Something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue — that's how the saying goes. One company, Something Borrowed Blooms, has got two of these parts covered for you with its wedding flower rental scheme.
There's no denying how expensive weddings can be. In 2021, the average wedding cost a huge $28,000, thanks to dresses, venue, decor, and of course, the flowers. Weddings aren't just costly for your wallet, they're also costly for the environment, given that the average wedding produces around 400 pounds of trash and 63 tons of air-polluting carbon gas.
This is where Something Borrowed Blooms comes in to save the day by offering brides gorgeous bouquets on a rent-and-return system.
How does it work?
The company was founded in 2015 with "a mission to revolutionize the wedding flower industry." Cousins Lauren and Laken set out to help brides cut costs while still enjoying beautiful, real-looking flowers on their special day.
Brides and grooms have the luxury of browsing all of the designs and collections on the brand's website — you can pick a specific collection or mix and match to create your perfect combination of blooms.
The team will carefully package each bouquet and send them to you at least two days before the big day. All you have to do is enjoy your big day, stress-free, and then return the flowers using prepaid shipping labels. It really is that simple.
Why should you use rental flowers?
Something Borrowed Blooms takes the stress out of shopping for fresh flowers. You can be certain that your big day will be filled with stunning blooms as well as arrangements such as centerpieces, garlands, hair pieces, and corsages.
More and more people are trying to shop more sustainably, and this includes the wedding industry. One survey found that 70% of couples are now putting eco-friendly options into their wedding plans with priorities such as secondhand decor, minimizing food waste, and avoiding one-time-use products.
Sustainability is a key part of the brand's ethos. CEO Lauren Bercier says: "Fresh flowers used once end up in a landfill. Our bouquets are used on average about 26 times per year but we have some products on the shelf that have been in rotation for several years."
According to Digital Commerce 360, 75% of fresh flowers in the U.S. are imported, and some travel up to 6,000 miles via airplanes to reach their destinations.
Currently, jet engines use dirty, carbon-based fuels that contribute significantly to our overheating planet. Until newer, cleaner aviation methods are found, it is important to consider ways in which we can help our planet.
By opting for a rent-and-return option, brides can help cut the number of fresh flowers imported to the U.S.
The brand also stores its flowers in sustainable packaging and reuses the foam inserts that cushion the bouquets during shipping.
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