North Carolina

Amount Spent on Flowers?

I was recently quoted $4,500 for the flowers for my wedding. Granted, it was for 33 reception centerpieces (1/3 with tall centerpieces, 1/3 with candle spreads, and 1/3 with small flower pieces), decoration of the outdoor ceremony site, guest book table, cake table, bride's bouquet, 7 bridesmaid bouquets, 9 bouts, and mothers' corsages plus a few extra touches. I know I'm getting a lot but that also feels like a LOT of money. Wanted your thoughts on the amount and maybe what you spent and what you got for that amount. Thanks!! 


Re: Amount Spent on Flowers?

  • pirategal03pirategal03 member
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker First Comment
    edited December 2011
    We had:
    - 5 groomsmen/FOB/FOG bouts
    - 4 grandparent bout/corsage
    - 1 Groom's bout
    - 5 bridesmaid bouquet
    - 1 bride bouquet
    - 1 MOB bouquet (don't ask)
    - 1 MOG corsage
    - 1 altar flowers
    - cake topper flowers
    - toss bouquet
    - 9 centerpieces

    for ~$2k

    I didn't shop around so I don't really know how these prices compare to a lot of what's out there.  Are you requesting specific flowers or getting married on a popular day or anything like that?  You're getting what looks like 2 more bouquets, ceremony decorations, guest book table decorations, 24 more centerpieces (there's most of the $) and "extra touches" more than us.  I think those centerpieces are what's causing the price to be that high. 
  • meredithl618meredithl618 member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    I don't think that sounds so unreasonable, you have requested a ton of flowers.
    It would be easiest to spot what's reasonable/unreasonable if you give how much each centerpiece is going to cost or how much the bouquets are each. You can likely trim a lot of money off that by itemizing things and reducing costs in some places. 

    Also, 33 centerpieces is a lot too are you just guessing on your guest count or do you know that you'll need enough seats for 333 people, assuming 10 per table?
  • edited December 2011
    I agree with Mer, for the amount of flowers you are getting, that is reasonable. We are spending about 2500 on flowers. We only have 10 tables and 4 attendants.
    Photobucket

  • edited December 2011
    We are spending just over $3,000 for:
    6 Bouquets
    12 Bout.
    3 corsages
    Roses for my hair
    2 flower girls rose petals
    pomander balls for ceremony
    metal arch with flowers around it
    16 centerpieces with 2 different styles (style 1: hydrangea centerpiece with white roses surrounded by votives; style 2: mini calla lily centerpieces submerged in water and floating candles on top) All glass vases
    Head Table - candle display throughout head table
    Throw bouquet
    Cake - hydrangeas and roses for cake

    http://weddings.theknot.com/pwp/pwp2/view/MemberPage.aspx?coupleId=5075385760831250

    http://meganedwedding.weebly.com/
  • edited December 2011
    Thanks so much for all the feedback - I definitely am thinking we can scale back on the number of tables. I'm meeting with my reception coordinator this week and will ask how many guests can fit at a table. The florist we got the price from has worked in that venue before and estimated only 6 people to a table (we are expecting around 200 guests) but I'm thinking we can at least get 8 around each table which would scale us back eight tables. Someone suggested 10 to a table so maybe that will be an option as well.

    Here are some of the prices broken down:
    tall centerpieces - $125 apiece
    brides bouquet - $125
    groom's bout - $18
    groomsmen bouts - $8.50 apiece
    candle table scapes - $45 apiece
    bridesmaid bouquets - $60 apiece
    4 columns at ceremony sight - $85 apiece 
    labor, setup, and delivery - $250

    Individually these things don't really look so bad, so maybe it is just the sheer number of things we're getting. Hopefully we can get rid of some tables to cut costs!

    Edited for clarification
  • tarheelbabstarheelbabs member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Those individual prices sound comparable to what I was quoted. I'm only having one attendant and a flower girl, so that's a real cost savings. We opted out of tall table centerpieces, so we're spending about $75-100 per table.   And hoping we won't hit 25 tables with all we've invited!!  Even though we love our friends.  The other two large expenses are two $175 arrangements:  one for the church and one for the foyer of the reception.  Hope that info is helpful.
  • edited December 2011
    i think i would have them break the quote into one for centerpeices and one for the wedding people flowers.  i tgives you an idea of where you may be spending more than you want.

    8 is appropriate for the number of people at a standard round table.  10 is called packing them in like sardines.    I'm not sure why the florist would suggest six other than to increase the number of centerpeices.  be careful of upselling...
  • edited December 2011
    That's odd that they would suggest on 6 people at a table. And IMO, I don't think that 10 is a lot to have at a standard round table at all! That's what Meredith did at her wedding and we didn't feel crowded at all...even with having the menus and favors at our place settings...and numerous drinks, we all had plenty of room! That will definitely consolidate your numbers too...going from 33 centerpieces to 20!
  • edited December 2011

    If you're having a slim chair like a chiavari then you can definitely fit 10 people at a 60" table.  If you're having a garden chair (white, resin chair) then 8 may be more comfortable. 


    I think you should also consider how your meal will be served.  We're having stations and chiavari chairs so we're putting 10 at each table.  We assume that everyone won't be sitting down at the same time. :)

  • edited December 2011
    the biggest trick in catering is to put 10 at a table that normally seats eight.  instead of a room holding 150 the room now holds 20-25 people.  follow the money.

    you won't find 10 at a table at places that provide high quality of service.   kinda like going to going to a family restraurant with a group of 10 where they put four on each side and one on each end.  yes it fits 10 but it's very crowded.  those tiny chairs are tiny for a reason.  
  • edited December 2011
    It appears that my venue has 48' tables and a quick google search revealed that these usually seat 4-6 people, so maybe my florist wasn't that far off? 

