Wedding Flowers without breaking the Bank !

Budget-busting flower ideas

We love these top tips for beautiful big day blooms on a budget

 

1. Go for a retro vintage theme and you can use a mix of second-hand mis-matched containers that you can pick up at fleamarkets or antique stores.

2. Before you start spending, carefully plan your budget and decide where flowers rank on your list of wedding priorities. If you’d rather spend more of your pennies on food and drink than decorating the venue, look to spend less on flowers, but if you want to create a beautiful space for your reception, allocate a larger portion of the budget to flowers.

3. Be upfront about how much you have to spend. Your budget is one of the first things you should discuss with your florist. The average spend is 10-15% of the overall cost of the day but this is not a realistic option for everyone. Be clear about how much you have to spend and your florist should have the experience to rise to the challenge.

4. Choose a florist who is happy to work within your budget. A florist who encourages you to spend more than you can afford isn’t the right person for the job. You may have to compromise on the specific blooms or the types of arrangement you want in order to stay within your financial limits but your florist should be able to suggest alternatives that will look just as good at a lower price bracket.

5. Choose seasonal flowers grown locally. This will cost you MUCH less than flying in exotic blooms from abroad.

6. Bridesmaids’ bouquets can really add up so be inventive. Think about giving each bridesmaid a single statement bloom to carry down the aisle, or opt for just having flowers in their hair or on a wrist corsage. If you’re set on bouquets, consider using them as table centres at your reception afterwards.

7. Concentrate your budget on the areas that guests will spend the majority of time in and where lots of photographs are going to be taken. If you want to get a real wow factor at the reception make the flowers totally different to the ceremony it will make everyone gasp especially going from country chic to modern funky!

8. Instead of having expensive flower arrangements on every table you can alternate tables with displays of candles, which you can get for a fraction of the cost.

9. Be a little indulgent.  If you’ve got your heart set on an expensive flower, use it but do so sparingly. Lots of brides love Lily of the Valley but used in abundance, it can break the bank. Instead, just have a little in your bouquet then you’ll feel like you’re surrounded by it all day.

10. Ask if there are any other weddings taking place at your church or ceremony venue on the same day. If there are, you might be able to share the cost of the flowers with another bride.

11. We suggest a little DIY to cut costs.  Decorate each table with silver votives containing supermarket-bought roses and fresh rosemary from your garden.

12. To make the most of your reception flowers, place table centres on a mirror base and add tea lights around each one. The reflection and flickering light will instantly make any arrangement seem bigger, more opulent and more dramatic.


13. Consider having less flowers and more foliage. A few statement blooms surrounded by lots of greenery can look striking and modern.

14. To save on your reception flowers, use pot plants or potted herbs in pretty containers.  They last well, make a lasting, thoughtful thank you gift for your mum and mother-in-law, or can be taken home by your guests as a memento of the day, and take the hassle out of worrying about arranging flowers for the reception.

15. Make the most of your church flowers by transporting them to your venue to decorate the reception space. Pedestals and trees are easy to move and look fabulous as entrance displays, while pew-ends can be used as chair backs.