For Easter!?? My ward didn't! Just the same dull Sacrament meeting with some Easter hymns throw in with a few talks mentioning Christ and the ressurction and atonement.
I think you're right!! It's clearly is sending a message to visitors or investigators that the morg doesn't care about it!! And to think they are still trying to mainstream the church!!
Imagine if every ward had one person purchase decorative lilies for sm, then be reimbursed by tscc for the expense, multiplied by every ward, church headquarters would lose lots & lots of $ and our GA's would be shortchanged of their millions. And mission presidents' lavish church-reimbursed lifestyles would suffer.
Or if, on the other hand, each ward had one eager person willing to spend his/her own $ to decorate the pulpit...not too likely since they're already being gouged for tithing and fast offerings and other offerings.
I'm certain the florist neighbors have been hit up repeatedly over the years for flower donations. That's the way it goes in the Morg.
Asking for donated professional time or materials happens all the time to member business owners, like plumbers, bakers, dry cleaners, roofers, tree surgeons....you get the idea.