Ceremony Clean Up

@Crystal I absolutely LOVE your sign!

Skip the petals like PP said!

We are having our ushers handle this. He is a close family friend and he doesn't have to sweep up (no petals for us) but he is going to grab the pew bows. He's already asked what he needs to do and will do whatever. Same with his parents. My family did the same when his sister got married.

There's nothing wrong with asking for help. Just do it in advance and in person (or over the phone). Your wedding is not an imposition on anyone, so if you ask and they volunteer that's fine. If no one wants to volunteer, that's fine; you can use the kissing ball instead. But really, there is no sin in asking someone for help.

Ash you can't possibly be serious? Weddings are huge impositions and you should never ask a guest to do work that's flat wrong.

Hire staff to do it or do it yourself.

Many people concerned with clean-up use an isle runner that can easily be rolled up and whala - the mess is gone.

Hire someone.

Don't throw petals. Plenty of other great alternatives as previous posters have suggested!

@jorocka, asking is not an imposition. They have full freedom to say no, but maybe they want to help. Many of our family members have said "congrats, and let me know if you need any help!" so if we have any needs, I'll reach out to them and see if they're still interested in helping.

My teenage nearly adult nephews helped us by grabbing the few petals that were dropped and removing the pew bows and flower arrangements, and memory table. The also took it the reception hall and set them up there like I asked them too. Not a big deal in my family. We help each other out with things. My brothers and my MOH and her daughter ( also a BM) took care of the decor from the reception hall to home and I got it the following day. My IL's took the card box and gifts. Not a big deal to us.

I'd just go with something other than petals. To be honest though, my flower girl got so nervous walking out that she actually forgot to throw petals and only tossed like 3 out.

I vote for either do it yourself or no petals. What about having the flower girl blow bubbles?

Ash, yes it's an imposition. You don't ask people to work at your wedding. They're guests.

In defense for Ash, I've already had 3 friends who I did not ask to help already say we will do it for you. And all of them said its no imposition, "the guests of honor are the bride and groom not the people who just come to witness it." I think it may just be depending upon your views of who the main party is at a wedding and how your guests feel about wanting to help. We've been lucky enough to have friends that are so excited about our marriage that they are scrounging for a part in it.

I agree with Marie. I myself have helped cleanup a little or collect things. It's not a big imposition and no one has ever minded helping a little. It is just a few petals and grabbing bows or whatever I see no problem with it.

Really it depends on your family/friends and what they will think is an imposition. I think a lot big wedding planning and etiquette really friends on your relationship with your guests. There's some people that would absolutely think it's rude, while others will think it's fine. Feel them out in it.

A great alternative is to give a local teen for an hour tho. Then no one has to worry about anything.

Just because they offer or claim it isn't an imposition doesn't mean it's true. Of course they're going to offer to help when you get engaged. Almost all our friends did. We would never take them up on it since it's them being polite. Just because your family and friends did it doesn't mean it was OK. Again, they were being polite doing it for you as they did for previous weddings. I don't know anyone that would say no to a bride/groom if asked to help (again polite) and yes, a wedding is absolutely an imposition. Don't use their politeness as a free pass to do whatever you want because "it's your day". $20 isn't going to make you homeless and put you into debt (so stop using the budget excuse) and if it does put you into debt, you might want to take a hard look at your finances.

I was once pressured into help turn over a room from a ceremony set up to reception set up. I was asked by the bride and I felt I couldn't say no, due to being a bad friend. I was in uncomfortable shoes for the task and I missed cocktail hour. To this day, I get a little mad when I think about the position she put me in. Please don't ask your guests to help clean up. They will feel like they have to say yes, even if they don't want to.

It's a small amount of petals... I am with you that I would not hire a cleaning crew for that either. Maybe like you said have the flower girl pick them up like a game at the end of the ceremony. I don't think it would be a big deal to ask a child to do that (My flower girl would love it actually) Just make sure that her mom is aware and is okay with just making sure that she put them all up.

I attended a wedding where the flower girl blew bubbles. It was really cute.