photo by Eden Ingle
FLOWERS! They add so much to a wedding set up, but man, can they be expensive. Flowers are an expense with a big sticker shock. Many couples are blown away when they see floral quotes, and a question I get all the time is “how can I cut floral costs”!? Let me first say that flowers, even when florists are buying them at wholesale costs, are truly not cheap. Florists also have to pay themselves as well as include the cost for labor, supplies, staff, etc. It makes sense that they bigger wedding expense, however, there are some ways to cut costs!
Reuse Your Blooms!
One of the best ways to save money on florals is to reuse your florals. Your guests will (in most cases) not be seeing your ceremony and reception set ups at the same time. Take things that are being used for your ceremony and reuse them at your reception. Your florist can help you think of innovative ways to do this. Here are a couple of ideas:
Reuse your bridesmaids bouquets as centerpieces
Reuse your bridal bouquet on your sweetheart table, cake table, or somewhere else that needs an accent
If you are having an arbor or ceremony backdrop that is easily moveable, you can have it moved to accent your cake table or sweetheart table
Focus On the Areas That Will Be Photographed the Most
I know you want your whole wedding to be overflowing with flowers like the gorgeous wedding you saw on Pinterest, but homegirl on Pinterest may have had an unlimited flower budget, and as much as you wish you could recreate that look, your budget just isn’t going to do it. You don’t need GRAND flower arrangements all over the place. Focus on the areas that will made the biggest impact- for example; your ceremony space (but also try to think of ways to reuse these flowers somewhere else), your sweetheart or head table, and if there is a big blank wall or space within your reception space-think of something fun to do there so that it doesn’t look blank. Go lighter on your guest tables and in other areas that won’t be photographed quite as much. Most guests don’t like when there is a big centerpiece getting in the way or blocking their view anyways!
Go For Smaller Arrangements
I touched on this a little bit in the last tip, but cutting down on size will cut down on costs. Ask your florist if scaling back on the size of arrangements, bouquets, or ceremony backdrop will help cut back on cost. Smaller arrangements can still have BIG impact. Bud vases are also a great option!
Mix it Up
I always recommend using at least two different styles of centerpieces to add depth to the room. Talk to your florist to see if you can come with a more average priced centerpiece to mix with a lower priced centerpiece. I also LOVE using candles to help fill up a space and add warmth. You can even create a centerpiece fully out of candles, and just put some greenery or blooms around the base. Compare the cost of getting candles through your florist and buying them yourself. I order glass cylinders for pillar candles through Dollar Tree’s website- they are only $1. Candle cost will depend on the type of candle you want, but there are several places online where you can find good deals,
Don’t Get Tied Up on One Type of Bloom
We all love Peonies and yes, they are wonderful and beautiful, but those suckers are expensive, and very few people can afford to use them everywhere. If there is a type of bloom that’s expensive, but you HAVE TO HAVE IT!!! Consider using that bloom only in places that will be focal points- like your bridal bouquet. For most expensive blooms, there is typically a less expensive bloom that looks similar and can still have the same impact!
Go for Greenery
While greenery isn’t exponentially cheaper than blooms, it is a little bit cheaper. Bulking up your arrangements with greenery rather than blooms can definitely cut cost- at least a little bit, and they will still have a great impact. If you want large arrangements, consider using more greenery and less blooms- it will definitely save you a few bucks.
Do Some of it Yourself
While I don’t love this option, it is definitely an option (unless your venue has restrictions against it). If you are wanting to try your hand at putting together floral arrangements, this is a good chance, BUT make sure you can put together whatever you are going to put together before your wedding day. When I was getting married, we were on a budget and didn’t want to spend a lot on flowers. My bridesmaids and I spent some time the night before the wedding and we all put together our own bouquets and helped each other- it was actually a lot of fun! There are local wholesalers who are open to the public. If you want to go this route, I still recommend hiring a florist for those bigger accent areas- for example, your ceremony back drop and your bouquet.
Use Local and Seasonal Blooms
While this isn’t always an option, it never hurts to ask! Talk to your florist and see if local and seasonal blooms are available the time of year you are getting married and within your color palette. Bonus - you’d be supporting local farmers!
Fill Up Big Blank Spaces with Plant Rentals
If your venue has a lot of open space, consider filling It up with rentals like trees or plants from a local nursery. Sometimes doing something like this is more cost effective then filling up space with a big floral arrangement.
Be Flexible and Go For Bigger Blooms
Be open-minded and flexible. Ask your florist for ideas! Don’t write off cheap blooms. There are several less expensive options out there that can be great filler flowers for bulking up a bouquet rather than focusing on only using popular, expensive blooms. Using a couple blooms that are bigger and take up more space is also a great way to cut back on the amount of blooms that will be needed!
Stay safe out there! As always, you can email us with any questions. Sending virtual hugs!
