wild flower seeds
I gave my guests wildflower seeds in glass bottles as party favours. I confess these weren't foraged wildflower seeds. Had I thought about it far enough in advance though, I would certainly have foraged wildflower seeds - Queen Anne's Lace, Calendula, Clover, Oxe Eye daisy - these would all work really well! If you do this you'll have to forage them in late summer/early autumn, make sure they are totally dry, and save them for your wedding. Added bonus - totally free!
3) Other things to consider
Rules around foraging & sustainability
One of the biggest criticisms of foraging is that it can damage wild plant and fungi populations. Of course, it can if it is done to excess. However, generally speaking foragers care about the plants they are foraging and only take what they need being mindful of not damaging local quantities. Different foraging books give opinions on what percentage you should pick. Personally, I make it a rule that the patch I'm picking from should look no different when I leave it to when I arrived. I only pick a little, and from places with an abundance of plants. It's important to check what you are picking is not a species under threat from a conservation perspective.
The other thing to be aware of is the law. Evidently you can't trespass and it is also illegal to dig up roots in England without the permission of the land owner, according the Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981) and some plants are specifically protected (see the woodland trust). Legally you can forage the 3 Fs: flowers, foliage and fruits on public land.
See my blog on how to start foraging for more information.
Time of year & location
When foraging wild flowers you have to be aware of seasonality. Ideally I'd suggest visiting your venue either a year in advance or a couple of weeks in advance to see what is growing around at that time of year. A year will obviously give you more time to plan, but sometimes that might not be practical if you haven't chosen your venue that far out.
I was incredibly lucky that my venue was covered with Oxeye dasies which were the centrepiece of my bouquet. The delicate white petals with their vibrant yellow centers not only complemented my bouquet but also enhanced the overall aesthetic of the space.
Picking the right kind of wild flowers
Experiment ahead of time with the flowers that work best, and last the longest. You'll find that those with a thick stem will last better than those that don't. You'll want to experiment beforehand to find out what works & lasts in a bouquet. Some will just wilt and there's no avoiding that. They will need to be picked on the day of your wedding and I'd also advise storing in the fridge until you're ready to use them.
Poisonous plants
As always, be aware of what your're picking! While I was reasearching picking wild flowers for my wedding, the main article I found was about a woman that had picked something for her bouquet that caused her to come out in a rash! I did not want that to be me!
I have written a blog about getting into foraging that it could be worth checking out if you want more information about safely picking plants.
Timings and helping hands
The one thing I wish I had known beforehand was how time consuming my great plans would be. It didn't help that I had just broken my ankle earlier that year and was only just recovered so was not as speedy getting around as I though I would BE! If you plan on doing everything yourself it takes a lot of organisation and time. It's fun, and I'm so glad we did it - but it was a definite project.
Luckily, as people had travelled to our wedding and were there for a couple of days many members of the wedding party pitched in! I was so touched by how helpful everyone was. My aunt & bridesmaids were out in the fields with me at 6am picking flowers (In the rain!). As the day went on we got more and more help. My cousin actually told me today that it was a great way for members of the wedding party to get to know each other, so by the time the celebrations begun there was a lot of bonding that had already taken place.
Concluding thoughts
I was so pleased I got to live out my dream of a wedding filled with wild flowers. It was a lot of work and took a lot of planning but boy was it worth it! I felt so good knowing that I was not only prioritising things that gave me joy, but also saving money and reduicing my environmental impact. If you'd like to do this yourself, and have any questions, please do get in touch by leaving a comment below or via my contact me page!
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