How Much Should I Spend on Wedding Flowers?

Photo Credit: Taylor Walston Photo

Flowers are one of the trickiest things for couples when they plan their wedding budget. I often have to break the news when a client shows me a Pinterest board full of weddings that are beyond their reach.  It doesn’t mean we’re unable to come up with something beautiful, but I inevitably see the disappointment when a couple realizes their expectations are, unfortunately, not realistic. And it’s completely understandable. The weddings highlighted in magazines, on Pinterest, and Instagram are absolutely breathtaking. Social media allows us to discover the most decadent and visually stunning weddings but there is no indication of how much they cost.  

I believe there is a floral plan for every budget, even more so if a couple is willing to think outside the box.  

However, it's good to get a rough idea. Using a medium wedding (a bridal party of 6 people including bride and groom, ceremony, cocktails, and reception with approx. 100-150 guests/10-15 tables), here are some ranges and what they might afford you (depending on the floral designer, florals and where you are):

• $1k to $4k: a modest budget
  A modest budget does not mean a less than beautiful design.  It can be quite lovely and sweet. Make a list of what floral details are really important to you. Is it florals for your bridal party, the ceremony, or the tables during your reception? Choose one and then work around the rest with your budget.
  
  On the higher end of this budget, you may be able to ensure all aspects of your wedding will have florals — but to what degree would depend on the florals used and the overall design you settle on. On the lower end, be prepared to be willing to forgo some details or do some DIY if you require florals for every aspect of your wedding.
  
  
• $5k to $8k: a medium budget
  On average, this is the budget that would afford you florals for your entire wedding – personal florals for your bridal party, some ceremony arrangements – possibly large urns, pew decorations or an arbor design and centerpiece florals for your reception. Again, to what degree would depend on the florals chosen and the design style.
  
  On the higher end, there would be lush designs with more room for variety included in your arrangements and a wider variety of premium floral choices (more expensive florals such as peonies, fancy ranunculus, garden roses, etc) available to you.  
  
  
• $11k – $20k (and above): a high budget
  You have entered Pinterest-territory on this budget.  A budget of this size begins to give you a lot of room for play in your choice of premium florals, out-of-season flowers, and hard-to-find, specialty flowers. It also means you can begin to consider large scale floral installations with heavy floral decor, specialty decor rentals, lush and full reception arrangements like cascading tabletop floral runners and floral clouds or intricately detailed tablescapes.   

At the end of the day though, the most important thing to remember is that there is no hard and fast rule about how much you should be spending. Do what makes you happy and what feels right for you, it’s a personal choice.

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