How to Get More Blooms for Your Buck at Your Upcoming Event
No matter what time of year, flowers are a known focal point of every big fête. Your floral arrangements can speak volumes and set the tone of your event, but often it’s easy to get carried away in the Secret Garden without anticipating the costs. Wedding Wire reports that event flowers can cost anywhere from a hundred dollars to $4,200 or more! The average spend from couples planning a wedding is approximately $1,400, a whopping amount when you’re on a tight budget.
Feeling overwhelmed? Don’t sweat the price tag! We had the chance to consult with two Houston florists who shared their secrets for getting more blooms for your buck to help you save money.
List of Tips:
Discuss Your Budget with Your Florist
Do yourself and your florist a favor by being open about your budget. There’s no harm in sharing your vision and the amount your willing to spend to pull it off. Judging by our sources, we bet your florist has a few tricks up their sleeve to make your flowers a dream!
Stay In-season
The first tip any florist will tell you is to look for in-season flowers to save on your special event’s arrangements. Take it from Rebekah Johnson, long-time florist and owner of Bergner and Johnson Design, one of Houston’s top florists.
In Johnson’s experience, she’s noticed that brides flock to one specific flower: peonies. Voluminous peonies are a favorite in the wedding and event world, but they aren’t the most convenient bloom for your buck year-round.
“Everyone loves peonies and they only have about a four-month season. When the season starts, they are three times the price in early May than in early June.” Do yourself a favor and save peonies for the summer!
Choose Your Color Palette
Having your colors chosen is a big step in determining your event flowers. Johnson recommends giving your florist a range of colors and allowing them to work their magic to find flowers that are the best value. “If you’re stuck on a certain flower and we can’t get it, it can really raise the cost,” Johnson says, “It’s all about being open to suggestions of what you want.”
Put Your Flowers on Repeat
Who says your reception flowers need to stay in one place? If you’re planning a wedding and looking to cut costs, think about utilizing your bridesmaid bouquets for centerpieces. Repurposing flowers throughout your event is an easy, affordable solution to saving on your tablescape.
Go Local
The one secret florists are willing to share is that local growers are their best friends. Florists can often score stunning blooms for less than they would from a wholesaler. “I have a grower out who bring such interesting things,” Johnson admits.
Embrace Greenery
“To get the biggest bang for your buck, pick one or two flowers you want to highlight and then use cheaper complimentary filler pieces,” says Elyse Herman, founder and florist behind Bark + Beam. Her personal favorite fillers are the thistle, waxflower, seeded eucalyptus, and any type of ivy.
Using greenery as a filler “allows for larger arrangements that highlight more lux blooms while still staying within your budget,” Herman says. Not to mention, greenery is currently trending. The concept reigned supreme in 2018 flower arrangements and is predicted to stay in style in 2019.
Focus On a Key Element
Sometimes less is more. Rather than using a variety of blooms, Johnson recommends grabbing a lot of one essential flower to save costs. If you play your cards right, you can even emulate a more expensive blossom by adding a large volume of stems.
Let’s talk carnations, a flower Johnson finds as a cost-effective substitute to the coveted peony. “Everyone thinks they hate [carnations] but they just haven’t seen them in the right context.” Johnson’s advice? Get a whole lot of one flower in a limited color range. By gathering a large bunch of carnations together, the similar petals showcase an illusion that’s close to the peony.
DIY Your Own Arrangements
Can’t find room for a florist in your budget? Use your own sense of creativity to craft your own arrangements and save money. Explore tutorials on YouTube for DIY flower arrangements or find a workshop like this one in your city. With practice, you’ll be a pro just in time for your big day!