The cost of flowers are probably one of the more shocking expenses that comes up during wedding planning. They’re kind of a one time use thing, right? If you’re hesitant to fork over hundreds, or even thousands of dollars for floral you’re not alone; here’s how I managed to save money on flowers for a wedding without sacrificing style!
Every tip I’m about to share are things that I’ve personally done while wedding planning. Not just my own marriage, but weddings for other people too. Most recently, we planned a large backyard wedding where the total cost for floral was less than $500… But you’d never know it!
Budget-Friendly Ideas for Wedding Flowers
According to Wedding Wire, the average couple spends between $700 and $2,500 USD on wedding flowers, with the average cost sitting around $1500. Even if you’re not on a tight budget, wouldn’t it be more fun to spend hundreds of dollars on other wedding fun, or even the honeymoon?
Here’s some real ideas we’ve used to save money on flowers for a wedding:
Opt for Planters Over Flower Arrangements
If you’re having a spring, summer, or fall wedding skip the large, expensive flower arrangements and use a few planters as wedding decor instead. They look great at the altar and around the ceremony and reception areas. Even if you have to buy them, nice arranged planters or hanging baskets are a fraction of the cost compared to cut arrangements.
To get a planter that matches your wedding colours, take a DIY approach and create a custom arrangement in the spring to match your style. A florist can also create these; more expensive, but still cheaper than a cut arrangement.
The best part is you’ll be able to enjoy your flowers all summer long. Or choose perennials and enjoy your wedding flowers year after year.
We have used potted flowers multiple times while planning weddings and they’ve always looked stunning. If your wedding ceremony and reception are in two different places, save money on decorating by bringing your pots over to the venue.
Tip: Ask someone with a green thumb if you can borrow their blooms for the wedding day.
Use Greenery Instead of Flowers
Greener is easier to grow and maintain so it’s always less expensive than flowers. When possible, use greenery in place of flowers in your decorating to bring in natural elements without breaking the bank.
Think outside the box for you greenery: Rosemary, thyme, and other herbs make fantastic additions to table settings. You can grow these herbs easily yourself, or buy them from a local greenhouse.
You can also incorporate more greenery into your flower arrangements and bouquets to keep them looking full on a budget.
Tip: Plant ornamental grasses in your garden or grow your own herbs.
Keep Centerpieces Simple
The wedding we worked on this summer used a combination of greenery and baby’s breath on the tables. By sticking to short, small vases we were able to stretch out the flowers to save money. To keep the tables from looking empty we added some other decorative accents, including the table numbers, on top of cut wood slices.
Another technique is dropping the floral centerpieces altogether. Either do minimal decorating on the tables or opt for something that you can rent or purchase cheaply. Floating candles in vases can add ambiance and can be very inexpensive to buy or rent. In fact, candles in general are a great wedding table addition; no vases necessary.
Tip: If you’re having a smaller wedding, borrow vases and jars to help decorate your tables.
Choose Large, Cheap Flowers For Bouquets
Sunflowers are probably my favourite example of this, but dahlias and peonies (if in season) also work. Instead of using a bunch of small, expensive cut flowers pick a large bloom to use as a focal point and then add inexpensive greenery and complementary floral around it.
This won’t just save money, it also looks great in pictures!
Tip: If you’re giving bouquets to kids, have them hold a single bloom of your main flower. Cute and simple!
Pick Cheap Wedding Flowers
Flower prices vary, mostly depending on how hard they are to grow and whether or not they’ll be blooming naturally on your wedding day. But there are a few varieties that are super trendy, and also inexpensive, that are perfect for weddings.
Baby’s Breath
These pretty, tiny white flowers are very trendy right now. Pair them with some greenery for super cute flower arrangements.
Freesia
Freesia blooms indoors so it’s easy to grow yourself and relatively inexpensive to purchase. They come in an array of wedding approved colors including white, yellow, red, pink, orange, and purple. The greenery is pretty too!
Roses
You’d think they’d be more expensive, but certain varieties of roses are quite affordable. The best part is they’re romantic on their own so you won’t need a lot for a beautiful wedding arrangement.
Daisies
Daisies are especially lovely for a spring wedding, but you can use them any time. Usually white with yellow centers, daisies can add a pop of colour to your wedding arrangements when paired with greenery. They also symbolize purity; a perfect flower for a bride.
More Tips to Save Money on Wedding Flowers
- Choose flowers that are in season when you get married
- Decide who does (and doesn’t) need a corsage, boutonniere, or bouquet carefully; these add up
- If you want a specific look, weigh the cost and quality of renting fake flowers or greenery vs the real thing
- Consider discount options like Costco over a florist for bulk wedding flowers
- To make a small budget work, splurge on the most important items
- Pick a venue that has natural beauty instead of trying to bring the outdoors in
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