How to Save Money on Wedding Flowers

Booking the venue, sending invitations, finding your dress, selecting a menu, stocking up on alcohol, finding choice entertainment ... the wedding checklist goes on and on. Decoration expenses can easily be forgotten while engaged couples are busy working on larger wedding plans. But it doesn’t have to happen that way. In this post, we’re going to show you how to save money on wedding flowers with a bunch of proven tips, tricks, and ideas.

The average cost of wedding flowers is around $2,000. Don’t let the cost of your floral arrangements catch you off guard down the line, especially if your budget has already been stretched to the limit. With some clever planning, you can save a bundle on wedding bouquets when you say, “I do!”

Learn how to save money on wedding flowers with these 20 crafty tips:

1. Create a budget.

When figuring out how to save money on wedding flowers, the first and most important step is to discuss your wedding budget with your partner to ensure that you’re both on the same page. Have conversations about each aspect of the wedding, including your wedding flowers and floral decorations. When setting a budget, confirm what aspects of your wedding are non-negotiable, must-have items.

Be open and honest with your wedding florist or florists that you’re getting quotes from. Let them know the extent of your budget so they can tell you early on if they can accommodate your requests. Be firm about your bottom line, and let your florist know you are not willing to go over your budget.

RELATED: 47 ideas to help you save money on your big day

2. Keep an open mind.

While your “dream wedding” likely includes a specific picture of your wedding flowers, keep an open mind when shopping around. You may find gorgeous flowers or alternative decorations that are more affordable and you like even better.

3. Choose an affordable color palette.

Work with a color scheme that requires few variations in flower type but can easily be jazzed up with additional embellishments. Monochromatic color palettes are affordable and chic.

4. Do a lot of online research.

If you search “how to save money on wedding flowers,” as you probably did in order to land on this page, an endless list of related links will populate your search results. And guess what? This is a great place to start. From here, consider setting up boards on Pinterest to save ideas, photos, and themes that speak to you.

Once you identify flowers, arrangements, and decor ideas that catch your eye, you can do additional research to find out how to recreate them on the cheap. Set Google Alerts for items you will need so that you get notified when the price drops.

5. Buy wholesale.

Consider buying your wedding flowers in bulk from a wholesale florist. Buying in bulk often provides the biggest discount and works best for those who have whittled their flower list down to less than three different types.

6. Shop pre-arranged discount designer bouquets.

Shop sites like The Bouqs Co. to purchase pre-arranged bouquets and save tons of money.

7. Ask to cut transport costs.

If the quote from your florist includes expensive transportation costs or additional transportation fees, ask about alternative options. Would they allow you to pick up your own flowers to cut costs? A large SUV or van could easily get the job done and keep the savings rolling.

8. Choose in-season flowers.

In-season flowers will always be less expensive as their flower prices reflect the growing conditions and expenses required to produce them. When choosing a wedding date, do some research on what flowers will be in season at that time.

For spring and summer weddings, wildflowers are a lovely free option for creating a beautiful bridal bouquet. Collecting wildflowers could even be a fun activity the bridal party takes part in together a few days before the event.

9. Find a mix of expensive and inexpensive blooms.

If you have your heart set on a gorgeous peony bouquet, and nothing will change your mind, that’s okay! We can work with that. Let a small bundle of peonies be the statement piece in your bouquet. Fill the rest of your bouquet, as well as the bridal party bouquets, with less expensive flowers that complement the elegant peony. Alstroemeria, daisy spray, and wax flowers would be great options for filling out a beautiful bridal bouquet.

10. Fill space with large statement blooms.

Use large, inexpensive flowers to fill out centerpieces and create a sense of grandeur in your arrangements. Vibrant sunflowers, large roses, and colorful full gerbera daisies will make a statement without breaking the bank.

11. Add lots of greenery to your arrangements.

Fill in your arrangements with lots of bright, healthy greenery to cut costs. Large fern leaves or winding ivy leaves are timeless, elegant, and put much less stress on your budget. Arrangements heavy in greenery are a fantastic choice to complement rustic weddings as well.

12. Do your own arrangements.

Wedding flowers are expensive enough on their own. If you have to pay a little more to obtain the blooms you want, consider creating your own arrangements. Visit your Pinterest board for inspiration, and look for discounted artificial flowers at thrift stores and craft shops. Spend some time fiddling around and see if you have an eye for arrangements. It could save you a heap in the long run.

