Budget, but not DIY

Aiolar

I'm trying to keep my floral budget as low as possible, but I'm not willing to DIY the bouquets or boutouneers - I've never done this before, I don't have any floral arranging skills/experience, and I know I'll be stressed enough the day before without having to add the risk of horribly messing up my bouquet!!

I'll gladly put together my own centerpiece or other floral arrangements - just not the bridal party stuff.

So - the question is - what sort of a minimum budget could I be looking at for the bridal party and VIP guests (bride, groom, 4 bridesmaids, 4 groomsmen, plus whatever mother/father of the bride/groom whatnot... I'm a bit lost - I don't even know what all I'll need).

The two pictures of bouquets I've seen so far and liked most are below.  The first - I don't like those specific flowers, but I do like the all-white bouquet with the bright color running through.  My colors are silver and teal (neither of which exist in flowers) so I would do a white bouquet with a sash of teal fabric "woven" in instead of the blue flowers used below.  The second is a bouquet of flowers that aren't quite white - there are extremely pale yellows, greens, pinks... I like this idea, of a just off-white bouquet, that is actually very colorful, but so pale it looks white when combined together.

I'm really kinda lost here - I wasn't the girl who planned her wedding since she was 4 years old - but I do have lots of time.  I will be married outside overlooking a vineyard this next August.  I would greatly appreciate any help or pointers.

Tanq&Tonic

The pricing will vary by region, and you should definitely check out your local board to help with pricing for your area.  With that said, here are some things to think about.

If you're not married to any type of flower (or super opposed to them), then choose the style / color and let your florist pick whatever is in season.  You'll save significantly that way.

For bouts, plan for $5-$10 each on the lowest end.

For bridesmaid bouquets, plan for $35-$55 each for moderate bouquets.

For centerpieces, consider wholesale, from Costco or http://www.fiftyflowers.com. You may want to consider the wholesale approach overall -- http://www.fiftyflowers.com/flowers/WeddingFlowersBoutonnieresandCorsages_471.htm

Hope that helps

jagore08

Talk to a few florists and see what they say.  I would go into the meetings with a round about budget in mind so they know what they can work with.  Also if you have a certain "look" in mind, ask them to use the least expensive flowers to fulfill that look and go from there.  

Lisa50

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_flowers_budget-but-not-diy?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special Topic Wedding BoardsForum:28Discussion:54cf79aa-bcc6-4c13-824f-a6f6e66a0cc2Post:dff4261e-ff96-4624-bf7e-48708352fb95">Re: Budget, but not DIY</a>:
[QUOTE]Talk to a few florists and see what they say.  I would go into the meetings with a round about budget in mind so they know what they can work with.  Also if you have a certain "look" in mind, ask them to use the least expensive flowers to fulfill that look and go from there.  
Posted by jagore08[/QUOTE]

Agreed.  Also, you may want to inquire with local grocery stores.  It's my understanding that Whole Foods and Safeway do a good job with bridal flowers.  Good luck!

kristyali

I definitely recommend Sams club as an option.  They have some great packages for about $560 for what you are looking for.

JacquieLBean

Check out Bunches Direct. You can either do DIY, or you can purchase pre-made wedding bouquets. They have low cost flowers for every budget and it can be delivered anywhere. www.bunchesdirect.com . Hope that helps:)