10 Tips To Get The Most from Your Floral Budget

Wedding flowers play such an important and beautiful role in your overall design. They’ll grace all of your photos and enchant your guests from the moment they arrive to your special day. There is something to be said about fresh flowers. From the fragrant aroma to the colorful bounty, they will completely transform any room or table.

Photo by Tim Will Photography

Florals can make up anywhere from 10% to 15% of your wedding budget, depending on how important they are to you. Every bride, no matter how large her budget, wants to get the most out of their floral budget and there are several things you can do to ensure you’re accomplishing just that. Here are my top ten tips for getting the most out of your floral budget:

Hire the pros! – Trust me, you do not want to be dealing with ordering, storing, cleaning, arranging, transporting and setting up flower. With all of the DIY tips out there, it may sound like a fun and fairly simple idea until you’re in over your head. Unfortunately, taking this route will cost you more in the long run than if you had hired a professional from the start. The pros know flowers like the back of their hand and can help you get the most from your budget while also saving you the unnecessary stress. Flower arranging is a fun hobby, but I suggest saving it for events other than your wedding.
Go green – I just love the clean, crisp look of an oversized clear glass bubble vessel overflowing with tall, bright green leaves. Whether displayed as a single stem or clustered together in an arrangement, you can create height and make an impact on the room without breaking your budget. Monstera, elephant ears and sable palm leaves are a beautiful choice for this type of arrangement.
Think abstractly – Search “abstract flower arrangements” and you’ll see some beautiful works of art that were created using a small amount of florals in an unusual way. Abstract floral arrangements are perfect for the modern bride. If sharp lines and asymmetry are your forte, share these ideas in your floral meeting.Your floral designer will have fun challenging their artistic talents too!
Single blooms can really pack a punch! – Anemones for example are so beautiful by themselves that they could be displayed as a single bloom in a bud vase and really pack a punch lining the center of a family style table. Other blooms I love to see displayed solo are peonies and dahlias!
Use non-floral accents – Try using lanterns, lucite risers, cylinders of varying heights with metallic floating candles or even a tiered stand of food to be served family style!
Choose flowers that are in season – Basic economics shows that a high supply means the price will be less. If you have your heart set on peonies for your October wedding, you can expect to pay big $$ per stem.
Choose larger blooms – In addition to choosing blooms that are in season, also consider the size of the buds when fully opened. One single peony, mum or hydrangea bloom will take up more space in an arrangement than say, stock or delphinium.
You can never have too many candles – There is a lot to be said about the soft flickering light that beams off of illuminating candles. Displayed inside a clear glass holder, they can make a statement by themselves. If you need to dress up a ledge, window sill, bathroom or bar, use candles in place of or in addition to flowers.
Repurpose, repurpose, repurpose! – Have your florist design your ceremony florals so they can be easily moved to the reception to adorn your cocktail tables, bathroom vanities, bar…you name it! Bridesmaid’s bouquets can be displayed among candles along the head table or incorporated into a piece of driftwood with mercury glass votives to complete the look on other guest tables.
Let go of control – If you’re not the type-A bride, you might want to consider letting your florist have the freedom to design your florals based on your budget, favorite flowers and what you know you do not like. Giving them the opportunity to exercise their talents shows that you trust them and appreciate their creative talents for floral design.

Example of non-floral centerpiece accents | Tim Will Photography

Abstract look created by taking varying heights of monochromatic yellow ranunculus and displaying them in glass cylinder vases along a simple wall | Home Design