Picking the Perfect Vendor:
The Florist
Florals can make a vision come to life, but they can also be expensive! Read on to find out how you can pick the perfect florist (or alternative floral option) that fits your style and budget.
One of my favorite parts of planning my wedding was envisioning the floral arrangements. For me, flowers are nature's color palette and I was so excited to be able to paint my vision in hues of white, sage, blush, and burgundy. However, I knew that vision would come with a hefty price tag, so I had to be strategic.
First, let's talk about why wedding flowers can be so gosh darn expensive...
To begin, this job is one of few at your wedding (besides the food of course) that has to be done just before the wedding. Because of the short lifespan of a flower after it is picked, florists must purchase flowers days before your wedding and also arrange them in a very short period of time to ensure optimal health and beauty. This dedicated block of time that the florist must set aside as well as the rigid timeline they must adhere to means that their services are generally more expensive than another vendors who can start and stop at their leisure.
Another reason that florals can be expensive is due to the seasonality. Like fruits and vegetables, flowers only grow during certain times of year and can vary greatly from region to region. The reason this is important to keep in mind is that if you have your heart set on something like a peony with a very short spring season, you may want to limit your usage or perhaps consider a different flower all together to make your arrangements more economical.
Take a listen to the video below to find out how this industry has also been affected by the pandemic, ultimately driving up prices.
So what are your options to get the look you want at a price you can afford?
Find someone building their portfolio...
Although this will likely require the most research of all the options, it can be a great idea if you are looking to get the most bang for your buck. Often times, newer florists who are just starting their businesses are willing to do your wedding florals at the fraction of the cost of an experienced florist. As they look to build out their portfolio, they may be willing to be more flexible on pricing and packages than someone who has been in the business for a while. My only suggestion here is to make sure you vet this person and if they do not have a sample of previous work, maybe ask them to put together a test bouquet or arrangement for you. This will give you peace of mind and ensure that you are on the same page when it comes to style. Florists are artists and because of this, they each have their own style and design variations that may (or may not) speak to you.
Take advantage of the power of the digital age...
Thanks to the world wide webs, we have access to people and efficiencies that open up several doors. My specific suggestion in this arena is to take a look at companies such as Poppy, which offer online floral design and planning that are then given to a local florist to execute on your wedding day.
Poppy is a great option from Brides looking to spend between $1,000 and $5,000 on their wedding florals. Poppy's structure also allows you to work with a floral design specialist at no added charge to come up with the perfect palette for your big day.
Look at floral alternatives...
Even though it is still a bit taboo, I think looking at flower alternatives is a GREAT option for a bride on a budget. Whether you go with silk florals, woods arrangements, or even a DIY kit, there are a ton of great options out there that can still provide the beauty and vision you are looking for within a reasonable budget. Check out some of my suggestions below that are in order from beginner to advanced in terms of time, energy, and floral expertise needed.
If the thought of actually putting together your own arrangements seems a little daunting, but your budget does not have room for a traditional florist, consider renting silk florals through Something Borrowed Blooms.
Now I know what you're thinking, "Silk florals? Like at my grandma's house..." Well no, not really at all! These premium silk florals look as close to the real thing as you can get! And what's more, you can even have testers sent to your house to make sure you are in love before you invest.
My favorite collection is the Taylor Collection, which includes a STUNNING Bridal Bouquet for only $65 (like come on, that is AWESOME!).
If you use code BBBABE at checkout, you will get a FREE Bridesmaid bouquet with any wedding order of $65+.
Fifty Flowers is on online floral company dedicated to making DIY fresh-florals as easy as humanly possible. You can choose from pre-curated flower combos or even Make the Look, which is an option where you can find "recipes" and photos of real wedding arrangements that you can replicate.
If you are set on fresh florals, but maybe don't have a ton of arranging experience, this is a FABULOUS option! They even offer 45-minute Floral Consultations ($33) with an in-house expert who can point you toward flowers that will work with your vision and your budget.
Blooms by the Box is another floral retailer somewhere between Fifty Flowers and JR Roses. Although they do not offer the same level of pre-curated arrangements as Fifty Flowers, they have A TON of content dedicated to helping you make your DIY floral dreams come true.
You can download their free DIY Guide to Wedding Flowers and even make smart floral decisions be referencing their "Flowers Available by Month" listing to ensure your blooms will be ready for your big day.
They even let you test out flower combinations using their Blooms Boards which looks like a mood board for flowers! Create your own or take a look at what is trending.
JR Roses is an online wholesaler of flowers with TONS of DIY wedding tips, tricks, and tutorials on their Blog as well as their Social Media platforms.
They do have a few pre-curated pieces under "Centerpieces" and "Flower Bouquet" that can be a great way to get the wholesale price while still providing enough structure that it isn't too overwhelming.
If you decide to design your own arrangements, my biggest suggestion would be to order some "testers" and try it out a month or so before the wedding to make sure you are comfortable with the look as well as the time it takes to put them together.
Other Non-Traditional Options:
Your local grocer (Trader Joe's, Vons, etc.)
Forage for Flowers (Check out this Gardenista article with great tips on how to do this well.)
Tissue Paper Flowers (I think this could actually be really fun and whimsical, just make sure it's not going to rain on your wedding day!)
As always, my biggest piece of advice is to pick a florist or floral alternative that fits you and your partners taste, but don't feel the pressure to put yourself in debt if a traditional florist is not in your budget. Do what makes sense for the both of you and I promise you will not have any regrets.