Celebration Planning Center
Family Reunion Center
A family reunion is a rare thing: everyone in one place, from the grandparents who started it all to the newest baby making the rounds. Whether it's a backyard, a rented hall, or a park pavilion, flowers are what turn a plain space into a gathering that feels like home — generous, warm, and unmistakably about family.
A Little Planning Goes A Long Way
This guide is for whoever drew the short straw of organizing this year — coordinating tables, food, and everyone's opinions. We focus on easy, budget-friendly ways to bring color and warmth across a lot of tables, with an eye toward Michigan's summer growing season when most reunions happen.
Bentley Florist has been family-owned in Burton since 1963, so we understand a good gathering. The ideas here are meant to make your reunion feel special without overwhelming the person planning it — whether you order from us at bentleyflorist.com or arrange things yourself.
Why Flowers Matter Here
Family reunions often land in borrowed spaces — a church hall, a park shelter, a community room — that can feel a little bare on their own. A run of cheerful arrangements down the tables instantly signals that this is a celebration, not just a potluck, and gives the whole room a sense of care.
Flowers also become gathering points and conversation starters. A welcome arrangement at the door, a bloom at each place for the eldest generation, or a shared centerpiece all quietly say the family put thought into the day — and that warmth is what people carry home.
Planning Tips From The Shop
- Plan for a lot of tables — reunions need broad, affordable coverage more than a few showpieces.
- Use repeated jar or bottle arrangements down long tables for a generous look at a modest cost.
- Choose sturdy, heat-tolerant summer blooms since most reunions are outdoors or in warm halls.
- Consider a small keepsake bloom for the eldest generation as a warm gesture of honor.
- Recruit a few relatives to help set out arrangements so the work isn't on one person.
- Lean on in-season Michigan flowers for the best value and freshest color in summer.
Your Planning Timeline
When to think about what, so the flowers feel effortless by the big day.
4-6 weeks before
Confirm the date, venue, and rough head count. Decide how many tables you'll cover and whether you want a welcome arrangement.
2-3 weeks before
Place your flower order or plan your DIY approach. Reserve in-season summer stems and gather jars or containers.
1 week before
Finalize the table count, confirm pickup or delivery, and line up a few relatives to help with setup.
1-2 days before
Receive or pick up flowers, give stems a fresh cut, and let them drink overnight in a cool spot.
Reunion day
Set out centerpieces once tables are placed, keep spares cool, and place the welcome arrangement where everyone enters.
The Planning Checklist
Check items off as you go — then download or print a copy to keep on the fridge.
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Floral Inspiration
Ideas from our design bench — every celebration is designed fresh, never from a template.
Color Palettes That Work
Summer Backyard
Cheerful yellows, oranges, and greens that echo a Michigan summer garden — warm and welcoming.
Wildflower Meadow
Soft, mixed pastels and naturals for a relaxed, gathered-from-the-field feeling.
Fresh & Bright
Bold, happy primaries that read as celebration and photograph well across a crowded table.
Design Styles
Repeated Jar Centerpieces
Casual mason-jar or bottle arrangements repeated down long tables — generous, affordable, and easy for volunteers to set out.
Loose Garden Gathering
Relaxed, unstructured bunches of mixed summer blooms that feel picked from the yard and suit an easygoing reunion.
Welcome Statement Piece
One larger arrangement at the entrance or sign-in table that greets arriving family and anchors the day's palette.
Michigan Season By Season
Spring
Early-season reunions suit tulips and daffodils; by late May, Michigan peonies bring lush color to a welcome arrangement.
Summer
Peak reunion season shines with sunflowers, zinnias, and dahlias in late summer — sturdy, colorful, and heat-tolerant for outdoor tables.
Fall
Autumn gatherings glow with dahlias, mums, and textural grasses in warm harvest tones that suit a cozy indoor hall.
Winter
Cold-weather reunions call for evergreens, amaryllis, and paperwhites for a festive, indoor-friendly centerpiece.
Flowers We'd Suggest
A florist's short list for this occasion — classics, smart savers, and the splurges that earn their place.
Beloved Classics
Always-right flowers that never feel dated
Sunflowers
A joyful, heat-tolerant focal flower that reads as summer and holds up outdoors all afternoon.
Zinnias
Bold, easy summer color in a wide range of hues — a natural fit for casual reunion tables.