13. Choose vases wisely.

Purchase vases that are going to work well with your flowers, your unique wedding theme, and your budget. Don’t buy vases early simply because you like them, or you may find yourself struggling to fill oversized vases on an undersized budget. Purchase only what you’ll need. You can also explore more affordable options like potted plants or single-stem standout pieces.

14. Shop for inexpensive, eye-catching centerpieces that require little addition.

Instead of making flowers the main attraction of your centerpiece, look for unique and affordable wedding centerpieces that you can accent with flowers or foliage. Don’t get hung up on finding matching pieces either as long as they work together. For example, you could create terrarium centerpieces with different-sized glass bowls, vases, or even sculptures you find at thrift stores and yard sales.

15. Take advantage of candles.

Adding candles to your floral arrangements will help create large, appealing centerpieces that don’t rely heavily on expensive floral arrangements. A large glass bowl holding a floating candle surrounded by delicate petals provides the perfect ambiance for an evening reception or outdoor wedding. Large pillar candles surrounded by smaller accent flowers help create bold centerpieces that will stand out across a crowded reception hall.

16. Decorate with dry flowers.

Decorating with dry flowers is an effective and practical way to save on the cost of your wedding flowers. Dry flowers are dainty and give off an air of nostalgia that so many of us can relate to at weddings. It will also save the busy newlyweds from trying to figure out what to do with the leftover wedding flowers.

17. Reuse bridal party bouquets.

After the ceremony, reuse leftover decorations, including the bridal party flowers, to fill out reception decorations. Your bridal party will be thankful they don’t have to keep up with them all night, and this wedding decor hack will save you money by repurposing your resources.

18. Grow a wedding garden.

Growing a wedding garden will help you save money in numerous areas. You can prepare to grow flowers that will be in bloom for the wedding to lessen floral expenses. In addition, you can grow herbs and vegetables to use in your wedding menu as well as for bar garnishes. If you have space, you could even landscape in preparation to host a garden wedding.

If you’re lucky enough to live in a region where herbs like lavender readily grow, you could even grow a bush or two to use for the wedding. Dried lavender satchels are not only a soothing herbal remedy for stress, but they also make classy giveaways for wedding guests. Lavender is also a lovely addition to bouquets or centerpieces.

19. Make your own flowers.

There are tons of DIY wedding flower tutorials available online to couples make their own wedding decorations. Whether for bridal bouquets, reception decorations, or both, there’s a DIY flower style out there to fit everyone's unique aesthetic. From silk flowers to crocheted bouquets, or even roses made from book pages, there’s an affordable DIY alternative to match every wedding’s vibe.

20. Consider a non-floral alternative instead of carrying a bouquet.

If you like the idea of going non-traditional, consider carrying a feather bouquet, a hat box, or even a book that means a lot to you and your future spouse. Choosing not to carry a bouquet also eliminates the whole bouquet toss tradition, if you'd prefer not to have that.

Frequently asked questions about saving money on wedding flowers:

1. Where can I find affordable wedding flowers?

The only limits to finding affordable wedding flowers are the boundaries of your creativity! When shopping for wedding flowers on a budget, look online for wholesalers and bulk pricing discounts, get quotes from your local florists, and contact local nurseries and farms to find the best prices available. Grow or forage for flowers to minimize expenses.

2. What flowers are the most affordable?

In general, the least expensive wedding flowers will be in-season and non-exotic. The most popular inexpensive wedding flowers are roses, daisies, lilies, hydrangeas, and carnations.

3. What questions should I ask my wedding florist?

Know your budget, style, color palette, and set realistic expectations before meeting with a florist. Review these details with them in-depth. Ask your florist about any minimum charges or service fees, such as transportation costs or refrigeration fees, that could arise. If there are additional service fees, ask about any potential options for avoiding them. Request to see a sample contract to review the terms and conditions before committing to a florist.

4. How do you preserve wedding flowers?

There are several methods used to preserve wedding flowers once the celebration has ended. Pressing the flowers, hanging them upside down to dry, dipping them in wax, and even creating resin mementos are popular preservation methods. Once you choose your flowers, research which preservation method will work best for you.

5. What is a reasonable amount of money to spend on wedding flowers?

On average, wedding flowers tend to account for 8-10% of the total budget for a wedding. For couples aiming to minimize the total cost of a wedding, aim for 6-7%. If you find yourself going over 10% of your total budget, it’s probably time to reorganize.

Now you know how to save money on wedding flowers!

Want to find out even more ways to save money for your big day? Our guide of 47 clever and cheap wedding ideas has everything you need.