Q: I want beautiful wedding flowers, but don’t have the budget to spend a fortune. How can I find a good balance between the two?
A: I think there is a misconception that in order to have beautiful flowers, you have to have a large budget. Deciding where to spend the bulk of the floral budget is key. Choose what is most important to you: personal flowers (such as bouquets, corsages, boutineers), ceremony or reception flowers and make that the main focus for your floral budget. If it is a particular flower that’s a budget buster, like David Austin Garden Roses, use these blooms as the main focal flower in your bouquet and use blossoms that are less expensive in the ceremony and reception decor. Another recommendation I would make is giving your florist artistic license to select seasonal blooms to create the overall feel that you are trying to achieve. This will often save money as seasonal blooms are typically less expensive than choosing blossoms that are out of season.
Another solution that helps stretch the floral budget is to repurpose the floral arrangements from the rehearsal dinner and/or ceremony flowers to the reception.
I believe that a florist can work with almost any budget. It is ultimately up to the bride and groom to decide what is most important to them. Then give the florist the permission and flexibility to create arrangements that fit the theme and feel of the day.
Q: I am in love with the flower-adorned arbors I see on Pinterest, but I’m sure they are quite expensive. How can I create this look for less?
A: Use a mix of faux greenery with fresh greenery to create a great base to allow for the majority of the budget to be spent on fresh flowers that will create a lush adorned arbor.
Q: I received advice to reuse some of my flowers from the ceremony for the reception. What type of pieces would be easiest to repurpose? Since my guests will notice the flowers in both places, will this make us look cheap?
A: The pew arrangements and arbor arrangements are extremely easy to repurpose and both would work well on the head table. Repurposing arrangements will not look “cheap” if it is done right. My best advice is to have a solid plan in place and a designated person to discreetly move the arrangements to the reception venue after the ceremony so they are in place before guests begin to arrive.
Q: I don’t want an out-of-date look, what are some trends that I could implement into my wedding florals?
A: Cascading bouquets seem to be gaining popularity again. In order to incorporate this throwback style, but still, keep it modern, add extra greenery to create a soft cascading flow. That way you can get the cascading “feel” without having to fully commit to the style.
The addition of succulents and other unique blooms are an easy way to stay on trend. These flowers offer a modern touch, can create an interesting conversation piece, and make for a truly memorable arrangement.
By: Katie Malone, Inspirations in Bloom
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