Let's face it unless you book your floral designer early, and a lot of Bride's don't, by the time you get to choosing your flowers the money you had set aside has abandoned your bank account for places unknown:)
Here are some thoughts on helping to keep that budget in check.......
1. Try and use a similar flower that can offer a similar effect.
"I LOVE PEONIES" I have heard that hundreds of times but even in season they can be pricey. In late summer early fall why not use dahlias? Carnations, I know but it really does work!!, grouped together can mimic a peony too.
Another popular, yet expensive, bridal bloom is stephanotis. With a crystal or pearl centre it can run upwards of $4/ea. White dendrobium orchids, yes an orchid, can be a fraction of the cost and look very similar to the small white bloom of a stephanotis-and your designer can always add a pearl or crystal if you still want one in there.
2. Choose only close friends or family to be in your wedding party
Bouquets are compact arrangements of flowers and their costs can, and will, add up. Even a fairly inexpensive bouquet of $50 will end up adding hundreds of dollars to your total with a multitude of bridesmaids. Why not choose just your sisters or 1 or 2 very close friends.....anyone else that truly cherishes you and your friendship will understand your decision.
3. Re-use. Re-use. Re-use
You've already paid for them so why not keep using them? Place vases on your head table to hold the bouquets upright to mimic an arrangement. Use your toss bouquet, again in a vase, on your sign-in table-by the time you're ready to toss it everyone is done looking at that table. Ceremony aisle markers can be used on the cake, head table or even the women's washroom. Arrangements used at the ceremony should also be used at the reception-behind or in front of the head table or at the entrance doors to greet the guests.
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| Pew Markers and Alter Arrangements were re-used |
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| Empty vases for bouquets and hydrangeas from the pew markers on the head table |
4. The Bride's Bouquet is the Most Important Arrangement!
This is my personal philosophy.....it's the Bride that all eyes will be on (sorry Grooms:)) and her bouquet will be in more photos than the groom (sorry again guys!) and you never want a woman to say, five years down the road, gee I wished I had.....(fill in the blank) So if the bridesmaid's have to carry a single bloom down the aisle to make it happen then so be it and before you ask NO, they girl's bouquets don't have to be anything like the Bride's-those days are long, thankfully!, gone!
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| Bride's bouquet of roses, callas, mini-cymbidium orchids & stephanotis |
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| Bridesmaid's Bouquets of carnations, gerberas and kermits |
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| Bride's bouquets of roses, freesia, calla lilies, mini-cymbidium & dendrobium orchids |
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| Bridesmaid's bouquet of gerbera daisies w/mokara orchid centers |
5. Keep Centerpieces Inside the Vase
Just like bouquets centerpieces will probably be the most expensive part of your floral total-they add up FAST! An option is to keep the flowers in the vase because there is only so many you need and you can't exceed it so it really helps to keep costs in cheque. Also, it helps with sight lines around the table so it's a win win.
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| Tulips inside the vase |
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| Mini-gerbera daisies |
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| Stem of mini-cymbidium orchids with branches |
I understand that you may not be able to do, or even like, some of these options but talk to your designer and work together to come up with ideas that work for you and your budget.
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