Need Wedding Centerpiece Help!?

I've heard about a very different type of centerpieces. Instead of using flowers that will only die the next day, someone I know went to a wedding where the person used fancy live small trees, not a typical tree- but a tree with flowers. They then hung tealights from the branches.





I think this is a great idea, and people can take them home and plant them after the reception. However, I am certainly not an expert on trees and cannot think of the names of a tree that could be used this way. Also, I want to try and find pictures so I can get an idea before I meet with a florist.





Has anyone seen this done before? Does anyone know where I can find a website with info?? Or even the names of trees that would be used this way, so I can look it up!





Thank you so much in advance for your help! :)

Need Wedding Centerpiece Help!?
Flowering trees generally flower for a limited time, and their season is short. Go to a greenhouse with trees and plants, they can help you find something.
Reply:I think the best way to approach this is to skip the florist all together (not to mention you will save tons)





Go to any nursery and pick out any tree that you like in terms of leaves, bark color, and something that most importantly can be planted at that time of year and is appropriate. Pines may be lovely but would look very strange at a June wedding.





Then either pick up high quality silks of the flowers you want to use (any color and my reccomendation so you won't have to buy bud vases) or you can use real flowers. All you do is stick them throughout the tree to make a "flowering tree" but without bieng restricted to the very few flowering trees like fruit and magnolias that are only in bloom very select times of the year. Any member of the bridal party can help put them together in advance (another reason to use good silks) or you can just get someone from the church or I found a really great deal by hiring the lady who does silk arrangements at the craft store to moonlight and be my florist (I supply flowers).





Most important when trying to save money is to think outside the box, especially when it comes to finding your vendors. Second reason why I say do this rather than buying flowering trees is that regular baby trees are very expensive already and flowering trees even more so, plus they are alot harder to keep alive than something hardy like an Oak and most times any tree or shrub that flowers (except a few like hydrangeas) are considered "trash lanscaping" and will die after a few years, unlike hardwoods which will live for as long as you want. :)
Reply:this can get to be an expensive endeavor and how do you decide which guest at a table for half a dozen or more people gets to take the tree?


recent wedding we went to had collages of the happy couple for center pieces on the tables. each table had five or six photos of the bride and groom as they were growing up. every table had a different set of photos. it got guests up and moving around to see all the photos and was a great way to meet and greet other guests, everyone had their favorite photos to talk about! many of the photos had other people in them and many of the guests found themselves in the photos as youngsters, or teenagers, or young adults! it was entertaining and everyone enjoyed it tremendously.


the photos were all photocopies of the originals so there was no danger of them getting lost or damaged! it was inexpensive and a great ice-breaker!


as for the trees, perhaps they were mini rose bushes, or mini azaleas, both are very pretty in bloom.


good luck

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