We’ve been there. You’ve seen a bouquet, floral installation, or centerpiece (like Kimye’s wedding wall), but it’s going to cost you a few months’ salaries to recreate.
Help is on the way. Rachel Cho Floral Designs, our resident expert and acclaimed New York Florist, is back.
You should read her earlier posts if you haven’t. Rachel shares her expert tips on how to work with your wedding florist in order to make the big day feel and look amazing.
I want to discuss budgets today.
Every couple has a budget, whether it is extravagant or simple. As the wedding details are worked out, the budget becomes more and more important.
Couples often ask themselves: Does the vision we have realistically fit within our budget? What can we live without? What cannot we do without? It can be frustrating and difficult to go through this process.
There are many ways to keep costs down when planning your bridal flowers.
It only takes a little flexibility and creativity on the couple’s part to achieve the vision you have without going over budget.
While there are many reasons why wedding flowers cost more than other flowers (think of hours spent creating specialized floral “recipes,” hand-selecting flowers from the market and cleaning them), beautiful alternatives that don’t break the bank can be found.
Without further ado, I will share with you my budget-friendly tips.
Color and Texture: A Focus
It has always been the number one tip I give to brides who are looking to save some money. Instead of focusing solely on flowers, I encourage brides to think in terms of texture and color.
If a bride on a tight budget wants a pink peony arrangement, I would suggest a bouquet of beautifully opened pink roses and lisianthus with a hint of peony for accent.
Lisianthus and roses have the same multi-petaled appearance as peonies, giving the bouquet a feminine, luxurious look.
By allowing the choice of flowers to be flexible (and reducing the size of the peony), the price can be kept lower.
Half & half look
These days, I see a lot of couples who want tall centerpieces. Tall centerpieces will always be more expensive, and most of us do not have a large budget to work with.
To achieve a nice compromise, you can do a “half and half” style – the centerpieces on half of the tables will be taller than the centerpieces on the other half.
A tall centerpiece is an elegant and sophisticated way to keep your budget in check.
Repurpose
Couples often overlook this option, but it is a great one. The items that were used during the ceremony, such as the chair bouquets and ceremony sprays, can be used at the reception.
Chair bouquets are a great way to make a centerpiece for every table. Floral sprays from your wedding ceremony can be transformed into stunning arrangements for your bar area.
You can reuse candles in many different ways: table decor, bathroom decor, window decor, etc.
Candles, Petal & More
I will conclude with my last point: a centerpiece can be anything that you want it to.
There are many simple ways to decorate your table. From pillar candles to floral arrangements to bud vases and flowers in water, there is a way to suit every taste. Ask your florist for ideas!
The most important aspect of your vision, however, is the feeling it conveys. Not the exact renderings or details of each decor item.
You can achieve the desired look and feel by reimagining it.
Such great advice! It’s important to use decor that evokes the feel of your wedding rather than just recreating what you saw elsewhere.
Rachel, thank you for your advice (and congrats on the new addition!). Visit her website and follow her on Instagram to get more inspiration.