Taylor and Jeff Weikel grew their own wedding flowers, saving money in the process.Photo:Taylor Weikel
Taylor Weikel
A newlywed couple is sharing how they flexed their green thumbs to save money on their wedding flower arrangements.
In the clip, the pair documented their gardening process — which they described as “a true labor of love" — while encouraging other couples to get in on the cost-effective method in time for their own nuptials.
“!! 2024 BRIDES !! Here’s your sign to plant and grow your own wedding flowers 🌱 🌸🤍😊,” Taylor, who posted the video, wrote over the clip.
The 29-year-old marketing coordinator tells PEOPLE it was Jeff who first had the idea to grow the flowers after he learned about the steep cost of wedding flowers.
“We both also love being outdoors and working with our hands and thought, ‘Why not?’ " she recalls, noting that they had a backup plan in case their gardening gamble failed.
“If growing our flowers didn’t work out, we would source them from a wholesaler or from Trader Joe’s.”
Jeff and Taylor Weikel begin growing their wedding flowers.Taylor Weikel
The Weikels' gardening operation appeared to be going to plan, as an array of blossoming flowers — in gorgeous shades of pink, red, white and purple — were showcased in a series of shots.
Taylor tells PEOPLE they planted several variations of zinnias, dahlias, carnations, ranunculus, cosmos, asters and marigolds. The couple had only six months between their engagement and their wedding so, in the end, only the zinnias and dahlias were ready in time.
“My advice would be to read the seed packet on when to begin growing so that they can all be ready in time,” she suggests. “But we had more than enough flowers for our wedding — we didn’t even pick them all.”
Taylor And Jeff Weikel’s wedding flowers bloom in their garden.Taylor Weikel
The final shot of the Weikels' TikTok video showed them proudly holding up vases filled with their homegrown flowers — which were used to decorate their wedding venue — as they smiled and sat together at their reception.
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Taylor Weikel tends to her wedding flowers growing in her yard.Taylor Weikel
“I want to do bad! I’m just so nervous about them not being dead for the wedding 🤣,” one person commented on the video.
“This is so SMART!!! I’m getting married in October. Ready to figure out what flowers grow around that time,” a second user said. “This was financially so smart but also really special too!” another person added.
“OK, how do I do this in Manhattan?” a fourth user joked.
Reflecting on her and Jeff’s wedding flower project, Taylor tells PEOPLE that beyond the big cost savings, she and her now-husband discovered other surprising perks through the process.
For any brides and grooms feeling hesitant about taking on the challenge of growing their wedding flowers, Taylor urges them to jump in.
“I say DO IT. You will not regret it!” she says, adding, “Plants are pretty forgiving!”
source: people.com