Snapdragons
Tall spikes that add height and a garden feel to loose, gathered arrangements.
Gladiolus
Dramatic, old-fashioned spikes that bring a nostalgic, homey warmth to a family gathering.
Black-Eyed Susans
A Michigan meadow staple that gives a wildflower look and thrives through late summer.
Budget-Friendly
Big presence without the premium price
Daisies
Cheerful, sturdy, and inexpensive — perfect for filling many jar centerpieces across a lot of tables.
Carnations
Long-lasting and available in every color, they stretch a reunion budget across broad table coverage.
Alstroemeria
Multi-bloomed and durable, so a handful of stems fills several small arrangements affordably.
Premium & Luxe
Statement blooms worth the splurge
Dahlias
Show-stopping late-summer blooms for a standout welcome arrangement in rich, saturated color.
Garden Roses
Full, romantic blooms that elevate a head-table or welcome piece when you want one showpiece.
Peonies
Lush late-spring luxury for an early reunion's centerpiece — beautiful while briefly in season.
Wondering what's in season for your date? See our Michigan seasonal flower guide.
An Honest Budget Guide
The figures below are educational, industry-typical retail ranges offered to help you plan a reunion realistically — they are not a Bentley Florist quote or price list. Costs vary with flower choice, season, and how many tables you're covering. Because reunions need broad, affordable coverage, the maximizing tips below matter more here than anywhere.
Jar centerpiece (per table)
Casual repeated arrangements are the most budget-friendly way to cover many tables.
$20 – $50
Single mixed centerpiece
A fuller low arrangement for a food or head table.
$45 – $110
Welcome or sign-in arrangement
One larger statement piece to greet arriving family.
$100 – $300
Keepsake bloom for an elder
A small single bloom or posy as a warm gesture of honor.
$15 – $40
DIY bulk flower bunches
Loose bunches you arrange yourself for the most coverage per dollar.
$40 – $120
Getting The Most From Your Budget
- Repeat simple jar arrangements down long tables instead of buying several large centerpieces.
- Choose in-season Michigan summer stems — sunflowers, zinnias, daisies — for the most color per dollar.
- Buy bulk bunches and arrange them yourself with a few volunteer helpers.
- Collect and reuse jars and bottles so your money goes to flowers, not vessels.
- Concentrate a few premium blooms in the single welcome piece where they'll be noticed.
- Send arrangements home with relatives afterward so nothing goes to waste.
Where To Put Your Dollars First
- 1Broad, affordable table coverage that makes the whole room feel celebratory.
- 2One welcome arrangement that greets family and anchors the palette.
- 3In-season summer stems that deliver the most beauty for the budget.
- 4A small keepsake touch honoring the eldest generation.
These are industry-typical planning ranges to help you set expectations — not a Bentley Florist price list or a quote. Every celebration is different, and real numbers come from a conversation about your date, your space, and your ideas. Call 810-742-3174 and we'll talk it through, no pressure.
Common Mistakes To Avoid
The missteps we see most often — and the easy ways around them.
Buying a few showpieces and leaving tables bare
Prioritize broad, repeated coverage so every table feels celebratory, not just the head table.
Choosing delicate blooms for an outdoor gathering
Use heat-tolerant sunflowers, zinnias, and daisies outdoors, and save peonies for shade or indoors.
Letting all the setup fall on the organizer
Recruit relatives ahead of time and assign small, simple tasks so the work is shared.
Paying for vessels instead of flowers
Collect and reuse jars and bottles so your budget goes toward the blooms themselves.
Ignoring what's in season
Lean on in-season Michigan summer stems for the best value, freshness, and color.
Tossing the flowers at the end
Send arrangements home with family so the celebration continues and nothing is wasted.
Keep Reading
Hand-picked from the 350+ answers in our Knowledge Center.
What flowers are in season in Michigan each month?
Read the answer
What wildflowers grow in Michigan and can I use them in arrangements?
Read the answer
What flowers are in season in Michigan during summer?
Read the answer
What should I know about sunflowers?
Read the answer
What are the best flowers to grow in a Michigan cutting garden?
Read the answer
Free Printable Guide
The Michigan Seasonal Flower Guide
What Blooms When, and How to Plan Around Our Weather
Ready To Talk Flowers For Your Family Reunion?
Bentley Florist has helped Burton celebrate since 1963. Bring us your date and your ideas — we'll help you make it beautiful.