- Look into wholesalers. Wholesale flower suppliers sell their flowers for much cheaper than a florist would. Since florists get their flowers from a wholesaler, it’s like cutting out the middle man. You will have to arrange the flowers yourself, so it requires extra time and work, but it may be worth it for the money you will save.
- Use silk flowers. Silk flowers are always more inexpensive than real flowers and will last a lifetime. You can buy pre-made silk bouquets or do them yourself. Like wholesale flowers, they would require some extra time if you choose to do them yourself, but you will have much longer to arrange and re-arrange them before the wedding.
- Re-use the arrangements. You can recycle your pew and ceremony arrangements for your reception. Pew decorations can double as centerpieces and alter arrangements will look beautiful for extra decoration in the reception area.
- Choose flowers that are in season. If a certain flower is blooming during your wedding month, look into those varieties. By choosing a summer flower in winter, it makes it very hard to find and ship, costing much more.
- Avoid holidays. Flowers are in high demand around Valentines Day, Mother’s day, and other special holidays. This makes for very high prices and often flowers are hard to even get hold of during these times!
- Rent plants. Many nurseries will let you rent plants for your occasion. This will allow you to fill the room with an abundance of greenery. It is much cheaper than buying them, plus you won’t have tons of plants to deal with afterwards.
- Use alternate centerpieces. You can create a very elegant look without a huge floral centerpiece. Candles are romantic, and inexpensive. Potted flowers or plants will still let you have the greenery that you may want. Balloons, pictures, even Legos can be creative touches as well as a way to save money.
- Use a school. Many high school and colleges have horticulture classes that specialize in caring for and arranging flowers and plants. For a small fee, you could have many aspiring florists working on your arrangements. The teacher is often very experienced, so you will have someone who knows what they’re doing overseeing the project.
- Use lots of filler. Using baby’s breath or ivy will fill out the bouquets and arrangements more without adding to the cost. You can still have big arrangements; there will just be less of the more expensive “focus” flowers.
- Cut down on attendants. Having fewer bridesmaids, groomsmen, and other helpers means that you will not have to get those extra bouquets or boutonnières for them.
- Have bridesmaids carry a single flower. This can make a very elegant statement and is much less expensive than a full bouquet. You can add ribbon or lace to fill it out if you wish.
- Have a garden wedding. By having the wedding in an already lush location, there is no need for extra flowers. They are already there!
- Dress down. Some florists, just like any other sales, may take your looks and attire into account when giving you a quote. If you look like you can afford a high price, a high price is what you may get. Not to say that you should dress like a slob, but your Armani pantsuit and diamond broach may be something better left at home.
- Go to smaller floral shops. Often, they will charge less than the big chains because they are more in need of the business
- Shop around! You’ll never know if there are better prices out there if you don’t look. Prices are so variable depending on which florist you go to. Sometimes it just takes a little time to find the perfect one.
As you can see, your floral bill does not have to be in the thousands of dollars. You can still have an elegant and beautiful wedding without emptying your pocketbook. And who knows? Maybe it will be even better.
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