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Wedding Flowers: Bargain Prices on Beautiful Arrangements

Wedding flowers are a major expense for most wedding ceremonies. Wedding experts say that flowers usually account for about 10% of the total wedding budget. But even in this important area, by making the right choices you can save money and still have beautiful flower arrangements at your wedding. In this article we’ll guide you through several tips for getting the most out of your wedding flower budget.

Arranging the flowers yourself is one way to go, especially if you have a creative side, but it will still be worthwhile to get the advice of an experienced florist. They may even assist you in buying the flowers you need at a very reasonable price. Florists can also provide a checklist for floral items you’ll need at your wedding like petals, the bouquet, and corsages.

If you’re working with a wedding consultant, they will also be a great help to you in deciding the overall motif for the flower arrangements. If you are on a very tight budget, try working with a florist on your bridal bouquet and asking them to suggest flowers to use for the other arrangements. This way, you can make the flower arrangements yourself, but get professional advice first on what will work.

If you decide to go the DIY route, another good alternative is to hire a designer to create the main arrangement and bouquets, and then “copy” these designs as you create your table centerpieces yourself. Of course, you’ll want to ensure that you use the same type of flowers so that you get a perfectly coordinated look.

This is a very budget friendly way to get great floral arrangements and save nearly 50% or more on your flower budget. And with a little effort, your overall flower design will look completely professional.

Purchasing Flowers

Many larger cities have a wholesale floral district. If you have such a district in your area, this is the first place to look for quality flowers and pre-made arrangements at wholesale prices. Otherwise, you can try an up-market prepared food boutique with a floral department. These will usually feature pre-made bouquets, but they can be very nice and somewhat less expensive than the normal cost of wedding centerpieces.

You can also try eBay or other online auctions to locate flowers at bargain prices. In fact, shopping online for flowers will usually be cheaper than buying from retail florists. To keep you budget down, always search online first, and only resort to the “brick and mortar” florist shops as a last resort.

Beautiful Arrangements

If you decide to arrange the wedding flowers yourself, be sure to choose long-lasting flowers to allow time to finish the centerpieces several days in advance. Calla lilies normally last about a week and are a good choice. Astromeria will last for two to three weeks on average, making them a good choice if you are creating the arrangements the week before the ceremony. Roses and lilies are easy to use in “DIY” arrangements and always a good choice in weddings. If you decide to use roses, remember to remove the thorns in advance.

Finally, you might consider using garlands or potted plants to augment your arrangement. Remember, not all flowers need to be fresh or arranged elaborately. These are also great options to cover “bare areas,” or to use in the reception area.

By planning ahead, your wedding flowers can be beautiful and unique without breaking the bank.