Picturesque flowers and floral arrangements are a staple for weddings. The bride is almost never seen without an ornate bouquet and her maids are typically sporting complementary flowers down the aisle as well. The men typically have a floral boutonniere, and even the mothers and grandmothers of the brides and grooms sport some sort of blooming detail. And it’s great not only for tradition, but it also usually makes for some gorgeous photographs.
But what happens to all of those fabulous flowers after the “I Dos” are said and the last of the guests are dancing out of the reception?
Audra O’Dom, owner and designer of Distressed Rentals, decided to give these mostly forgotten blooms a new breath of life after the wedding is over. O’Dom decided to start the Share The Love program. This program allows O’Dom and the Distressed Rentals team to take the flower arrangements from a clients wedding, repurpose them and deliver them the following morning to a nursing home.
“When I got into the event industry,” says O’Dom. “I saw so many florals just being scooped into trashcans and wanted to continue to share them.”
O’Dom told LTEC that she has actually been delivering flowers to the nursing homes for years, since she worked for a florist while in high school. So even though her company does not specialize in any sort of flowers or floral arrangement, it was still a familiar and perfect fit for her and her company.
This program is a service she offers specifically to her rental clients. When she and her team arrive at the end of the night to pick up the rentals, they will scoop up the usable flowers and take them back to repurpose and deliver them the next morning.
“You wouldn’t believe how excited people get when they receive flowers,” says O’Dom.
It’s a touching way to repurpose a special piece of your Big Day. And ultimately, a small piece of your wedding day could make a whole day special for someone you’ve never met.
Distressed Rentals & Revival, 504-224-6500, www.rentdistressed.com
