Affordable Wedding Flowers: Diy Guide To Save Costs

Flowers are often the cherry on top of a wedding's décor, but they can come with a steep price tag. Fortunately, there are ways to save money on wedding flowers without sacrificing decorative beauty. Here are some tips to make wedding flowers more affordable:

- Buy wholesale flowers and create your own arrangements.

- Choose in-season flower arrangements, which are usually more affordable and last longer.

- Decorate with dry or faux flowers, which are becoming increasingly popular and eliminate the need for water or refrigeration.

- Get larger blooms to fill more space, such as hydrangeas and peonies.

- Get professional advice from a wedding florist, who can help you pick flowers that meet your budget.

- DIY your own flowers if you're willing to put in the time and effort.

- Be honest and realistic about your budget upfront when working with a florist.

- Invest in flower arrangements for high-visibility areas, such as the bouquet, altar, and tablescape.

- Focus on locally sourced, in-season flowers to save on shipping costs.

- Prioritize multi-use flower arrangements, such as using ceremony flowers for the reception.

- Incorporate non-floral elements, such as candles, to balance out your decor.

Buy wholesale flowers

Buying wholesale flowers is a great way to save money on your wedding flowers. Wholesale flowers are usually less expensive than special-order flowers, and buying in bulk ensures you have enough flowers for multiple arrangements. You can choose the type of flowers, colours, and number of stems you need, and even mix and match flowers for different arrangements.

When you buy wholesale, you can create your own arrangements, which can be a fun and creative project. You can research different floral arrangements online to get inspired and figure out what flowers to buy and how many of each you need. This is key to saving money. Consider the venue size, the arrangements you'll create, and how long they need to last. You can also reuse some of the arrangements if your wedding ceremony and reception are in the same space.

Another benefit of buying wholesale flowers is that they are delivered fresh, so you don't have to worry about them wilting or dying before your wedding day.

Choose in-season flowers

Choosing in-season flowers is a great way to save money on your wedding flowers. In-season flowers are usually more affordable than flowers that are out of season. They also tend to last longer and come in a variety of colours, shapes, and sizes.

The flowers that are in season will depend on the season and location of your wedding. For example, in spring, you can find a variety of tulips, peonies, lilies, and daffodils, while summer offers an abundance of sunflowers, roses, daisies, and hydrangeas. Fall brings dahlias and chrysanthemums, and in winter, you can expect to find anemones, poinsettias, and evergreens.

If you're unsure about which flowers are in season during your wedding, it's a good idea to research this online or contact local florists for advice. They can help you determine which flowers will be in bloom and how long they will last. You can also ask for pictures to get an idea of what the flowers will look like on your big day.

Another benefit of choosing in-season flowers is that they are usually locally sourced, which can help you avoid the additional costs of long-distance shipping and transportation. This is a great way to support local flower farmers while also saving money on your wedding flowers.

In addition to choosing in-season flowers, you can also opt for year-round blossoms like roses, carnations, and orchids, which are widely available and typically more affordable.

By focusing on in-season and locally sourced flowers, you can create beautiful floral arrangements for your wedding while staying within your budget.

Use transportable floral gardens

One of the best ways to maximise your floral budget is to create "floral gardens" that can be easily transported from one location to another. These can be arranged in transportable vessels, such as wooden boxes or gardening crates, and used around the ceremony seating and altar, and again at the reception entrance or around the dance floor.

To create transportable floral gardens, opt for flowers with a long vase life, such as alstroemerias, amaryllis, carnations, and hydrangeas. These flowers are not only budget-friendly but will also last throughout your wedding day. When arranging your floral gardens, use transportable vessels that can be easily moved, such as wooden boxes or gardening crates.

Another tip to maximise your budget is to repurpose your flowers. Use the ceremony flowers and bridesmaids' bouquets at the reception as well. You can ask your wedding planner or friends to help transfer the flowers to the reception venue. This will not only save you time and money but will also ensure that your floral arrangements are consistent throughout your wedding.

When creating your transportable floral gardens, consider using a mix of flowers and greenery. Greenery is a cost-effective option that adds fullness and volume to your arrangements. Some great options for greenery include silver dollar eucalyptus, parvafolia, and leather leaf. By combining flowers and greenery, you can create beautiful arrangements while staying within your budget.

To further enhance your transportable floral gardens, incorporate statement blooms that fill space. Flowers such as garden roses or hydrangeas are visually impactful and can create a stunning display even when used sparingly. These blooms will add a touch of elegance to your wedding while keeping costs down.

In addition to the flowers and greenery, don't forget to invest in some floral tools, such as flower food, ribbon, burlap, vases, and lanterns. These tools will help you create beautiful arrangements and ensure that your flowers stay fresh and hydrated.

Get larger blooms to fill space

One of the most effective ways to save money on wedding flowers is to opt for larger blooms, such as hydrangeas and peonies, which occupy more space in bouquets and centrepieces. This means you can create the same impact without buying more flowers. You can also add complementary "filler" flowers and greenery, such as baby's breath, eucalyptus, or rosemary, to create a balanced look at a lower price.

If you want to add more natural elements to your bouquets, consider adding flower elements other than blooms, such as branches or stems of berries. You can even get creative and add pine cones, feathers, or cotton balls. These additions will give your arrangements an unexpected look and texture.

Another way to save money on wedding flowers is to add greenery to your bouquets. Greenery can be used as the base of the bouquet or as an accent, depending on the look you desire. Baby's breath, eucalyptus, and ferns will add natural volume and texture to bouquets, all while being cost-effective. Adding greenery to your bouquet can work well with popular flower and bouquet styles, including cascading bouquets, mixed-colour bouquets, and romantic monochromatic floral schemes.

Focus on high-visibility areas

One of the best ways to make your wedding flowers more affordable is to focus your budget on the high-visibility areas of your wedding. This means allocating your flower budget to areas where they will have the impact and be noticed by your guests. Here are some tips to achieve this:

Firstly, consider the areas where your guests will be spending most of their time. These are typically the ceremony and reception venues. Ensure that the flowers in these spaces are abundant and eye-catching. For the ceremony, focus on the altar or chuppah, which is the focal point of the ceremony. You can use free-standing arrangements or hang flowers from arches or pillars to create a

Frequently asked questions