Wedding flowers are one of the most important aesthetic features of your wedding day. Beautiful wedding flowers can help you set the right mood for the wedding. It’s also true that the cost of your wedding flowers can be as much or as little as you like. The price of wedding flowers can vary greatly depending on where you live and what flowers may be available locally, the total number of flowers needed, package deals available through your wedding florist, what season you get married in, and other specialty arrangements you may choose.
MORE: For more information on Wedding Flowers see our complete Wedding Flower Section. Also find additional wedding flowers ideas, follow our wedding flower Pinterest board.
Let’s explore how much wedding flowers really cost and 12 great ways you can save big on your wedding flowers.
Average Wedding Flower Costs
With the average cost of a wedding in 2010 at $24, 066, according to The Wedding Report, and most wedding coordinators and bridal planning guides suggesting that couples set aside between eight and ten percent of their total wedding budget to cover floral expenses, this means average wedding flowers can cost well over $1500 for traditional wedding flowers using roses, lilies, and other traditional types of flowers. If you are planning something more unique or extravagant, the average wedding flower cost will be quite a bit higher.
What types of Wedding Flowers ?
- Bride’s bouquet
- Bridesmaids’ bouquets (each)
- Corsages and boutonnieres (each)
- Head wreaths and floral hair pins (each)
- Toss bouquet for the reception
- Church altar flowers (each arrangement)
- Pew flowers (each)
- Reception centerpieces (each arrangement)
- Flower girl bouquet or petals
- Floral cake topper
In addition to these popular wedding flower arrangements, some couples also opt for more specialized flowers such as a wreath for the church or reception hall door, flowers to decorate a wedding arch, cake table accents, petals or floral urns to decorate the exterior of the church or reception venue, special flowers for the interior or exterior of the limousine, a small arrangement on the guest book table, and even a lovely arrangement for the restrooms at the reception.
12 Ways to Save Money on Wedding Flowers
1. Location, Location, Location: Choose ceremony and location settings that are already naturally beautiful with trees and planted flowers. If you want your decorations to be all about the flowers, why not make it a garden wedding at a local botanical, public, or hotel garden?
2. Keep It simple: Go for sophisticated, unique arrangements such as elegant calla lilies in glass vases or bowls containing floating candles and gardenias (editor’s favorite!). These arrangements are elegant, understated, and relatively inexpensive. Consider using flowering plants like African violets or daffodils in terra cotta pots tied with a chartreuse ribbon.
3. Single And Loving It: Have each bridesmaid carry a single stem tied with a beautiful ribbon instead of a full bouquet.
4. Simple and Natural: For your décor, fill a pitcher with daisies for a fresh, simple arrangement.
5. Champagne Wishes: Orchids and lily-of-the-valley aren’t the only beautiful buds on the vine. Go to the flower market and see for yourself. There are other less expensive flowers such as: dahlias (big fluffy flowers in yummy colors), zinnias, sunflowers, daisies and baby’s breath.
6. Avoid The Holidays: We’re not asking you to be the bridal Grinch, but flower prices usually go way up around holidays like Christmas, Mother’s Day and Valentine’s Day. Be sure to choose your wedding date with this in mind.
7. Season’s Best: Flowers are always better priced when they are in season.
8. Wholesalers Love DIY Brides: Work with a reputable wholesale flower supplier that can work directly with the farms around the world. Typically, they ship direct to your door.
9. Buy in Bulk: Found a great price on a flat of tulips? Grab all you can and use them everywhere! Garden rose bushes in flower boxes are also available to rent, and make a beautiful and substantial camouflage for the front of a stage or altar.
10. Recycle: Transfer the flowers from your ceremony to your reception. Rearrange the flowers from your rehearsal dinner for your cocktail reception.
11. Light It Up: Trade floral centerpieces for elaborate candles on every reception table. If a floral touch is a must-have, sprinkle rose petals around the candle holders.
12. Order Early: If flowers are ordered at the last minute or design changes are requested, steep rush fees may apply.
The Right Florist Can Save You Money
Making sure that you and your floral designer are on the same page can really help to determine your wedding flower cost. Find a florist who will work within your average wedding flower budget and book them early. A great wedding florist on a budget is hard to find at the last minute. By taking your budget into consideration from the very beginning of the planning process, z good wedding florist can give you the best advice on how to place the flowers for maximum effect and what types of flowers will be the best value to achieve your desired look.
