Everything You Should Know About How Much Wedding Flowers Cost

Floral decor for a wedding can completely transform the atmosphere of an event. Flowers are scientifically proven to boost energy and happiness, so it's no wonder you want to fill your event with them. They improve pictures, create a sense of luxury, showcase your personality, and make guests want to BE at your wedding.

Most people don't know how much wedding flowers cost, and the only experience they have had with buying flowers is from a grocery store. Grocery store flowers are often sold at a loss and don't accurately represent the actual cost of flowers. So, it makes sense that most couples don't have an accurate understanding or even an idea of the range of prices when it comes time to buy flowers for their wedding.

Why it's important to understand the cost before you start planning.

Budgeting is one of the first steps of planning. 

The best way to ensure you get as many aspects of your dream wedding as possible is to budget from the beginning. If you pay for a high-cost venue before you even have an idea what florals, photography, and catering will cost, you may end up with insufficient funds to afford all the other vendors you need. 

Start by making a list of all the vendors you need, vendors in each category you would like to hire, and about how much they will cost. Decide your overall Budget, calculate how much you can save up while you're engaged, prioritize the most important vendors, and then, with the Budget left, find vendors that can fit in that price range. 

Here's an example of what early budget planning might look like: 

Overall Budget $40,000

Most Important to Me: (will take up $23,200-35500 of Budget)

1. Light and airy photographer $2000-5000
2. Venue space with a garden $5000-10,000
3. Lush floral backdrop and centerpiece $10,000-17,000
4. DJ that can get a party going $1,200-3500

Less Important to Me: ($16,800-4,500 remaining)

1. Cake- look for cheap options for a single-tier
2. Invites- DIY
3. Dress-wearing mom's dress
4. Suit- already own
5. Catering- dessert only
6. Signage- welcome sign only

To do this first budgeting step, you'll need to know approximately what arrangements you want to have and how much they will cost. We've created the interactive calculator for figuring out how much wedding flowers cost above to help you figure out that number. Knowing an estimate of cost can help you plan how much you can spend on other aspects of the wedding or how much you need to save up to afford your dream wedding. 

Some arrangements most people have at their wedding that you will want to consider: 

Personals: 

-Bouquet for bride(s) and bridesmaid(s)

-Boutonnieres and corsages for groomsmen, parents, grandparents, and officiant and ring bearer

-Flower halo and petals for the flower child

Ceremony Decor:

-Arch/backdrop

-Aisle decor

Reception Decor:

-Welcome sign/table

-Photo Backdrop

-Wow factor (i.e., chandelier florals)

-Table centerpieces

-Buffet Table/Food Table/Dessert Table florals

-Florals around the band or DJ

-Cocktail tables

-Bar arrangement

To prioritize the arrangements that matter most:

If your dream list isn't aligning with your floral Budget, just like with the overall Budget, it's important to write out your priorities and how to allocate the cost to cover all the arrangements you need. Knowing what alternative options there are can be helpful for less important items to help you make it all fit. In the worst-case scenario, know which items are less important if you need to eliminate some arrangements to keep you in line with what you can spend. For example, you might choose to splurge on the ceremony backdrop while scaling back on centerpieces. To find approximate pricing for each item, ask your florist for a general pricing guide with ranges of what each type of arrangement generally runs, or use our pricing calculator. Remember to leave some wiggle room for delivery, takedown charges, and sales tax (typically 7.25% in Utah).

Example:

Overall Floral Budget $15,000

Important to Me: (will take up $8,125-11,545 of Budget)

1. Lush, completely covered arch $6,000-9,000
2. My Bouquet $325-425
3. Bridesmaids Bouquets $135x5 =$1350
4. Sweetheart Table Arrangement $450-750

Less Important to Me: (will take up $360+ of Budget)

1. Centerpieces- scale back and use bud vases $36x10 =$360
2. Bar Arrangement- none
3. Cocktail Tables- votive candles my planner provides in the package
4. Boutonnieres and Corsages- not as important to me
5. Welcome Sign- don't need

Realistic expectations:

Knowing the cost of wedding flowers can help you avoid disappointment by understanding what your Budget can or can't afford. By doing some research ahead of time, you can avoid the sticker shock when the florist tells you your quote and focus on having a productive conversation about how to change things to work in your price range, what your expectations are for the florals, and ask questions about the process of working with them. You'll likely only have one consultation with your wedding florist, so researching ahead of time will help you make it a productive one.

Many wedding websites say to allocate 10% of your overall Budget to floral design, but if you're relying heavily on floral decor and they are a main priority for you, that number could be even as high as 50% of your wedding budget. 

Everyone has a budget. 

Many people have had poor experiences with salesmen taking advantage of them and are thus nervous about telling a florist their Budget, so they end up saying they 'don't have one'. 

The problem with this is that a wedding florist is a dreamer, and if you don't give them a budget, there is no limit to the luxury they can dream up in their mind. They may create a proposal for you with full, lush arrangements and everything you could possibly want using the most extravagant inspo pictures you sent them. This is not because they want to take advantage of you, but because they want you to have it all, and by saying you 'have no budget,' it indicates that the sky is the limit and you want to go all out. 

