Deborah Chan
Wedding flowers are an expensive but essential part of the big day. With the average couple spending around $2,000 on flowers, it's important to know how to cut costs. From choosing seasonal flowers to using large, inexpensive flowers for centerpieces, there are many ways to save money. DIY flower arrangements can also reduce costs, but it's important to keep flowers fresh and bacteria-free. To preserve flowers, simple DIY methods or professional services can be used, but this adds to the cost.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Preservation | Pressing, air-drying, framing, encasing in resin, paperweights, wine stoppers, bookends, custom jewellery |
| Cost | Basic bouquet preservation: $250. More involved projects: $500. Average wedding bouquet storage cost: $250-$600 |
| Flower care | Keep flowers in a cool, dark place until ready to use. Avoid direct sunlight, vents, drafts, and fruit and vegetables (which emit ethylene gas). |
| Cut flowers diagonally and place in warm water. Remove foliage below the waterline. | |
| Re-cut stems and refresh water daily. | |
| Spritz with hairspray. | |
| Dunk hydrangeas in ice water 1-3 hours before arranging. | |
| Store hydrangeas in a 5-gallon bucket with Tylenol or flower food dissolved in water. | |
| If hydrangeas wilt, submerge blossoms in cool water or cut stems and place in very hot water for 30 minutes. | |
| Cost-saving | Pick up flowers yourself. Use in-season flowers. Use wildflowers. Use large, inexpensive flowers and fill arrangements with greenery. |
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What You'll Learn
Pick in-season flowers
Picking flowers that are in season is a great way to cut back on wedding flower costs. Seasonal blooms are often fresher and more vibrant, with richer colours and a longer vase life, ensuring they look their best on the big day. They are also usually more cost-effective, as they are more abundant and easier to source, which can help stretch the wedding budget further.
Spring is the season of new beginnings, and its flowers reflect this with delicate beauty and soft pastels. It is a popular time for weddings, and the floral options are abundant. Some spring flowers include peonies, lilacs, poppies, tulips, fritillaria, ranunculus, and spirea. If you're looking for something a little different, cherry blossoms are also available in early spring – while not typically used as cut flowers, their branches are stunning for décor. Freesia and lily of the valley are also options, both of which are highly fragrant.
Summer is the peak wedding season, and it offers an explosion of colour and variety for floral arrangements. Hydrangeas, with their large billowy blooms, are a popular choice to create volume. Roses, available in endless varieties, colours, and fragrances, are also a classic option. Sunflowers are perfect for rustic or outdoor weddings, while foxglove and delphinium can add height to a display.
Autumn is the time for rich, elegant blooms like dahlias, marigolds, chrysanthemums, and celosia. If you're looking for a more foliage-focused display, snowberry can add a charming white pop to the greenery.
Even in winter, there are still beautiful flowers that bloom. Anemones, with their distinctive black centre, bring a modern vibe to any arrangement and are available in a range of colours. The winter iris, with its purple petals and pops of yellow, is another option.
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Choose a cheaper pick-up option
If you're looking for ways to cut back on wedding flowers, one option is to choose a cheaper pick-up option. Here are some tips to help you save money on your wedding flowers:
Firstly, consider buying wholesale flowers in bulk from websites such as BloomsByTheBox and Flower Moxie. These websites offer a wide range of fresh, beautiful flowers at affordable prices, and you can choose from various flower packages or create your own custom mix. Buying in bulk will almost always work out cheaper than buying smaller quantities from a florist, and you can even get creative and put your bouquets together yourself.
If you're going to DIY your bouquets, it's important to do your research first. There are plenty of online guides and tutorials to help you get started, and you can even sign up for a DIY Master Class with Flower Moxie. This will ensure you have the knowledge and skills needed to create beautiful bouquets that won't fall apart during your big day.
Another way to save money is to choose inexpensive flowers. While peonies, orchids, and roses may be popular wedding choices, they can be quite costly. Instead, opt for flowers like baby's breath, daisies, hydrangeas, or carnations, which are more affordable and can still create stunning arrangements.
Remember, when choosing a cheaper pick-up option, it's essential to plan and allow enough time for your flowers to arrive and be prepared. You may also need to factor in the cost of any tools or supplies you'll need for DIY flower arranging, such as floral shears, vases, and flower food.
By choosing a wholesale flower option and getting creative, you can significantly reduce your wedding flower budget without sacrificing beauty and style.
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Use inexpensive flowers for centrepieces
Wedding flowers can be expensive, but there are ways to cut costs without sacrificing beauty and elegance. One way to do this is to use inexpensive flowers for centrepieces. Here are some tips to achieve a stunning display on a budget:
Firstly, choose flowers that are in season and easily accessible. Seasonal flowers are more affordable and abundant, making them a cost-effective choice. Select flowers that are locally grown to reduce costs further.
Another tip is to opt for wholesale flowers. Buying in bulk can result in significant savings. Websites like FiftyFlowers offer wholesale centrepieces in a variety of styles, colours, and sizes, ensuring you find the perfect fit for your wedding. They provide fast shipping and high-quality blooms, making them a convenient and budget-friendly option.
Carnations, for example, are a budget-friendly flower that can create elegant centrepieces. A carnation wedding centrepiece package can cost around $209, offering both beauty and affordability.
