Luxury Weddings

Flowers how much are you spending?

So I went on my first florist appointment and was quoted 7,000 for flowers! How much are you spending for flowers? I think they are important but I thought that was a bit high.
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Re: Flowers how much are you spending?

  • It will all depend on what time of year, what flowers used, and the area you are located. What did your quote include- type of flowers, type of centerpieces, how many centerpieces and bouquets? 

     







  • I agree that it will vary widely depending in what type of flowers you use and whether or not those flowers are in season.

    FWIW, I spent about 10K on flowers.

    BabyFruit Ticker
  • That is the one thing that I haven't done yet. Ugh!

    What other pp's said though. What type of flowers, season, and types of arrangements are all going to affect your price. What are you getting for $7k?
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  • Like others have said it really depends on what type of flowers you are getting.  How many bouquets, centerpieces and other decoration you are wanting?  Etc,  All of that will effect your overall price. Also, where are you located?  In larger cities prices tend to be higher then in rural settings.

    FWIW I spent just over 2K but what I got was probably closer to 3.5-4K (the florist I used I used to work for and her giving me a major discount was part of her present).

  • Here's the proposal let me know what you think!

    Bride; The color of dress is Ivory, the bouquet style is hand held. The bouquet flowers will consist of white Hydrangea and Quicksand roses. The stems of the bouquet will be wrapped with ivory satin ribbon.200.00
    Throw away bouquet:N/C
    Maid of Honor: (1)Brides Maid: (5) The color of dress Blush, the bouquet style is hand held. The bouquet flowers will consist of all Sophie roses wrapped in blush satin ribbon.6@ 65.00 each 390.00
    Corsages:Mother of the Bride: white Cymbidium Orchid, wristlet with pinsMother of the Groom: SameGroom’s Grandmother: (1) Same3@ 25.00 each 75.00
    Boutonnieres:Groom: Quicksand roses with tuff of white HydrangeaBest Man: (1) Sophie roseUshers: (5) SameFather: (2) white Cymbidium Orchid Grandfather: (2) Same11@ 15.00 each 165.00
    Ceremony: 2 side arrangements will be placed on each side of the Alter. The flowers will consist of white Hydrangea, white Stock with Quicksand and Sophie roses.2@ 150.00 each 300.00
    Aisle: A Runner will be placed on the aisle.65.00
    Place card table: Assorted size candles ands Rose petals will line the table.100.00
    Reception: Approximately 14 Guest tables will feature the tall Mueller vase with floating white Orchids inside the base. There will be a very tight, full  arrangement on top. The flowers will consist of  but not limited to white Hydrangea, Quicksand roses, Vandella roses, white Tibet roses and ivory spray Roses etc.14@ 350.00 each 4900.00
    Candles: Votive candles and Rose petals will surround each centerpiece.’14@ 20.00 each 280.00
    Sweetheart table: (7) 5x6 cylinder vases with River stones at the bottom will line the table to hold the Bride and Girl’s bouquets.70.00
    Setup and delivery: 400.00
    Subtotal: 6945.00Plus 7% tax: TBD
  • @tammym1001 @Maggie0829 Above is exactly what I'm getting for 6945 which doesn't include tax yet so looking at more 7,431! I'm located in NJ
  • Here's the proposal let me know what you think!

    Bride; The color of dress is Ivory, the bouquet style is hand held. The bouquet flowers will consist of white Hydrangea and Quicksand roses. The stems of the bouquet will be wrapped with ivory satin ribbon.

    200.00


    Throw away bouquet:

    N/C


    Maid of Honor: (1)

    Brides Maid: (5) The color of dress Blush, the bouquet style is hand held. The bouquet flowers will consist of all Sophie roses wrapped in blush satin ribbon.

    6@ 65.00 each 390.00


    Corsages:

    Mother of the Bride: white Cymbidium Orchid, wristlet with pins

    Mother of the Groom: Same

    Groom’s Grandmother: (1) Same

    3@ 25.00 each 75.00


    Boutonnieres:

    Groom: Quicksand roses with tuff of white Hydrangea

    Best Man: (1) Sophie rose

    Ushers: (5) Same

    Father: (2) white Cymbidium Orchid

    Grandfather: (2) Same

    11@ 15.00 each 165.00


    Ceremony: 2 side arrangements will be placed on each side of the Alter. The flowers will consist of white Hydrangea, white Stock with Quicksand and Sophie roses.

    2@ 150.00 each 300.00


    Aisle: A Runner will be placed on the aisle.

    65.00


    Place card table: Assorted size candles ands Rose petals will line the table.

    100.00


    Reception: Approximately 14 Guest tables will feature the tall Mueller vase with floating white Orchids inside the base. There will be a very tight, full  arrangement on top. The flowers will consist of  but not limited to white Hydrangea, Quicksand roses, Vandella roses, white Tibet roses and ivory spray Roses etc.

    14@ 350.00 each 4900.00


    Candles: Votive candles and Rose petals will surround each centerpiece.’