Everyone has a budget- an amount they don't want to spend over, or at least a range they hope to spend in. Letting your florist know this range can direct them toward arrangements you can afford and the amount of luxury they should dream up for your wedding. Telling them your cap can help them steer you in a direction that's the best fit for you and prevent them from psyching you up about arrangements you can't actually afford, only to be disappointed later when you find out the price. 

Because most people have a dream list that is bigger than their Budget, the range you tell your florist will typically be what you end up spending- not because they are taking you for all you're worth, but because they are catering the size of arrangements they put on the proposal to ones that will fit in your range. Telling them your priorities also helps, so if they need to make cuts or find alternatives, they do so on the type of arrangements that are less important to you. Even still, there will be times when the quote will be out of your range, and you'll need to decide where to eliminate or if you need to come up with a different plan.

Why are wedding flowers so expensive?

 But why are wedding flowers so expensive in the first place? 

You are purchasing a product and a service

There is a lot that goes into flowers that you don't see. So it's not just the flowers you pay for but also a service.

Behind the flower, there are the florist's years of training, continued education, shop costs, cooler costs, labor, trucks (often special air conditioning units on trucks), and storage units for containers and arches. Plus, there are a lot of mechanics that go into making gorgeous arrangements and bouquets that you purposely don't see.

Florists also work extremely hard on the wedding day to keep flowers looking pristine in often harsh conditions like sun, wind, and rain. Even if the weather feels fine to you, it may not be ideal for the blooms you chose for your day. 

Flowers are a perishable good

Flowers can die in minutes if not handled properly. There's knowledge required for handling them from transport from the farm until your wedding date, which can sometimes span up to 2 weeks. They must be kept cool and hydrated, and many varieties have special tricks to keeping them fresh, like burning the tips of poppies or hammering the stems of lilacs. Plus, there are the timing tricks to gets them to be at their peak bloom time on your wedding day. They also require specialized packing and storage to keep them from getting damaged, as they are very fragile. 

Volume and Quality

The number and size of floral arrangements required for a wedding will naturally create higher expenses. 

It's easy not to notice the cost of flowers when you buy one corsage for a school dance or a get-well arrangement with a few blooms in it sent to a hospital. Wedding arrangements are packed with blooms: think 50-75 stems in a bouquet alone, and the quality of these blooms is much higher since a wedding day is (hopefully) once in a lifetime, and everything needs to be perfect. Premium luxury flowers are used, color palettes are specific, and everything needs to be placed precisely. 

The scale is also much more extensive; you're ordering bouquets, boutonnieres, corsages, centerpieces, and large backdrops filled with flowers. This all adds up to thousands of dollars. The size and layout of your wedding venue can also influence floral costs. Larger venues may require more extensive floral arrangements to fill the space. Scaling up your space means scaling up the size of the arrangements. 

Seasonality

 If you are particular to a specific flower variety or color palette, your florist is likely researching and bringing in flowers from all over the world to fit your needs. If a flower isn't blooming that time of year in your wedding location, they have to source where in the world, according to season, it is blooming and have it brought in. Rare or out-of-season blooms that need to be imported can increase their price. Local in-season blooms may also be expensive because they are grown by small, family-run farms sustainability rather than en masse by machines or by lower costing labor in 3rd world countries. 

Customization

Flowers are often customized to match the couple's color scheme, theme, and preferences. Creating unique and personalized floral arrangements requires time, skill, and attention to detail, which can increase costs. As opposed to a flower shop that has recreated the same design over and over for years, wedding floral arrangements are more elaborate and intricate, and designers are coming up with unique looks for each wedding. The skilled labor and thought that goes into a design will cost more. 

Location

The cost of wedding flowers can also vary depending on where your wedding occurs. Places with higher costs of living will naturally have higher-cost floral arrangements. The region's topography also affects the cost, as if more local flowers can be easily grown, they can be sourced cheaper, and arrangements can be less. In locations with the same weather year-round, they don't have to start their crops over each spring; thus, the labor and materials involved in growing the blooms are less.

Markups

Florists may apply markups to the cost of the flowers they receive from the farms to cover their expenses and make a profit. The extent of these markups can vary from one florist to another depending on experience level and quality of arrangements you receive. Remember, you get what you pay for. 

Inflation

Remember to avoid comparing floral costs to what they used to be. There needs to be more than the Budget a parent had for their wedding for their child's wedding. The Budget for a sibling's wedding a few years back may not even be sufficient. During the pandemic, many industries, including the wedding industry and flower growers, were hit hard, many having to throw away their inventory, close down shops, or lay off their laborers. This resulted in a domino effect that we are still experiencing, where supply can no longer keep up with demand, so costs have risen. Inflation and the cost of living continue to increase, and florists need to purchase flowers and make a living, both of which add to the cost. 

Flowers are a perishable product that takes years to grow. 

