Flower Lady is CRAZY

MelyndaRyan

I went with this lady who came recommended to do my flowers for my wedding. Met with her gave her my budget said yes I can do that no problem. My budget was $1800 for everything.
Got the final quote yesterday after 4 months of waiting. $2900 and $1000 of it is bridal party. She has be out of her mind! The girls bouqets are smaller, 7 roses 3 mini calla lillies and the groomsman have two mini calla lillies. We have 5 girls/5 guys.
I don't know what to do except get some other quotes and better arm myself for negotiating, that or go to the grocery store and tie some ribbon around some roses:)

[Deleted User]

Mini calla lillies can be really expensive. I know I was quoted at 10 a stem which to me was pricey considering my girls whole bouquets are 40. That could easily double just by adding a few mini calla lillies. Please note I'm in a smaller area so those prices might be a bargain compared to others.

pockysquirrel

The grocery store may be an actual option. Some of them have floral departments that will do the work for you, and are WAY more reasonably priced than a real florist. I'm getting all the flowers for the wedding party - bouquets for myself and 6 bridesmaids, bouts for FI, 6 groomsmen, and our dads, and corsages for our mothers - from the floral department at my local Price Chopper for 500 bucks. Granted I'm not using any calla lillies, so that may be boosting your costs some, but it shouldn't be THAT much.

mlperkins12

That seems REALLY high!  I'm at $1300 for my bouquet, 5 BM's, 5 GM, FI and 4 wrist corsages, plus 18 centerpeices.  We are using fairly expensive flowers, mini callas and orchids, amongst others. The quote she gave you is particularly strange, since you gave her your budget.  I'd  keep shopping.

music11

That seems pretty high.  I live in NJ, which is a pretty high priced area, and we are paying less than $800 for all bridal party and ceremony decor.  Definitely get a second opinon.

achiduck

I'm getting a lot of mini calla in WP flowers and I'm paying about $1100 for my bouquet, 4 BM bouquets, 1 groom boutineer, 4 GM boutineers, 4 wrist corsages and 2 additional boutineers. I would definitely get another quote elsewhere.

xxjen015

I'm honestly not sure how much I'm paying for my flowers at this point. One of my MOH's moms does flowers and arrangements and is like a mother to me, so she's doing all the labor for free as my wedding gift and we will just have to pay the cost from the warehouse for the flowers.

That seems crazy high, I'd point out to her that you told her your budget and she needs to stay within it! If what you wanted wasn't reasonable to it, she should have told you!

aimee58

I'm not using mini callas, but we have 6 BM bouquets, 2 corsages, 12 bouts, and my bouquet for under $600. I'm in your area (Racine) and I know you can look around mke/racine and get less expensive. I'm using Miller's Flowers in Racine if you want to check them out.

ivedonethisb4

My flowers with delivery and set up is 578 total. I am not using any floral centerpeices at the reception though. That cost covers my boquet 4 BM, 12 bouts and 6 corsages for mothers and grandmothers. Also renting ferns and a floral church arrangement and a total of 8 pew bows to mark family reserved pews. I'm using a combination of stargazer lilies and alstromeria lilies with roses as well and none of these are cheap end flowers.

LDubHawksFan

Yikes, that's crazy!  I can't believe that she went soooo far above your budget.  I could see her maybe trying to slide it up by a few hundred, but wow.  I'm not going through a florist.  FI's parent's neighbor does flowers for all her family's weddings so they offered to do ours.  They go get the flowers from the LA market and assemble.  I honestly don't know how much it will end up being, but much less than that!!  Speaking of, I need to call her now that they are back from vacation...

I would shop around.  She is not very professional for ignoring your budget.  Granted Cala Lilies are expensive, she should have warned you, and then tried to steer you towards less flowers for, say the other bouquets or something to keep in your budget.  Good luck!

BrittneyRN

I'm doing mini calla lillies in my bouquet, and it's only like $80. I'd definitely get quoted someone where else. Actually, my total cost for 2 alter arrangements, my bouquet, 4 BM bouquets with callas, 5 mini calla bouts, and 4 corsages is only $600.

mrshall1027

Yep, way over priced.  Wholesale, mini callas are no more than $2 a stem, and usually more like $1.30.  Go to a different florist, especially if it took her 4 months to get you a quote.  That should have been your first warning sign.

valeri587

I'm using mini callas for my bouquets and for the girls. I got a quote from Ace Hardware, not sure you have one where you are, for $7.50 a stem. That's the lowest I've gotten for flowers so I'm taking it!

goatlady12

Yeah go somewhere else!  You aren't kidding, that B is crazy!!  Mine is $1850 for everything (including delivery to both locations.)  I have my bouquet, 5 bridesmaids, 13 bouts, 5 corsages, 36 centerpieces, cake table flowers, gift and guest book table arrangements and the tule bows for the aisle at the ceremony. 

annanoel21

I'm doing Gerber Daisy's. For all of my flowers my bouquet, 3 bridesmaids bouquets, groom's bout, 3 Groomsman bouts, both sets of parents and grand parents,flower girl, ringbearer, lets just say the whole wp only 250.