No matter the type of wedding you are planning, flowers will undoubtedly play a part in your decor. But how much do wedding flowers cost, and what percentage of your budget will they consume?
There’s no doubt that flowers and weddings go hand in hand. The bride’s bouquet, the centerpieces, the floral pergola, flower girls; there are so many instances where flowers either play a vital role (tossing the bouquet) or create the whole vibe of the moment.
Fresh florals are, however, not cheap. And for many couples tying the knot for the first time, the actual cost of wedding flowers can be a shock!
To help plan your floral arrangements and properly allocate a budget to blooms, we thought we’d share their average cost, whilst also looking at how much money couples normally set aside for their flowers.
How Much Do Wedding Flowers Cost: Floral Budget Breakdown
The true cost of wedding flowers will depend on your flower choices and quantities.
If you choose to host some kind of Elton John-inspired floral extravaganza with fresh blooms accenting every moment of the day, you’ll need to readjust your initial budget slightly. And, if you’re dead set on having out-of-season blooms at your reception, expect to see the overall cost go up.
On the other hand, if you’re sparing and resourceful with the fresh flowers on display, you won’t feel the pinch too hard.
In general, couples allocate 10% of their wedding budget to floral expenses. This may sound a lot, but as we break down the cost of each item you would expect to have at your reception or ceremony, it soon becomes clear why that allocation is so high.
- Bridal Bouquet: $100 – $350
- Bridesmaid bouquet: $80
- Boutonniere: $20
- Flower Petals: $25
- Wedding Ceremony Structures: up to $4,000
- Head Table Floral Arrangements: $1,500
- Sweetheart Table Decor: $500
- Flower crown: $100
As you can see, some of these numbers are higher than you might have expected. But do keep in mind that you will be able to find less expensive flowers and cheaper ways of creating the necessary floral arrangements by discussing things with an experienced wedding florist. We’ll share exactly how as you scroll on.
Moreover, these are city prices, so if you live outside the metropolitan area, you should expect to pay a lot less anyway.
Average Cost of Wedding Flowers
According to The Knot, the cost of fresh flowers for weddings is on the up!
While $1,800 would once have been a healthy floral budget, $2,300 is more a realistic figure these days and you should probably expect to pay more!
The Covid-19 pandemic has certainly contributed to this since farms and producers of fresh flowers were hit hard. These delays and shortages are still impacting the price of flower processing, and we can only hope things will improve.
How to Save On the Cost of Wedding Flowers
When wedding planning, there are always ways you can cut costs, save a little and still create something beautiful; flower arrangements are no different.
Here are five useful ways to save on the cost of your wedding flowers…
Buy In-season
This bears repeating because it’s something couples often fall foul of when initially working out the cost of their flowers.
Unless you’ve always dreamed of having this one particular out-of-season flower present on your big day, and it holds some sentimental meaning for you – don’t go with it. Instead, discuss an alternative option with your wedding florist, and see if there is a similar bloom that is in season. Or, if there is a different floral option altogether.
By choosing types of flowers that are in season, you’ll not only save money, but you’ll also have a much fresher, and more vibrant bloom on display. Furthermore, weddings that use a seasonal flower, and a color palette to match, are so much more impressive.
Always endeavor to work with the season, not against it, and your big day will look and feel so much more harmonious.
Re-use Ceremony Flowers
A clever bride doesn’t buy reception flowers and ceremony flowers. Instead, after the ‘I dos’, she enlists helpers to bring the aisle flowers, entrance display, and altar arrangement to the reception venue!
These expensive wedding flowers can then be used to decorate cocktail hour, create a portrait backdrop or just generally add something to the celebration space. As long as you move things about while your guests are elsewhere, nobody will even notice!
Mix Flowers with Other Wedding Decor
Lanterns, candles, and interesting floral vessels are all smart ways to make your beautiful arrangements stand out, and complement a smaller bunch of blooms.
Lighting in general is an easy way to create focal points and can offer you considerable savings on reception flowers. And don’t forget, any lighting you use at your ceremony, can also be distributed throughout the various reception spaces.
Unique vases, jugs, and receptacles can also effortlessly transform a humble bunch of flowers into a mini work of art, which when combined with subtle lighting can often be just as dramatic as large quantities of flowers.
Blend the Expensive with the Inexpensive
As we discussed, the price for wedding flowers can be high, but by blending expensive wedding flowers with cheaper varieties, you’ll certainly save some money.
This could either mean finding a cheaper flower that almost looks the same as the more expensive option and simply using it strategically. Or having one or two pricier stems in a bunch, and mixing them in with fresh greenery or whatever stock flower is in season.
Give your florist a budget on flowers, tell them they need to stick to it, but that you want a certain look. They’ll then work their magic, trust us.
Spend on Your Focal Point
Cover your pergola or ceremony arch with fresh flowers and decorate it nicely. Your guests will fail to notice there are no other flowers at the ceremony because they’ll be transfixed by the beauty of your altar!
Plus, much of the photography will be focused on you exchanging your vows underneath that display, not so much on the aisle arrangements or other floral installs.
Consider an Alternative to Fresh Flowers
Affordable wedding flowers don’t have to be fresh. These days, premium silks and paper flowers look just as good as the real thing, and they’ll last you a lifetime, with proper care.
If you don’t like the idea of artificial flowers, why not consider dried florals? Right now, they are so on-trend, and like premium silk flowers, they’ll last a lifetime. Think pampas grass, seed pods, and long-lasting botanicals. Together, they create some pretty insta-worthy wedding decor, giving your big day that modern edge, whilst being a thoughtful compromise on your overall wedding day costs.
