How To Save Money on Wedding Flowers

*This post has been reviewed by an Illinois Registered CPA. However, when making important financial decisions, it's best to speak with your financial advisor.

Last Updated on September 11, 2022

Learn How To Save Money on Wedding Flowers

There are many things to consider as you prepare for the big day. The list of guests, invitations, venue, food, and entertainment are just some of them. It is easy to get lost in the organizational chaos, especially if you handle the wedding alone. By the time you reach the end of the wedding checklist, your budget might be already exhausted. Then, you have to rethink your spending.

Go through all the expenses and see where you can cut costs. There might be minor adjustments you can make. For example, you could choose more affordable flowers or use fewer floral decorations. These are just two options we will explore for how to save money on wedding flowers.

How to Save Money on Wedding Flowers with Better Planning?

Planning is key to a successful wedding. In general, planning for any event ahead of time is a good idea. This way, you prepare yourself mentally and financially. You have two options when it comes to organizing your wedding:

1. Work with a wedding planner
2. Handling everything on your own

Working with A Wedding Planner

There are advantages and disadvantages to each. If you use a wedding planner, you will pay a service fee, but you may have more peace of mind. Organizing your own wedding can be stressful. Besides budgeting for the big event, there are many things to consider. You might not even think about them until they strike you.

A wedding planner likely already has a wedding checklist and knows the ins and outs of the industry. They have contacts and many options for all wedding-related needs.

From venues to catering firms and entertainers, they know who to reach out to. If you go it alone, you will need to research to find all these. The research alone can take hours of your precious time. Then, you have to make calls to check availability and negotiate rates. But if you feel up to the task, you can save money if you do it on your own.

Below are the main pros and cons of working with a wedding planner.

Pros	Cons
They handle every wedding task for you, helping you gain time and peace of mind.	They cost money.
They know how to organize a beautiful wedding.	Choosing one might take time as there are multiple options.
They can offer you solutions that are suitable for your budget.	They might limit your vendor options to the persons in their circle of collaborators.

Organizing the Wedding on Your Own

If this is your final decision, start planning. The earlier you begin organizing your wedding, the better. Starting early allows you to explore more options. This way, you make the best decisions budget-wise. Organizing your wedding too close to the big date can lead to:

• Money problems. You’ll spend more as you won’t have time to check a lot of options.
• A lot of mental pressure. You’ll have lots of responsibilities and a tight deadline.
• Style and quality compromises. You might settle for less as you’re in a rush.

The bottom line is you should start planning a few months ahead. Make lists of all the suppliers and items you will need. Then, start looking for solutions. Keep a written list of:

• Names
• Prices
• Contact information

After you have options for each category of suppliers, you can start making calls. Get a feel of the people you’ll be working with and try to negotiate the rates. Many service providers are ready to offer custom rates. These are especially important if you have a large number of guests. For example, you can book accommodations or transportation at a lower price.

Planning a wedding like a pro is all about establishing and sticking to a budget. If you do this, you can avoid unpleasant surprises.

How to Budget for Your Wedding to Save Money

Budgeting sounds scary. It sounds like something only financial experts can do, but it’s not at all like this. Anyone can budget, all it takes is three simple steps

1. Determine how much you want to spend.
2. Make a list of all your wedding-related expenses, plus a buffer (emergency fund).
3. Start allocating money to each expense category.

Try not to spend more than you can afford, considering your income and the rest of your expenses.

Here is a budget example containing the average costs for some of the most common wedding expenses

Average wedding budget as of 2020: $20,300
Wedding expense	Average cost
Wedding flowers	$2,300
Wedding dress	$1,800
Wedding venue	$10,500
Remaining budget	$5,700

After the plan is ready, you only have to follow it. Before you budget, you need to have an overview of the average prices. You might believe that wedding flowers can cost only $500.

The truth is they can, but you need to organize things well to stick to this budget. You might need a smaller venue or specific flower arrangements that cost less to be able to spend this amount. In reality, the average price for wedding flowers is somewhere around $2,300.

Depending on your preferences, you could end up paying more. That is why it’s essential to get informed and be realistic. When you budget, you need a clear view of how much wedding-related expenses amount to. You will only know this if you’ve done prior research.

With your expenses list in one hand and prices list in the other, start budgeting. See if the amounts you add up allow you to stay within your budgets. If they don’t, move to stage two. That is when you start cutting wedding expenses. You can do this by choosing more affordable solutions.

You can also increase your wedding budget to afford all your expenses. To do this, you should plan your wedding as far ahead of time as possible. It will allow you to save more money. Here are three strategies to help you budget and save money before and for your wedding day.

The half-payment method

This method was designed to help people pay bills easier. You can use it for this purpose. It will help you avoid penalties and save more money for your wedding. You can also repurpose it for your wedding. The half-payment method means setting aside 50% of your paycheck for your bills.

With two paychecks, you have just the right amount to cover your bills at the end of the month. Do the same if you have a wedding budget to gather. Divide the amount by the number of months until the wedding date and the number of paychecks. Then, start saving that amount from each paycheck.

The 50-30-20 budget

This is a straightforward budgeting strategy to save money. It can also help you fix your credit as fast as you can. You divide your income into three categories – needs, wants, and savings. Each month, you put aside 20% of your income into the savings account. Then, allocate 50% to necessities and 30% to wants.

