Knowing how much to spend on your wedding flowers can be overwhelming.  Many people rarely purchase flowers, and when they do, they rarely need more than one or two arrangements at a time.  How do you know where to start when considering your bridal party flowers, ceremony flowers, and flowers for the reception?  I recommend you start with your overall budget for the entire wedding. 

 

Most studies suggest that you should spend plan on spending anywhere from 10% - 15% of your total wedding budget on the flowers. Quick math would suggest then that if your overall wedding is costing $20,000, then you should budget anywhere from $2000 - $3000 on your flowers.

This may seem like a lot of money to spend on flowers since they won't last forever, but keep a few things in mind:

1. Your wedding flowers are in almost every photograph taken and pictures do last forever.

2. The flowers are typically what your guests will see first. As your guests enter your ceremony, they will be greeted by the floral decor you have chosen. This first impression will be long remembered!

3. The color, fragrance, size, shape and visual joy of flowers all play a major role in creating the enchanting setting you are dreaming of for your big day whether it be romantic, magical, sensual, contemporary or traditional.

4. The flowers you choose should reflect your own distinctive style and personality. Have fun with it! Are you bold and daring? Use flowers in vibrant, non-traditional colors. Are you elegant and sophisticated? State it simply with a beautiful presentation of calla liles or orchids. Are you whimsical and fun to be around? Try flowers that give the feeling you just gathered them from the garden. Are you sheek and edgy? Contemporary designs might just be your thing. Whatever your style, you can say it with flowers!

5. Just as the flowers will be the first impression of your wedding they will also be the last. Have a beautifully decorated reception that will stay with your guests. Remember, most of their time will be spent there celebrating with you!

 

Before consulting with a wedding florist, it is always a good idea to know what flowers you will need on your wedding day.  Consider the bridal party flowers including your bouquet, bridesmaid bouquets, corsages for mothers, grandmothers, vocalists, readers, etc., and boutonnieres for the groom, groomsmen, ushers, ring bearer, fathers, grandfathers, etc. 

 

Although you may not know exactly what flowers you will need for your ceremony, it is a great idea to bring pictures with you of your venue so that your wedding florist can suggest many ideas of how you can beautifully decorate your place of choice.  If you do not have any pictures of your own, check out their website and see if they already have pictures posted for your florist to see during your meeting.

 

Lastly, consider how many guests you anticipate coming to your reception and how many tables you will need decorated.  Your table decor is limited only by your imagination and the imagination of your designer.

 

By having this information with you, you will better be able to discuss your wedding flower budget with your florist.  Knowing a budget helps your wedding florist to suggest not only flowers, but also designs and styles of arrangements that will best meet your needs.