i know nothing about flowers :(

Re: i know nothing about flowers :(

• pokepoke27 member

  

  March 2012

  It depends on what kind of flowers you want and what you want as far as floral goes. 

  
  

  I'm budgeting around $300 for flowers and so far I'm coming in under budget - but that's with me doing it myself. What I want for my wedding is so simple:

  
  

  Bride bouquet

  Bridesmaids bouquets (4)

  Grooms Bout. 

  Groomsmen/Man of Honor/Father Bouts. (5)

  Mothers/Grandmothers Corsages (4)

  
  

  I also wanted silk flowers because I don't want to spend hundreds of dollars on flowers which will just die in a week. A florist I spoke to gave me an estimate of almost $600 just for that. Another florist came out and showed me a VERY LOW quality stem that she wanted to tell me would cost $23 per stem (because, of course, THEY have to make money on the stem as well as the labor apparently). That's when I decided I was going to do it myself. 

  
  

  Here are my tips for looking at flowers:

  
  

  1.) Figure out your budget. Even if you're not sure what a "normal" budget is, you need to figure out how much of your overall budget you're willing to put aside for flowers. 

  
  

  2.) Be up front and honest from the VERY BEGINNING about your budget. When you sit down for the consultation with the florist open by saying "This is what my budget is and this is what I want - can you work with that?". 

  
  

  3.) Choose flowers that are in season. Yeah florists can get out of season flowers but they're probably imported or grown under glass and either way it will be way more expensive.

  
  

  4.) Don't be too picky about shape. Those perfectly round rose bouquets probably have somewhere between 60 - 100 flowers depending on the size. It takes a lot of flowers and a lot of work which equals a lot of $$$.

  
  

  5.) Use greenery to help bulk your bouquet up. Also, choosing a larger flower can sometimes save you money because you need fewer stems. 

  
  

  6.) Think "simple and elegant" for your other flowers. If you have a really tight budget, having your girls carry a single stem of your favorite flower (as long as it's in season ; p) can look very elegant. If your wedding colors include green, see about making a bout. out of only greenery.  Use lots of greenery in your centerpieces OR use non floral centerpieces. If your ceremony space is inside, stic with that simple and elegant theme, if it's outside then don't bother decorating at all - or only the altar space if thats what you prefer. 

  
  

  7.) You don't need to do bouts at all if you don't want to. If you're not having an ultra formal wedding, you can have your guys wear pocket squares instead. I would avoid doing both a bout and a pocket square, it could be a little much. 

  
  

  8.) Don't be afraid to shop around. If you go to several florists and you just can not find one that can give you what you want within your budget, then you have three choices. 1 - do it yourself (ONLY if you're the kind of crafty person that can handle a project like that!) 2 - reassess what you want, cut back and cut down, or 3 - reassess your floral budget.

  
  

  Good luck and happy planning : )

  
  

  
  

  
  
  Rambley Blog

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• DanieKA member

  

  March 2012

  Do you even want to use flowers? Be open to candles, or candy, or cakes, or art, or whatever for alternatives to decorating with flowers. A girl on my other board just had her wedding with a brooch bouquet. You can find lots of ideas on Etsy for that.

  
  

  If you do want flowers, I'd recommend just looking at pictures of bouquets and centerpieces and getting an idea of what you like and the style you are going for. That way, when you visit florists you have a visual representation of what you like instead of trying to explain it with no idea if the florist is picturing the same thing as you are. Especially if you don't know anything about flowers.Things could get lost in translation. 

  
  

  Keep an open mind. If you like a particular flower, it's okay to want that. just know that if it's out of season it'll probably cost more, or if it's a more popular flower it might cost more. If you just like a particular color or a design that can be done with any flower speak up about that. Ask if there are lower cost alternatives to tulips or roses, if you don't particularly care for tulips or roses. Try Gerber Daisies in the color you want. Or if you are going for white, I've seen some stunning arrangements using baby's breath, instead of more expensive greenery. 

  
  

  What area are you in/is your wedding in? Marietta? Peachtree City? Dallas? Macon? There are so many vendors in town and in the surrounding areas that it's hard to give a recommendation without knowing at least the city you are looking for. But I think if you go into any shop with an idea, some pictures, a clear budget and an open mind you will be fine. 

  
  

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• Made4Him

  

  March 2012

  I highly recommend Chuck Milne. I was blown away at my wedding when I walked in and saw the flowers. Flowers and decor were high priorities for me. Chuck was the lowest out of 4 florists and by a few $$$$. He has budget packages as well as custom packages. I'll be posting pics soon so you can see his work.

  
  
  
  Planning Bio Updated 02/11/12

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• ymw6110

  

  March 2012

  The price of flowers really surprised me. I wanted them simple and needed the basics: bride bouquet, 5 BM bouquet, boutineers for groom, groomsmen, and fathers, pin on flowers for mothers, alter arrangements (2), and centerpieces (13). I was budgeting 1K, met w/ 4 florist, used lush, economical flowers (hydrangeas), and still came in over budget. I would recommend meeting with several florist to get the most bang for your buck...My florist is letting me use any vases she has in her shop for free while others charged additional.

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