The digital envelopes budgeting method

By creating different envelopes, you put aside a fixed amount for each type of expense. For example, create envelopes for savings, groceries, housing, and non-essential expenses. Each envelope will be digital. In other words, it will represent a different bank account. You can also tailor this strategy to your wedding budget. Create envelopes for the:

• Venue
• Catering
• Entertainment
• Accommodations and transportation
• Decorations

Once you have an amount in each envelope, limit your use to those funds. That way, you avoid overspending.

How to Save Money on Wedding Flowers – 10 Tips

Here are ten practical tips to save money on your wedding flowers.

1. Choose DIY

If you’re handy, the easiest way to save money on wedding flowers is to DIY, do it yourself. You don’t need to pay anyone to handle your wedding arrangements. Buy the flowers and do it yourself. There are lots of tutorials you can find on YouTube and use for inspiration. Plus, you will get the flower arrangements that best suit your tastes.

2. Use more candles

Candles are a more affordable alternative to fancy flowers. You can create quite stylish combos from candles and flowers. The advantage is they take up considerable space in the flower arrangement. As a result, you can spend less on flowers. You can even afford more sophisticated flowers if you combine them with candles.

3. Use what you already have

Another good idea to save money on flowers is to reuse the same arrangements from the ceremony. They still look great, so why throw them away? Decorate the reception venue with whatever flowers you can reuse from the ceremony.

4. Drop the wedding bouquet

The wedding bouquet is one of the most pressing choices. You need to think about the size, color, and flower types. It also comes at a hefty price. The average bridal bouquet can be anywhere between $100 and $350. There are plenty of other costs to cover with that money.

Besides, you don’t need a bouquet to look great on your wedding day. You can give up this tradition altogether. Some of your guests might even feel relieved. They won’t feel the pressure to take part in the famous bouquet tossing moment.

5. Use big blooms

A florist can give you plenty of recommendations on this topic. You can save some money by using bigger flowers. They’ll take a large part of the floral arrangement, but you have to choose them wisely so that you also save money. If you can, replace some flowers with other items. We’ve already suggested candles. You might come up with different other ideas, such as feathers.

6. Opt for seasonal flowers

In-season flowers are more affordable. You can base your floral wedding arrangement entirely on these to save money. If you buy them from local florists, you will save even more. Check out the prices on the market. See which flowers cost less in the period when you plan on getting married.

Another idea is to grow those flowers in your garden. If you don’t have one, you might have relatives that do. You can then only pay the labor fees. Bringing your raw material can save precious bucks.

7. Limit the number of flowers

You might want a diversified and sophisticated array of flowers. Bear in mind that this raises costs. The more flowers you wish to use, the more you will pay. Try to choose only two or a maximum of three types of flowers. A florist can advise you on what varieties work well together.

8. Use as much greenery as you can

As you might guess, this part of the floral arrangement costs less. Lush leaves look great. Plus, they take up a lot of space. Greenery means spending less on flowers. You can use ferns, garlands, or any other opulent greenery. There are all sorts of eye-catching bouquets and flower arrangements that emphasize greenery.

9. Mix expensive flowers with less expensive ones

Sometimes, the best way is a compromise. You may really want those stunning tulips from Holland, but their price might be out of reach. You can find cheaper and equally good-looking options at local florists. There, you will also find different inexpensive flowers.

You can combine expensive blooms with more affordable ones. This will allow you to maintain the sophisticated look you dream of. At the same time, it will lower your costs.

10. Use dry flowers

These flowers cost far less than regular ones. They are delicate and quite practical. You won’t have to worry about breaking them. This is something you would worry about if you choose regular floral arrangements. Another advantage is you can reuse them at another event or sell them. You can also give them to a friend who’s getting married next.

Frequently Asked Questions FAQs

How can I save money for my wedding?

If you’re wondering why you can’t save money you’re in the same boat as many others. People struggle to save money these days. A wedding is one of those special moments that drain your budget. Saving thousands of dollars for the big day is not easy, which is why you should start as early as possible. To make a realistic savings plan, use one of the budgeting methods described above.

What’s the best way to save money on wedding flowers?

One of the most practical solutions is to choose a single type of flower. Buy them in bulk, and the problem is solved. You will pay less. The venue will look great. Everything will have a neat and uniform aspect.

How can I spend less on wedding flowers without making compromises?

You don’t need to compromise style to save money. You can use more affordable flowers that still look amazing. You can also add more leaves to the arrangements to cut costs. Using alternative items such as candles is also a stylish and less expensive option.

Sources:

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Forrest, K. (2022, February 17). Here’s how much couples spend on wedding flowers. theknot.com. Retrieved July 14, 2022, from https://www.theknot.com/content/average-cost-wedding-flowers

Hanlon, S. (2022, February 28). This is the average cost of a wedding dress today. theknot.com. Retrieved July 14, 2022, from https://www.theknot.com/content/average-cost-of-wedding-dress

Istomina, V. (2021, December 31). Average cost of wedding venues: The 2022 ultimate guide. Wedding Forward. Retrieved July 14, 2022, from https://www.weddingforward.com/average-cost-of-wedding-venues/

LLC, W., & *, N. (2021, June 23). Wedding budget: A $500 floral budget breakdown. Wildflowers llc. Retrieved July 15, 2022, from http://www.wildflowersllc.com/wedding-budget-florals-500/

classyflowersca. (2015, September 2). How to make a head table wedding flower arrangement. YouTube. Retrieved July 15, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1cq2Ft_17s

How much is a bridal bouquet? – average cost & factors – zola expert wedding advice. zola.com. (n.d.). Retrieved July 15, 2022, from https://www.zola.com/expert-advice/how-much-should-a-bridal-bouquet-cost