Flowers are one piece of decor you’ll find at nearly every wedding. While some couples only have a handful of arrangements, others decorate their entire ceremony and reception spaces with gorgeous blossoms. Flowers are beautiful, but they also come with a decent price tag. In this guide, we’ll cover:
- Why flowers are important
- Their impact on your budget
- Typical places you’ll need to put arrangements
- Tips for picking your florist
- How seasonality impacts price
- Why flowers are so expensive
Learn what to expect when planning your wedding flower budget so you can properly allocate the funds for your big day.
Why Flowers Are Important
Whether you want a lot of flowers or just a few, you may wonder why they’re important to the wedding experience. Aside from adding beauty and setting an elegant ambience in the venue, they’re also symbolic.
There are many surprising flower meanings behind each bloom. As a result, many brides tend to choose specific flowers based on their symbolism; for example, red roses are romantic, while baby’s breath represents innocence.
How They Impact Budget
At most weddings, flowers make up around 15 percent of the wedding budget. On average, couples spend around $1,500 on flowers for the entire wedding. This number could increase or decrease depending on the number and types of flowers you purchase. For instance, your budget could increase to 20 percent if you love the look of certain flowers and plan to use them as your primary decor.
You’ll also have to consider the cost of bouquets for each member of the wedding party, as well as boutonnieres and possibly corsages. The sizes of your arrangements and the specific flowers you use are the primary factors that will impact the final cost.
Where You’ll Place Flowers
The areas you plan to put your bouquets and arrangements also impacts the budget, as your plan may increase or decrease the number of flowers necessary for your big day. If you really love flowers, then you may have an abundance of beautiful bouquets placed all over for the ceremony and reception, which would increase how much you allot to your flower budget. This is great as long as you can afford it without making unwanted sacrifices elsewhere.
Flowers for the Ceremony
During the ceremony, you may have flowers at the venue’s main entrance or along the aisle. Depending on the season and location of your wedding, you may also have a floral ceremony arch for a touch of natural beauty. You’ll also need flowers for everyone in the wedding party, including:
- Flower girl: petals, pomander, or floral crown—$25 to $50
- Ring bearer: boutonniere—$20 to $30
- Bridesmaids: Bouquet—$60 to $100 each
- Groomsmen: Boutonniere—$20 to $30 each
- Bride: Bouquet—$160 to $275
- Groom: Boutonniere—$20 to $30
- Parents & grandparents of the couple: corsages and boutonniere—$20 to $30 each
If you have a limited budget, consider having a smaller wedding party. Most bridesmaids’ bouquets cost $60 to $100. If, for example, you have five bridesmaids and each bouquet costs around $80, you’ll pay $400 for those arrangements alone. By reducing the entire wedding party, you’ll have more money to spend on other key areas of the wedding.
Flowers for the Reception
Some couples have their venue decorator or a day-of coordinator place floral arrangements on all the tables for cocktail hour. Generally, decorating the venue with table centerpieces and other flowers for the reception costs between $200 and $600. Other places to put flowers include:
- The wedding cake table
- Lounge areas
- The sweethearts’ table
- The guestbook table
Don’t forget about the traditional bouquet toss! Most brides opt for a “throw-away” bouquet so they don’t have to use the actual one for this, but keep in mind that it could be an additional cost.
Save Money by Repurposing Flowers
If you want to use flowers as table centerpieces at the reception, consider how many tables you’ll have, as this may increase the number of needed bouquets. One way to keep spending on track is to reuse the bridesmaids’ bouquets as table centerpieces.
Everyday Bride Tip
While many bridal guides claim you have to put flowers in specific places, what you actually do is completely up to you. This is your big day, so you and your partner should place flowers as you both see fit.
Tips for Picking a Florist
As with your other vendors, you should meet with a range of florists in the area to discuss prices. Review their websites or in-person portfolios to clearly understand their capabilities. There are many questions you need to ask your florists, such as delivery fees and flower cleanup after the wedding.
Keep in mind that the price for a florist may fluctuate depending on the location of your wedding and time of year. During prime wedding season, prices may be higher due to the spike in demand.
Ask About Samples
Once you’ve found the perfect florist, find out if they can create a small sample of what they’ll design for your wedding. This gives you the most precise idea of what you’ll get and may make you reevaluate your flower options.
Additionally, discuss in-season availability first. While you might love the look of specific flowers, some only grow at particular times of the year. For instance, you may adore marigolds, but if your wedding isn’t in summer, the price for this beautiful flower will be higher.