Additionally, consider pairing your centrepieces with rose petals. Rose petals add a touch of romance and elegance to your tablescape without breaking the bank. You can also incorporate candles and lanterns into your centrepieces to create a romantic ambiance while reducing the number of flowers needed.
Finally, remember that the arrangement and presentation of your centrepieces can elevate their impact. Play with heights by incorporating tall and low centrepieces to create visual interest. Use vases or containers that complement your wedding theme, and fill them with fresh, cool water to keep your flowers hydrated.
By combining inexpensive flowers, wholesale options, and creative arrangements, you can achieve beautiful wedding centrepieces while staying within your budget.
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Preserve flowers to display at home
Wedding flower preservation is a great way to have a special keepsake of the blooms you carry down the aisle. There are numerous ways to preserve your wedding flowers, and the cost will depend on the project and the amount of flowers you would like to preserve. Basic bouquet preservation starts at around $250, but more involved projects can cost up to $500.
Air-drying
One simple way to preserve your wedding bouquet is to let it air-dry. Cut away any tape or ties from the bouquet. Hang the stems one by one, so each has the best form possible. Hang them upside down in a dry, dark, and temperate area, such as a hallway closet. Let the blooms air-dry for at least a week or longer if it's cool. The color of your wedding bouquet will gradually fade, but it will still look nice in a vase or hanging on a wall in your home.
Pressing
To press the flowers in your wedding bouquet, select as many flowers as you'd like and spread them out on clean wax paper, parchment paper, or coffee filters so they will lift easily after pressing. Arrange them in a way you are happy with during this step—once they're dried and pressed, you won't be able to manipulate them. Place the flowers inside the pages of a heavy book, like a phone book or textbook, and add another piece of wax paper on top to keep the flowers free of ink. Shut the book and weigh it down with something heavy, like a vase or more books. Leave the flowers to dry for about two weeks, and if necessary, repeat the process if they are still not fully dry.
Silica gel
Silica gel is one of the best methods to keep your blooms true to their original form and color. Silica gel is porous sand that absorbs moisture from flowers.
Baking
Bake the flowers at 200°F for 1-2 hours until they are fully dehydrated. To enhance the scent, add a few drops of your preferred essential oil and gently toss and allow to soak for a couple of weeks. Ensure you keep your potpourri in an airtight container to preserve the scent.
Resin
After drying or pressing your flowers, place a selection of them on good-quality parchment paper and place them in double glass frames of varying sizes to create a gallery wall effect. Find a suitable container, fill it halfway with epoxy resin liquid, and arrange the flowers in the fluid. Fill the container to the top and leave it to dry. Once the process is complete, you'll have a unique piece.
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Keep flowers away from fruit and vegetables
I could not find specific information on how to cut back on wedding flowers. However, I can provide some general tips on how to keep flowers fresh for a wedding.
Fruits and vegetables emit a gas called ethylene, which causes cut flowers to age and wilt more quickly. Therefore, it is important to keep flowers away from fruit and vegetables to ensure they last as long as possible.
Flowers can also be preserved by air-drying. To do this, cut away any tape or ties from the bouquet and hang the stems upside down in a dry, temperate area for at least a week.
Other tips to keep flowers fresh include:
- Keeping them in a cool, dark place, away from direct sunlight and drafts.
- Trimming the stems diagonally and placing them in warm water, ensuring that any foliage below the waterline is removed.
- Spritzing the flowers with hairspray.
- Regularly changing the water and cleaning the vase with hot soapy water or in the dishwasher to prevent bacteria build-up.
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Frequently asked questions
Here are some tips to save money on wedding flowers:
- Choose flowers that are in season, as they will be less expensive.
- Pick the flowers yourself.
- Use large, inexpensive flowers for centerpieces, such as sunflowers, roses, and gerbera daisies.
- Fill your arrangements with bright, healthy greenery, such as large fern leaves or ivy leaves.
- Create your own arrangements.
To keep your wedding flowers fresh, follow these tips:
- Keep flowers in a cool, dark place until you are ready to use them.
- Keep them away from direct sunlight, vents, or rooms with a strong draft.
- Cut the stems diagonally to expose their watering channels and place them in warm water.
- Remove any foliage that falls below the waterline.
- Change the water daily and add flower food or a little sugar.
If your wedding flowers arrive early and are wilted, don't panic! Here are some tips to revive them:
- Remove the flowers from their packaging and cut the stems.
- Place the flowers in buckets of fresh, room-temperature water with flower food.
- If you have hydrangeas, dunk their heads in ice water 1-3 hours before arranging.
- If your flowers are still wilted, cut fresh edges on the stems and place them in almost boiling water for 30 minutes.
There are several ways to preserve your wedding flowers, ranging from simple DIYs to professional services:
- Air-drying: Cut away any ribbons or pins holding the flowers together, then hang the stems upside down in a dry, temperate area for at least a week.
- Pressing: Disassemble the bouquet and place the flowers in cool, fresh water. Separate the blooms into groups, as each flower requires different preservation techniques.
- Resin products: Companies like Everlasting Floral Preservation and B Creative offer services to preserve your flowers in wine stoppers, paperweights, bookends, resin blocks, or jewelry.
