FLoral Budgeting 101
First off, there doesn't have to be a one-size-fits-all flower budget. AND there are lots of ways to maximize a flower budget. (Be sure to catch my upcoming post about Flower Choices: How Many Flowers Do I Need?)
And if you're like most soonlyweds, you sometimes eat out in restaurants and therefore have a general idea of what professionally-cooked food costs--but you may have never before ordered professional flowers, so you just don't have a framework! I certainly didn't know when I got married (long before I became a florist), and I am NOT offended if you ask for explanations!
And today I want to give some general ideas for you to start thinking about! Here are a few things to keep in mind:
1) You should likely plan on spending 10-15% of your overall wedding budget on flowers. I know, that's a LOT. But flowers (and candles, usually also provided by florists) truly do set the mood like nothing else, and unless you just don't want flowers, spreading floral joy through your event will likely cost about this much. Check out my post about how florists price if you aren't sure why they add up so quickly.
2) If you have a budget below this percentage, you should consider a) a lower guest count (added bonus: you'll get to talk more with each guest!) or b) one big floral moment only and no flowers on tables. This is because of ....number 3 below.
3) Check out the slides for an easier to read version of this, but as a general example, here's pricing for a small-to medium amount of flowers on a table.
Example : It's hard to flower a dining table for less than $175-200 worth of candles and flowers (unless the look you like is actually just a couple bud vases). With 120 guests, that's 12-15 tables, or $2400-$3000 of florals. If you were hoping to have a $5000 dollar budget, you have only $2000 left to put toward your wedding party bouquets and ceremony backdrop. When you realize bridal bouquets are usually $200-400, and floral arches usually are around $1200, and setup will be 750…it makes sense to have fewer tables if you want them all to be decorated.
Reducing the table count to 8 tables brings that down to $1600, with $3400 now available for ceremony flowers. When you realize bridal bouquets are usually $200-400 and floral arches usually are around $1200, it makes sense to have fewer tables if you want them all to be decorated.
4) Last but not least, don't feel bad about asking questions--EVERYONE has a budget and we florists love figuring out how to get the most impact for you. This is also where having a planner can be a HUGE benefit--they've done this before and know what's a reasonable price for things!
(Shoutout to Karen Royer and Martha Wilson for acing my wedding florals.)
Current events note: there’s a decent chance that if Trump’s proposed tariffs go into effect in their proposed form, floral wholesale costs will go up 10-15% , which will mean all of this shifts to be more expensive and you will for sure want an experienced florist on board to help you make wise selections!
