Whether you’re having a micro-wedding or a large one with all your fourth cousins on the guests list, your floral budget on average should be around 8-15% of your total budget.
That 8-15% floral budget can easily grow if you’re not careful and something as beautiful as flowers will become a stressful and negative topic. And that’s why we are taking a look at 5 cost effective options that you should definitely consider for your big day!
1. Dried florals
Dried florals are all the rage, they have already appeared once in the blog this season as they were part of the 5 floral trends we were loving for fall. They make their second appearance now simply because they will keep your floral budget under control.
When it comes to bouquets, colours can be highlighted or muted, texture can come alive with softer elements or sharper ones. As for centrepieces? Here you can consider various flower and grass species that you wouldn’t maybe think of with fresh flowers.
Do you follow us on Pinterest? You should! Take a look at our board where we specifically pin dried floral inspiration:
2. Choose in Season
This seems like a pretty obvious point – but what’s not obvious is when certain flowers are in season! Just like trying to find tasty clementines in July, you’re better off to wait for the Christmas season to indulge these sweet fruits.
Same goes for flowers; in the sense that they will be cheaper when they don’t have to be grown outside of their preferred seasons. As a general rule of thumb in Canada, here are flowers that are in season through the seasons. You may not recognize these names as they are a mix of common names and scientific names, but your florist surely will and it will help keep that floral budget reasonable.
Fall (September – October)
Aconitum, Amaranthus, Astrantia, Asters, Astilbe, Carthamus, Coxcomb, Chrysanthemums, Dahlias, Delphinium, Echinops/Globe thistle, Gomphrena, Hydrangeas, Lunaria, Ninebark foliage, Nigella/Love-in-a-mist, Ornamental Kale, Pampas Grass, Pepper berries, Phlox, Pieris, Protea, Scabiosa, Sedum, Silver brunia, Solidago, Snowberries, Statice, Strawflowers/Helichrysum, Sunflowers, Veronica, Zinnias
Winter (November – February)
Amaranthus, Amaryllis, Anemones, Astilbe, Astrantia, Coneflowersm Freesias, Hellbores, Hyacinth, Italian Ranunculus, Nerine, Ornamental Kale, Privet berries, Red-twig dogwood, Siberian Iris, Silver brunia, Skimmia
Spring (March – May)
Amaryllis, Anemones, Butterfly ranunculus, Cymbidium Orchids, Freesia, Frittilaria, Grape hyacinth/muscari, Helleborus, Hyacinth, Italian Ranunculus, Lilacs, Lily of the valley, Lupins, Leptospermum, Mimosa/acacia, Phlox, Scabiosa, Sweet Peas BC, Skimmia, Tulips
Summer (June-August)
Aconitum, Agapanthus, Allium, Amaranthus, Asters, Astrantia, Calendula, Campanula, Clematis, Cornflower, Cosmos, Coxcomb, Craspedia, Crocosmia, Dahlias, Eremurus, Eryngium/Sea Holly, Foxglove, Gladiolus, Gomphrena, Hydrangea, Kalanchoe, Larkspur, Lavender, Lisianthus, Lupins, Lysimachia, Nigella/Love-in-a-mist, Peonies, Poppies, Queen Anne’s Lace, Scabiosa, Snapdragons, Spirea, Strawflowers, Statice, Sunflowers, Sweet Peas, Sweet William, Thryptomene, Tweedia, Veronica , Zinnias
3. Be selective about the flowers
Be selective about what you’re choosing, when it comes to bouquets, take a look at adding larger blooms in place of medium sized ones that are more pricey. Alternatively, consider adding many smaller flowers that are inexpensive with a few that you love. Point is – if you love roses then have roses! Just consider adding in more cost effective filler! And that goes for any flowers you have on your wishlist.
As for your centerpieces, they will add to the general ambience but will anyone be really scrutinizing them? Probably not. So here, you can swap out pricier florals with similar but less expensive options!
4. Don’t forget your greens
Applicable to decorations, bouquets, corsages, basically anywhere you have flowers. Greens are good for you, and for your floral budget! Use green fillers to create a natural background that ensures your flowers and blooms are the main focus of any of your pieces.
5. Shop local alternatives
If you’re from South-Western Ontario, chances are this local alternative could be a possibility for you. While driving throughout the surrounding countryside of Kitchener-Waterloo you’ll often times drive past small but beautiful flower stands. Many of them are owned by Mennonites, who you guessed it, can also be hired as florists for your big day.
If you’re looking for something beautiful and not too intricate this is an option to consider. And not to mention as many flowers are grown on-site this is a $$ saving option. Next time you see a booth, stop to have a chat as it is the most effective means of communication.
Are you planning a wedding for yourself or with a family member or close friend? Definitely give us a follow on Pinterest where we are constantly saving the newest ideas for all things wedding!
Ps. Be sure to have a look at our Portfolio where you can see how we can capture the beauty of your wedding for many years to come!
