Wedding Flowers - More Bang For Your Buck
By Charlotte Hoaks
When planning a wedding, from selecting the gown to organizing the reception, flowers are an integral part of the overall vision of a wedding day’s event. Without flowers, fresh or silk, the event will lack the elegant and polished appearance every bride envisions for her special day.
In a traditional wedding, not only the bride carries a bouquet, but also the bridesmaids, in addition, there are boutonnières for the men and corsages for members of the bridal party and important family members. Even the smallest of weddings usually add floral bouquets for the church, pew decorations and candles. As a one time florist, I know all the little extras that can add to the overall cost. If a bride is not careful, the flowers for even a modest wedding can run hundreds if not thousands of dollars when the reception is added.
How do you create a wedding to remember without maxing out your credit card?
· First- Don’t plan a holiday wedding. As romantic as a Valentine wedding sounds, it will cost double from almost any other time of the year.
· Second - Consider seasonal flowers. Some flowers are more readily available at different times of the year and cost less when in abundance.
· Third - Consider what you and your friends or family can do yourself rather than have done by a florist. Flowers are available from vendors like grocery stores and Wal-Mart. With a little planning, they can be used to make arrangements as lovely as a “designer” arrangement from the florist.
· Fourth – Join forces. Ask around and if there is another wedding pool monies with the other bride for big items for the church, like candelabras, floral arrangements, pew decorations. Most rental items are for 24 hours.
In most cases, the color of the bridesmaids dresses will influence the colors chosen for the wedding flowers. So choose wisely. If you choose a color with limited options for floral compliments you restrict the selection of flowers available.
A spring or summer wedding with a variety of flowers can be colorful and reasonable in price, because of the availability of flowers. By allowing the florist to select flowers that are readily available in your color theme you can get a better price. If you have a passion for a specific flower, consider it as an accent or focal point for the bouquet. If you just have to have that specific rose in that pale pink shade, you will pay for it if its not readily available.
The style of bouquets are also a factor in cost. Hand-wrapped, natural stemmed bouquets in most cases will be less expensive than cascading floral bouquets with all the taping and wiring. The hand-wrapped bouquet can also be set in a vase on the head table at the reception to add to the floral decor.
Corsages for servers and non-family members that require recognition can be done in silk, ahead of time. A few stems of silk flowers and a bow make a nice remembrance without the custom-made price sticker. Most hobby stores provide all the necessities and a willing designer to share the how-to information.
Decorating the church can be another area that adds to the expense of a wedding. If there is another wedding at the church the same day or the evening before, contact the bride and consider pooling monies. Instead of each having a small arrangement for a budget price, have the same impressive arrangements for both weddings. As for pew decorations, consider the ivy or fern growing in the back yard. Make sure its clean and spray with a foliage preservative. Again, check out your local hobby store for the hangers and add a white satin bow.
Think ahead about using items from the church for the reception. Use the church arrangements to decorate the reception area, the gifts table or on the floor in front of the head table. Any item that can serve at both the wedding and reception is a bargain.
By planning ahead and get more bang for your buck.
Charlotte worked as a florist for several years, not only in an independent floral shop but also in a grocery floral department. She also served as a wedding consultant and prepared flowers for many custom events so has a great deal of experience in the industry. Since leaving the industry, she has assisted family and friends in creating a wedding day to remember on a budget.