    Bummer...


  • meredithl618meredithl618 member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    In that case, if you have 48' tables, you don't need such huge tall centerpieces. That means you are going to have a ton of tables on the floor and you will want to scale back on the size of them, so you don't feel overwhelmed by them when you walk in.

    I'd cut back the size of the tall centerpieces or number of flowers included, which would cut back on the cost.  Also, you can do more small centerpieces or candle centerpieces and less tall centerpieces. You would just need to arrange them so they seem spread out. Also, if you have a ton of tables and you don't have a really high ceiling, you might also be okay with just doing candles and medium/low centerpieces. You don't necessarily have to do talls, especially since it adds and extra $1000+ to your flowers. 
  • pirategal03pirategal03 member
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Dito Meredith.  Smaller tables might be easily overwhelmed with large centerpieces. 

    I also forgot to mention that we didn't pay a delivery charge since our florist's shop was next door to our venue. 
  • edited December 2011
    If you dont mind me asking, who are you ladies going with? I have no idea about pricing on flowers.. so this seems good to me ha
  • edited December 2011
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_north-carolina_amount-spent-flowers?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:115Discussion:798a5ace-6232-4eef-8efa-2e7bac2d6cc1Post:a27e5bd9-06d9-44af-acfe-88d82162758b">Re: Amount Spent on Flowers?</a>:
    [QUOTE]If you dont mind me asking, who are you ladies going with? I have no idea about pricing on flowers.. so this seems good to me ha
    Posted by AGA7[/QUOTE]

    Im working with Lyn at Fresh Affairs in Raleigh..I think Mer used them too!
    Photobucket

  • meredithl618meredithl618 member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Yes, we used Fresh Affairs. I am always really impressed with his work and loved what he created for us. 
  • katangel1987katangel1987 member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    We are spending $3000 on flowers at Chapel Hill Florists. 

    1 Bridal Bouquet
    6 bridesmaid bouquets
    14 bouts (readers, groomsmen, ushers, groom, fathers, grandfathers, musicians)
    8 corsages 
    2 altarpieces
    6 pew markers with flowers
    10 tall centerpieces
    cake flowers
    rose petals 

    Our Wedding
    image
  • edited December 2011
    I also recommend Fresh Affairs. My wedding was two weeks ago and he did an incredible job. I was very happy with the value and service. The flowers were beautiful.
  • edited December 2011
    I feel like I was a total cheap skate on flowers :p

    For $850, we are getting:
    My bouquet
    4 BM bouquets
    Groom's bout
    9 Additional bouts (groomsmen, fathers, grandfathers, pastor)
    4 small rose bouquets (Mom's and grandmothers)
    1 Corsgae (reader)
    12 centerpieces (nothing tall...)

    And we're using basic flowers (hydranges, roses, ranunculus, wax flower and spider mum).. The only "specialty" flowers we are using are stephanotis in my bouquet..

    I am working with Party Blooms in Charlotte.
    Wedding Countdown Ticker
    April 2011 Siggy Challenge: Hair
    image
  • mgd1121mgd1121 member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Is it totally tacky to use silk flowers?  My fiance and i weren't really anticipating the thousands of dollars that flowers were gonna cost us...soooo i'm looking into other options.  Even with using mostly greenery and herbs the florist that I got a quote from felt that it would cost in the $2500 range for:  1 bride, 2 brides maids, 3 boutinerres, 4 corsages and the 8 centerpieces....I feel like that was an awful lot of money after looking at what everyone else is getting for their price...

    Any recommendations for the Reidsville Area?  Thanks!
  • pirategal03pirategal03 member
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Our church wouldn't allow silks, so it wasn't an option for us.  But even if they had I think I'd have ordered flowers and done the arrangements myself before using silks.  It's not totally tacky, it's just NMS. 
  • NcsuPsychNcsuPsych member
    Combo Breaker First Comment First Anniversary
    edited December 2011
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_north-carolina_amount-spent-flowers?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:115Discussion:798a5ace-6232-4eef-8efa-2e7bac2d6cc1Post:59027453-6dcd-4eec-a1c9-b2e647db6318">Re: Amount Spent on Flowers?</a>:
    [QUOTE]Is it totally tacky to use silk flowers?  My fiance and i weren't really anticipating the thousands of dollars that flowers were gonna cost us...soooo i'm looking into other options.  Even with using mostly greenery and herbs the florist that I got a quote from felt that it would cost in the $2500 range for:  1 bride, 2 brides maids, 3 boutinerres, 4 corsages and the 8 centerpieces....I feel like that was an awful lot of money after looking at what everyone else is getting for their price... Any recommendations for the Reidsville Area?  Thanks!
    Posted by mgd1121[/QUOTE]

    i've found that in many cases, it's actually more cost effecient to just DIY your flowers than it is to buy silk flowers. While I had extremely simple flower arrangments, total cost was around $40. But, if you want to go Silk, some can be obviously pointed out as being fake, while others, could really fool me :).  I preferred real flowers though :)
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  • mgd1121mgd1121 member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Turns out my fiance is completely against fakes and - NCSUpsych and Pirategal - you're both correct the silks turned out to be more expensive and less pretty.  So I'm leaving the diy option open to real flowers, but talking to a couple more florists to see if we can get the bouquets and boutinere (sp?) made and then make our own centerpieces.  Luckily for us, no decorating the ceremony site because it's a historic house so a lot of flowers in there isn't an option - plus there's not a lot of places to put them!
  • edited December 2011
    I spent $144 on my flowers, but the only flowers I had were the table centerpieces.  I believe I had 12 centerpieces in total.
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