    14@ 20.00 each 280.00


    Sweetheart table: (7) 5x6 cylinder vases with River stones at the bottom will line the table to hold the Bride and Girl’s bouquets.

    70.00


    Setup and delivery: 400.00


    Subtotal: 6945.00

    Plus 7% tax: TBD
    The items I bolded are things that you can certainly purchase yourself for less.

    I would skip the aisle runner completely because it really doesn't add that much to the ceremony space and is a huge tripping hazard.

    For the candles on both the card table and around your arrangements, I think if you look around you can definitely buy candles yourself that will cost you a lot less then what you are being provided by your florist.

    Same with the 7 vases on your sweetheart table.  Look at local craft stores when they are having sales or even check out Home Goods or a similar store because they tend to have very inexpensive glassware.

    But the actual flower arrangements and bouquets and such sound pretty reasonable to me for what you are getting.

    So if you take on the bolded portions yourself (minus the rose petals) you could possibly save $515 off of your floral bill which is a good chunk of change.

  • @Maggie0829 Thanks so much! I just wanted to make sure I wasn't getting taking advantage of because this was my first florist appointment and I had no idea of what I wanted would cost!
  • I agree with Maggie. I think that the prices she gave you are pretty reasonable and if you can DIY those smaller things I would do that.
    image
  • @futuremrscrystal - also, if you wanted to possibly lower your price some more you could always consider doing half of your arrangements low and the other half high.  Lower arrangements tend to run a little less then the higher ones.  So you could always ask your florist what the price difference would be for that as well.

  • 16maybeless16maybeless member
    First Anniversary 5 Love Its First Comment Name Dropper
    edited January 2014
    I think that sounds about right? You have quite a few flowers, and you do have some orchids, which are notoriously pricey. You could always try to DIY the runner and some other smaller things.

    We are paying just a hair under $3k. Our flowers are peonies, anemones, garden roses, maidenhair fern, dusty miller, veronica, and lemon leaves. But we only have 80 guests and 9 tables, so it's keeping things rather low.
  • alm&mdmalm&mdm member
    First Anniversary First Comment 5 Love Its Name Dropper
    edited January 2014
    I agree with the other ladies. For the most part those prices seem fair but diying some of items could save a nice chunk of change. 

     FWIW Im sitting about 13k but we have a massive amount of floral work going in including a tree...yeah an actual living tree
  • Ugh, we're spending $25,000.  Damn Chicago is so expensive.
  • Chicago and NYC are crazy expensive on everything.Im lucky in that my mom works for a fairly major grower. The owner was willing to work with my event design company and supply the speciality flowers and my tree at cost as a thank you to my mom. 
  • Flowers were one of the big $ shocks for planning our wedding. We're spending around $3K but are utilizing things like candelabras, compote vases, bud vases, votives, etc. which will allow arrangements in varying heights. We're also using antique silver mint julep glasses on our rectangular head table and the bridesmaids will all put their bouquets there during the reception. The easiest way to get the bill high quickly is to do those large floral ball centerpieces, they're spectacular but require a ton of flowers. We also cut out corsages for mothers/grandmothers we talked to them all and no one wanted to wear one so why spend money there.
  • lschwar2 said:
    Ugh, we're spending $25,000.  Damn Chicago is so expensive.
    On just the flowers?
    Wedding Countdown Ticker


    image
  • We're spending about $5000 on flowers probably closer to 6. 

    brides bouquet of blush roses and peones (same for the 4 bm & flower girl)

    wrist corsages for my mom FI's mom and grandma

    8 boutineers of roses (4gm, groom, my dad and Fi's Dad and ring bearer

    rose petals creating a blanket on the escort card table

    cascade of roses and peonies on the cake and a blanket of rose petals on the cake table

    centerpieces of roses hydrangeas and queen anne's lace ( low) with gold hurricane vases

    Anniversary

  • We spent about $3k.   We got married on a beach and used the beach as our decor so to speak. Our luxury money went more towards the food and bar.  

     CP were pretty simple, as I do not like crowded tables.  The aisle was lined with gerber daisy's in plastic color kid sand buckets.  Those were moved to the high tops tables near the bars (woohoo for double duty).    

    We purchased our own votive candles and holders from candles4less.com. for various tables including around the CPs. 

     Our table was just decorated with cylinders to put our bouquets in.    

    Our cake was pretty unusual and very non-wedding like (deserted island scene).  Flowers would have looked odd on the table. 








    What differentiates an average host and a great host is anticipating unexpressed needs and wants of their guests.  Just because the want/need is not expressed, doesn't mean it wouldn't be appreciated. 
  • We're spending 2 - 3K, and getting a pretty good deal on the labour costs.

