Ohhh this is going to be a good one and potentially a tad controversial. Say it with us, “Flowers are expensive.” Listen, even as a wedding florist myself, I find that flowers can be expensive. Especially when bought in large quantities for big events like weddings. When you pile on all the added shortages, shipping increases and issues, and other things it seems never-ending. Fear not though! We are here to help you maximize your flower budget! Truthfully that is one of the biggest parts of our job aside from creating bouquets and arrangements of course. So let’s dive in!
The first thing we like to look at is what are your floral needs, not wants. Harsh, I know. But it is the cold hard truth. Items like bridal bouquets, bridesmaid bouquets, and boutonnieres are often seen as must-haves, which we typically agree with. However, it has become more popular amongst our couples to nix the extended personal flowers that go to parents, grandparents, officiants, etc. Some couples even go as far as to cut all the boutonnieres for everyone! Cutting those extra flowers for your family and officiant from your proposal has saved some of our couples $400-$600!
The second place we often see couples saving money is centerpieces. While the fewer centerpieces you need, the less money you will be spending is still our number one rule. We have been getting really creative with our couples and doing 2-3 different centerpiece styles per wedding. We are still creating those large grand elevated arrangements that really make a statement but we are also sprinkling in smaller centerpieces like a few bud vases and votives or candles and greenery. Choosing more than one style of centerpiece not only brings a fun added visual element but also is friendly to your budget.
Another great way to maximize your flower budget is to decrease the number of different types of flowers in your bridesmaid bouquets and arrangements. Monobloom bouquets and monochromatic bouquets are very much coming on trend for 2023 and can be very budget-friendly. For example, we typically use 9-12 different blooms and greenery in a bouquet, and by removing just one type of filler flower or greenery you can potentially save 5-7% on your overall budget. We promise there are so many ways to make that all rose bouquet look modern and timeless. It doesn’t have to resemble the one your mom had in the 80s or 90s. Check them out below!
By far one of our most popular ways couples have been saving money on their wedding flowers is by repurposing ceremony pieces in the reception space. We do want to give a big warning though because not all ceremony items are able to be reused and not all arbor pieces will look good once cut down from the arbor and laid flat on a table. Arrangements like aisle flowers in particular are easy to repurpose for the sweetheart table, bar, by the band/dj, etc. If you have a moveable arbor think about moving it to a corner in your reception space to make a photo-op moment.
Another great repurpose item would be your bridesmaid bouquets. We don’t recommend using them as centerpieces as they can look a little tired after they have been out of the water and moved around a ton. However, they are great for places like bars, bathrooms, cake tables, welcome tables, etc. One last thing to note on this is depending on whether or not you have the manpower to move these items yourself, you may have a small added labor cost from your florist to cover their extra time on site to move the items. Below you’ll see an arbor flower piece repurposed in front of the sweetheart table and after that aisle flowers repurposed for the sweetheart table again both from The Barn at Smugglers Notch weddings.
Our last tip on how to maximize your flower budget is to trust your florist! Cliche, I know but it is the truth. When we suggest using some more traditional blooms like carnations in your arbor or big install pieces it is because it can drastically save you money. Carnations cost around 2.50/per stem while garden roses cost around $15.00/per stem. We, of course, aren’t putting them on full display but rather using them as supporting blooms in the backdrop. Maybe adding in a pop of color or just adding to the overall fullness. We will of course still be using garden roses in your bouquet but trust us even our most luxurious high-end weddings have some budget-friendly blooms tucked in. Peep the full circle arbor below with peonies, garden roses, stock, ranunculus, and carnations!
Have any more tips we missed? Drop them in the comments below and let us know if you will be using any of these tips to help maximize your floral budget?!