Ask About Delivery Fees
Nearly every florist delivers all floral arrangements and bouquets to the wedding venue and helps set them up. However, it’s always best to have peace of mind at a big event like your wedding. That said, find out whether your florist will charge extra for this service. In the event they do, it’s always best to pay the extra money to ensure your flowers make it to the venue looking perfect.
Ask About Cleanup
Some florists offer cleanup services after the wedding, meaning they’ll pick up all large arrangements and flower pieces. This doesn’t usually include bridal or bridesmaids’ bouquets or flower crowns, which are yours to keep. Instead, the florists will pick up larger arrangements you had for the entryway, aisle, or as other forms of decor.
Talk with your florist about this service and whether they offer it. While some incorporate the charge into their standard fee, others may charge extra for the additional work. If the florist doesn’t clean up, you’ll need to talk with the venue manager to see if they offer this service.
Price Changes Based on the Season
Certain flowers grow throughout the entire year and often come at a lower price since there is no rarity surrounding the plant. On the other hand, some varieties only grow during certain seasons. Before you settle on a specific type of flower, investigate which options are in-season during your wedding. Below, we’ve listed a few wonderful choices for each season.
Winter Ideas
Winter weddings are fantastic for couples hoping to save money, as ceremonies held during this time of year are the least common. Some beautiful flowers that are in season in the winter include:
- Amaryllis
- Camellia
- Narcissus paperwhite
- Poinsettia
- Sweet Pea
Many winter flowers are white, crimson, soft pink, or purple. Other plants, such as pine, are also quite popular in winter and look beautiful.
Spring Ideas
The earth comes alive again during spring, and with it comes beautiful floral options. Spring flower colors are a bit brighter than those prominent in winter, but they aren’t as vibrant as summer colors. Some flowers, such as sweet peas, are still in-season in spring. Other flower options include:
- Tulip
- Peony
- Queen Anne’s lace
- Lily of the Valley
- English garden rose
Some of these flowers come in different shades that your florist can mix and match according to your wedding color palette.
Summer Ideas
During the summer, many flowers contain bright and vibrant colors that go perfectly with the season’s spirit. Whether you get married at the beach or in a beautiful hall, some wonderful flowers to include in your bouquets are:
- Dahlia
- Iris
- Daisy
- Sunflower
- Poppy
Since these flowers are in season during the summer, you won’t have to worry about exceeding your budget. Plus, options like sunflowers are larger, so you’ll need fewer flowers to fill the arrangements.
Everyday Bride Tip
Knowing some affordable floral ideas for your summer wedding ensures you get beautiful flowers without overspending. While options like hydrangeas are breathtaking, they’re also very delicate. If you love hydrangeas, consider using a few smaller centerpieces that no one will carry to make the most of your flower budget.
Fall Ideas
Autumn is one of the most popular times to get married because the temperatures are usually perfect and the weather is more predictable. Some stunning flowers for fall are:
- Amaranthus
- Calla lily
- Chrysanthemum
- Ranunculus
- Celosia
In autumn, jewel shades and orange, red, and brown are the most popular. Discuss your available options with your florist based on the color of the bridesmaids’ dresses and the rest of the decor.
All-Season Flowers
We’ve saved the best for last, as these flowers flourish year-round. That means these options tend to come at lower prices without sacrificing looks and include:
- Rose
- Carnation
- Baby’s breath
- Aster
- Bird of paradise
While you can have your bouquets completely made with these flowers, consider sprinkling them alongside specific in-season flowers throughout the arrangements. This will help keep spending on track and ensure this decor option looks incredible.
Why Flowers Are Expensive
You’re probably wondering why flowers are pricy. Truthfully, there are a few reasons for this, including seasonality, type of arrangement, and florist. Like any other vendor, some florists charge more than others but may also offer higher-quality work when making flower arrangements. Floral work is a skill and a time-consuming process, for which they deserve fair compensation.
Additionally, it becomes more expensive if you choose rare flowers, as the florist will need to pay more to transport them from the appropriate location. Larger bouquets also cost more due to product usage; the more flowers you need, the higher price becomes.
A Final Note
When it comes to knowing what to expect when planning your wedding flower budget, the most important thing to remember is that you decide how to spend your money. While some relatives may say a specific number of flowers is best, that’s just their opinion. Whether you and your partner have flowers everywhere or only in a few bouquets is entirely your choice.
Take time to search online and talk with your florist about the most affordable yet stunning options so that you pick out the perfect touches of natural beauty for your wedding.