The more work goes into a flower to get it to the consumer, the more it may cost. Many don't think about what goes into a flower before it shows up at the wedding: hybridization of a specific variety, growing it to maturity on a farm- which can take years, harvesting, transportation (sometimes across countries or continents), reviving it from the flight out of water, storage, and finally, design and transportation to your wedding.

Experience

 While price shopping and hiring the least expensive florist can be tempting, you should ask yourself why their prices are so low. Are they inexperienced? Are their designs the quality you're looking for? Will they communicate with you through the process? Can they handle problems that arise? Can you trust them? Do you love their style?

Factors that affect the cost of an arrangement:

• Floral selection: some varieties cost more than others due to seasonality and availability. Premium blooms like Peonies & Orchids cost more than Carnations & Mums. Most wedding florists will use mid-range blooms unless you request otherwise.
• Complexity and size of arrangements
• Arrangement type: Different arrangements cost different amounts due to the amount of blooms and labor involved.
• Time for setup for large installations: If your venue only allows 1 hour of setup time, but the florist needs to install a large arch arrangement, they will have to hire a bigger team to accomplish it, and the cost of the arch could go up.
• Distance for delivery: delivery fees are usually charged by the mile.
• Takedown: takedown fees are usually determined by distance, time of takedown, and complexity of arrangements to be taken down.
• Quantity: A big bridal party or a large number of tables will raise the overall cost, as those numbers add up quickly.
• Time of year: typically, February and May are the most expensive months due to demand with flower-heavy holidays such as Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, and Labor Day. Popular wedding dates will also create more demand so that prices may be higher in June and September. Cheaper months for weddings would be off-season months, such as January-March.
• Load-in for delivery: a venue with a complex load-in will increase delivery costs. Can your florist walk right in the door from the parking lot, or do they have to take flowers up a gondola or through a complex series of halls to get to a specific part of a hotel?

Other Common Questions about Pricing:

If I have a small, intimate wedding, will my flowers cost less?

Not necessarily. While fewer tables and a smaller bridal party can definitely decrease your overall cost, depending on the size and complexity of your centerpieces and ceremony backdrop, it could cost just as much as a large wedding with lots of guests. 

Why is one quote from a florist so different from the other?

• Look at the overall bid, not each line item. There are differences in the way bids are itemized. Some show the cost of the flowers but put labor and mechanics on a different line, some tell you the whole cost of each arrangement, and some only give an overall cost.
• Ask yourself if you gave them the same description for the arrangements. Did you tell one florist you wanted a full lush arch, and then after receiving their quote, you scaled back on your expectations when describing it to the following florist? Then their quotes are not comparable. 
• Find out what their experience level is. Often, new florists will charge less in order to get weddings in their portfolio and be able to gain experience. There are risks that come with hiring an inexperienced florist that may or may not be worth the price difference.
• Are they a professional? Everyone has that one aunt with access to wholesale prices who will do your flowers for free. While this might be a legitimate option for you if flowers are not a priority and you need to cut costs, hiring a professional comes with benefits such as business insurance if anything goes wrong, higher quality arrangements, a better network for sourcing blooms that fit your vision, a team of employees to pull off all the arrangements in a timely manner, trust that everything will get done according to your expectations, the ability to leave a poor review and get a refund if you have a negative experience. 

What's typically included in a florist quote?

• Cost of flowers.
• Cost of hard goods: vase rental, mechanics for creating the arrangements, tools used up in arrangements such as wire and tape.
• Care of flowers: storage, keeping them in good condition, processing.
• Delivery and setup: transportation to the venue, setting out centerpieces, bringing you bouquets, setting up on-location arrangements
• Takedown: cleaning up all the flowers at the end of the night
• Sales Tax

How can I reduce the cost of the flowers?

We created this article to give you 20 tips for reducing the cost of your florals. 

TLDR: 

• Ask your florist for advice.
• Repurpose arrangements where you can.
• Avoid the priciest blooms or only put them in high-impact designs like your Bouquet.
• Plan your wedding date around seasonal elements you can't live without
• Know your priorities
• Choose smaller centerpieces
• Opt for a smaller size of coverage for your ceremony backdrop
• Use other decor elements
• Have a higher percentage of greenery
• Choose a venue that doesn't need as much decorating.
• Cut out delivery fees by doing pickup or takedown yourself.
• Be kind to your florist. (You'll be surprised how far this goes).

Should I tip?

Tips are not necessary but are appreciated. If you're not in a place to give a tip, some other ways you can show your gratitude are:

• Leave a Google review
• Recommending them to friends
• Tag them in your photos to give them more visibility
• Send them your photo gallery (with permission from the photographer) for them to use in their social media/website/marketing.

Should I just do my own flowers?

Here's an article with everything you need to know about DIY flowers. 

Should I hire a wedding florist or a flower shop?

Here's an article with the pros and cons of a flower shop vs. a wedding florist.

The most important takeaways for the cost of wedding flowers are planning, communicating openly with your florist, and finding a wedding florist you trust to bring your vision to life. 

Bronte's Florals is a Utah-based florist specializing in weddings. We've been in business since 2018 and have done hundreds of weddings. If you'd like to get a quote for your wedding, don't hesitate to reach out here.