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At the end of your bridal party or wedding reception, it could suddenly hit you just how many decorations you put into your event, and you may wonder what to do with it all afterward. The last thing you want to worry about is how you’ll get all those flower bouquets in mason jars packed up and moved on the same night as the start of your honeymoon. So the question that many brides face is whether to allow wedding guests to keep centerpieces or not. The answer is not as apparent as you might think.

Are the Centerpieces Really Yours to Give Away?

Before you start handing out your beautiful centerpieces after your big event, you should determine if you own them first. This might sound strange, but unless you went out and purchased the containers holding the flowers, or paid extra for the florist to buy them on your behalf, your centerpiece holders may belong to the flower shop. It’s not an uncommon practice to just rent the vases to avoid the problem of later having to dispose of all the decor. If you determine that the containers are yours, go ahead and send them home with your wedding guests.

Best Way to Hand Out Floral Centerpieces

There are several great ways to handle the end of night breakdown of your party area, and that includes how you go about giving away your gorgeously themed floral arrangements and centerpieces.

Let Your Host Handle It

You may want to let your host know that it’s acceptable to tell guests they can have a centerpiece, or have your host gather them onto a couple of tables after your reception and let guests know they’re free to grab one on their way home. If you don’t have enough to go around, speak with your event team about creating smaller bouquets to hand out or decide ahead of time who you want to have a centerpiece from your big day. Many brides designate these customized decorative pieces for their immediate family and bridal party members.

Make Your Centerpieces a Prize

One way to avoid not having enough to meet demand is to create a party game with your gorgeously designed pieces as a prize. From bridal bingo where you can have a variety of awards or playing trivia games about the newly wedded couple, these lovely decoration items will make terrific rewards for the winners.

Get-Togethers After the Wedding

Many brides often have to visit other relatives after the big event who couldn’t attend. Repurposing your flowers for the next few days are a great way to deal with all the extra decor. If you only need a few, then you could still allow the remaining pieces to go home with guests of your choosing or with whoever wants one.  You can let your wedding planner and facility staff communicate with guests about your plans for these decorations so that you’re sure to have enough for your next planned event.

Recycle Your Centerpieces

If you have concerns about having more guests than floral displays and you don’t want anyone feeling left out, there are still convenient options to avoid throwing them away. A floral donation is an excellent option because these companies will come pick them up and drop them off at a local hospital. Some do charge a fee, but much of it is tax deductible! You could also call ahead to a local nursing home, hospital, or school event that could use them and find out if any volunteers in your family or the organization could pick them up.

It’s also important to ask ahead when first ordering your centerpieces. Many times your florist already knows about these types of recycling options, including composting, and can help arrange it. On occasion, your florist could even reuse the flowers or direct you to a company that provides this option.

Central New Jersey Wedding Planners Can Help

Windows on the Water knows how the stress of all the little details like centerpiece disposal can make this special time worrisome. This fact stays with us through the entire planning process,  and we would love the opportunity to help you keep your wedding events focused on your enjoyment while we take care of the finer details.

Our recognized professional services and years of crafting unique experiences help us to relieve a lot of the stress that comes with planning your nuptials. Our venue demonstrates that it’s not only the most spectacular Central Jersey marriage event spot, but also gives you the freedom to make it your own and enjoy yourself while doing so.

Do you have your perfect wedding in mind and want to start learning how to make it happen?  Contact us today at (609) 208-9475 to receive our Windows Wedding Packet that contains menus, pricing, photos, and additional amenities and services that are available.