    Aside from the things Maggie mentioned that you can do yourself for cheaper, it's primarily the types of flowers you chose that are driving up the price. You have a number of specialty roses, hydrangea (which are $15 a stem and up, although they do take up more space), and fairly expensive orchids. For those types of flowers, the cost you're looking at is quite typical.


    image
  • We're currently at right under $5k - which was my budget - but my florist was one of my sorority sisters in college, so she gave me a "friends and family" discount even though she's the most popular florist in town.  I'm super lucky.  I also don't know the difference between types of flowers, and just think that they're all pretty, so i basically told her to just do whatever she wants for the $5k.

     

    It includes my bouquet, 4 BM bouquets, 5 corsages for moms/grandmothers, 2 tall alter pieces, and 15 centerpieces of varying sizes in a purple/yellow color palate.  Also, some flowers for the top of the cake.  FI really likes the tall vases with submerged flowers floating in water (if that makes sense) so we definitely have some of those.  For cocktail hour, we're just going floating candles in bowls, so no flowers there, but the florist is providing them for us.  I"m buying a gross of votive candles that our planner will put all over the dinner tables as well.

  • OP, Your quote sounds about right compared to what I've seen for bouquets, bouts and corsages in Northern NJ. As Maggie suggested, ditch the 'extras' and you'll save a bunch. You can easily purchase votives and such on your own. Also, if you alternate high and low centerpieces, you'll save a significant amount and add dimension to the room.
  • lyndausvi said:
    We spent about $3k.   We got married on a beach and used the beach as our decor so to speak. Our luxury money went more towards the food and bar.  

     CP were pretty simple, as I do not like crowded tables.  The aisle was lined with gerber daisy's in plastic color kid sand buckets.  Those were moved to the high tops tables near the bars (woohoo for double duty).    

    We purchased our own votive candles and holders from candles4less.com. for various tables including around the CPs. 

     Our table was just decorated with cylinders to put our bouquets in.    

    Our cake was pretty unusual and very non-wedding like (deserted island scene).  Flowers would have looked odd on the table. 



    I doing something very similar!  I have this tall flower pitchers that are going to line the aisle for hte ceremony and then go around the room on all the non guest tables.  (the wishing tree/escort cards/near cake/etc)  Also I am putting all the boquets on the sweetheart table to save decorating that as well!!
  • OP, your quote seems right on for NJ.  Our flower budget it 2k and up until the guest list increased we were right on the money.  Now we are adding to more CP's so an extra $150 or so! 

    FWIW I have 4 BM's, 6 GM's, both MOB MOG and 2 Grandmas get crosages, both FOG FOB get a boutineer.  I have the six pitchers that are doing double duty, a wicker heart for the gazebo we are getting married in front of, and the CP's, wishing tree, and escort card grass box!

    I also picked my flowers as things that are in season, easy to find and typically cheap.  Its an august wedding with the main flower being sunflowers and the CP's are a wildflower mix.

  • OP, what sounds expensive are the centerpieces.  $350 sounds a little insane, but for NJ, maybe about right.  I don't know though, I have relatives just outside on NYC and they had large centerpieces that weren't $350 each… I spend $125 each on tall center pieces!
  • OP, what sounds expensive are the centerpieces.  $350 sounds a little insane, but for NJ, maybe about right.  I don't know though, I have relatives just outside on NYC and they had large centerpieces that weren't $350 each… I spend $125 each on tall center pieces!
     
    stuck in box
     
    I believe my centerpieces were around $300-$350 each and that was back in 2004 in Maryland! I'm sure inflation would cause them to be more now. My centerpieces were just tall simple vases with nothing but all white calla lillies. I did VERY simply floral arrangements for my wedding as I'm not really a flower person and I really didn't think my venue needed much added to it.

     







  • I think $350 is about right for tall centerpieces in the northeast unless you are using the cheapest flowers.  Mine are going to be $425, but I told my florist no roses or hydrangeas so that drove up the price (hydrangeas take up a lot of space so you don't need as many flowers).
  • I think $350 is about right for tall centerpieces in the northeast unless you are using the cheapest flowers.  Mine are going to be $425, but I told my florist no roses or hydrangeas so that drove up the price (hydrangeas take up a lot of space so you don't need as many flowers).
    I agree.  When I worked at a florist our tall centerpieces started at $150 and that was inexpensive flowers and very small.  If you wanted something of a decent size and quality you were looking at a minimum of $250.

  • Wow, I'm in Boston, so I'm used to expensive too.  I guess our florist was a bargain.  
  • Wow, I'm in Boston, so I'm used to expensive too.  I guess our florist was a bargain.  
    I saw your centerpieces on the other thread.  They were very pretty, but had a lot of branches and fewer blooms than many centerpieces, which is probably why they weren't overly pricey.  The $300-$400 tall centerpieces are going to have a lot of blooms in them.
  • Our flowers came in at $1350ish. This was my least needed item on my list. I tried avoiding get flowers at all. They just aren't important to me and I am highly allergic to the them... so I could careless to have them around. 

    This was a big deal for my cousin and according to my sister her flowers were about $9000 which they bumped an open bar to get more flowers but ran out of budget to have flower centre pieces. My sister said this was easily 1/3 of budget if not more. 
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