Affordable Boston Florist?

Jamps728

Hi, I'm new to the boards.  We just got engaged 2 weeks ago and we're getting married May 22, 2011.  Can anyone recommend a good florist that isn't too expensive?  We have about $2400 - $2800 to spend and we're expecting about 125 people.  We don't have a huge bridal party either, but will need flowers to decorate a chuppah.  Any help you can offer is greatly appreciated!

jkepros

We used Winston Flowers in Boston.  Our total was about $1000, broken down like this:
1 Bridal Bouquet (I think it was $125?)
5 Corsages (for moms, nana, sisters) (5x$35=$175)
5 bouts (for dads, brother, gramps) (5x$15=$75)
8 pew cones (8x$40 I think? = $320)
1 large arrangement for the bar at the reception ($125)
The rest (~$200) was taxes, delivery, set-up charges (3 delivery locations during the Pride parade!)

We got a lot of compliments on our flowers.  We used peonies, various varieties of orchids, calla lilies, pincushions, colorful foliage, and some mystery flowers (not sure what they are called, lol).

I told them we wanted to spend $1-2k originally (we ended up cutting some arrangements), and the first quote I got was for $1200--so they were great about working with our budget.  We were pretty flexible about what flowers to use; we just wanted things that were colorful & tropical & summery. 

njlfred

Check out Avantgarden in Wayland - http://flowersbyavantgarden.com/index_files/Page353.htm

Beautiful flowers, very affordable, and Ruth was great to work with.

JBs_Bride

We worked with Jen Cahill at The Tangled Web. She's south of Boston, but she does amazing work and she can definitely work with a budget.

eeyore4771

We used Suzanne Bellanger at Bella Floral Design.  Absolutely loved our flowers!  We had a similar sized wedding and we definitely fell within your budget.  That included my bouquet, 7 MOH/BM bouquets, FG basket with flowers, 10 bouts, 15 centerpieces, chuppah flowers, and placecard table flowers.  It probably could've been less but we used flowers on the more expensive side (calla lilies and orchids).  I have pics of our actual flowers in my bio (under Flowers) along with a review (under Vendor Reviews).  You should definitely check her out.
www.bellafloraldesign.com">
http://www.bellafloraldesign.com

jesibel14

We used Lyndsey Loring out of Dover NH.  She is a bit of a hike, but her prices and talent was totally worth it to us.  My flowers were one of the favorite pieces of our wedding and she was definitely one of my favorite vendors.  For 1 bridal bouquet, 8 BM bouquets, 13 bouts, 20 centerpieces, 2 flower girl baskets and loose flowers to decorate the outdoor arbor, it was just under $1K (including deliver and set-up). 

I definitely recommend checking her out, she could do some amazing work with your budget.

JulieJ11

I almost went with Winstons (they were really great!) but I decided on Louis Barry, which were very comparable in cost. I liked that my florist had photos of all the flowers we were talking about so I could make an informed decision. Both places were very upfront about pricing and wililng to work with a budget. 

dmkane

I just booked with Affairs to Remember in Melrose. Lori was great and has been nationally recognized for her skill!  We have 150 ppl and included ceremony decorations for $2400 (incl dlv) and stuck primarily with eskimo roses and hydrangea.  Check out her website  http://www.affairstorememberflorist.com/

I was referred by another florist who was booked for our night!

lily81

We also worked with Lyndsey Loring, and we spent about $1500 on the following:

3 peony bouquets, 7 rose bouts, 3 rose corsages
10 galvanized buckets of hydrangea to line the aisle
8 centerpieces of submerged orchids for cocktail hour area
15 centerpieces of peonies, roses, and hydrangea for the tables
garland of fresh roses and hydrangea to hang over a wooden arbor (about 15 feet long)
Rose petals on the cake table and lining the aisle

Hope that helps!

livandrich

Ford Flowers in Salem, NH is amazing.  Our wedding was featured on The Knot and some of our flowers were "Knot Picks".

Galaxy8227

We're using Charlotte Design out of Walpole MA.  Yvette and Judy have been great to work with and their work is phenomenal. 

CrazyMary77

I'm also going to be using Lyndsey Loring thanks to recommendations from this board. I looked at pics on her website and knew she was perfect. When I compared her prices to those of a florist in downtown Boston near our venue, she was charging us half. Totally worth it to hike up to Dover, NH one time for such savings.

vtbm

Kelly Harris from Beautiful Blooms in Medford can totally work with your budget. She works from home so her prices are great! I also met with Bella Floral and loved her and her work but am getting more for the same price with Kelly. Another to try is Andrea D'Amelio in Stoneham. She does amazing work!

runner26point2

Tangerine Creations in Allston--Bonnie and the rest of the team are phenomenal!

thuyvlam

We used Andrea D'Amelio and she was absolutly wonderful. She has such a great, creative eye and knows what she's doing for less than what the others charge. I told her the budget that I wanted to stick to, and she did it. It was great. http://www.adfloraldesign.com/

My flowers were absolutely amazing.
Here are some photos: