My fiance and I have made saving money on our August 2013 wedding into an "Amazing Race" challenge game, so there are lots of high-fives and cheers when we manage to get great products/services for a significant discount. One area in which I was committed to slashing expense was flowers. We are having an outdoor wedding at a historical landmark site (also at a massive savings) and, although loads of flowers would look beautiful, the fact that they're only going to be used for ONE DAY makes me sick at the thought of all that waste!
I used Etsy to find Joby Womack Designs, a shop run by a florist experienced in the arrangement of live and fake flowers. I contacted her to for assistance with choosing flowers that would work with my color scheme (blue and purple) and she answered promptly with several suggestions, and pics of arrangements as examples. After we agreed on the arrangements, she created a CUSTOM package for me containing 2 bridal bouquets (1 to toss, 1 to keep), 4 smaller bridesmaids bouquets, and 5 boutonnieres for less than $500! When I received my order, the flowers were very carefully packed, and came with instructions on how to store them, and how to prep them on our wedding day. Joby also included a thank you card with a discount code for 10% off any future order--score!
A few weeks ago, my fiance asked if we could order another boutonniere for his father, who wanted to wear the same tux as the groomsmen would be wearing (he's excited to match his only son's outfit on the big day). Upon further discussion, we decided to order boutonnieres for both his dad and my little brother, and mother's corsages for both our moms. I contacted Joby, who replied WITHIN AN HOUR that she could whip up the matching arrangements; she applied the discount code from my previous order without my asking and quoted us a price of less than $80 for 2 corsages and 2 boutonnieres!
I have attached pictures of the arrangements Joby made for us to show the quality of her work. These are GORGEOUS, and you seriously can't tell they aren't real unless you touch them. Joby's customer service is beyond compare, and if you're looking to trim your wedding budget but still get top quality, you should definitely check out her Etsy shop!