One of the hardest things to gauge with wedding planning is how much of your budget you should set aside for different aspects of the big day. Today we’re going to be talking about budgeting for your wedding day florals.

Setting a budget for your florals from the beginning of wedding planning is helpful so that you can manage your budget around this variable expense. Florals are a variable expense because the day can go on without them (although it would be pretty sad!) and because you can scale this budget to a different size without ruining the quality.

That being said, the reason your floral budget is something you should figure out at the start of wedding planning is because they play a role in almost every moment of your wedding day journey, and if you know you want lots of florals, you need to take this into account when planning your wedding style and all the decor. It’s not an expense that can get tacked on at the end.

I recently spoke with Sarah from Blushing Rose Floral down in Lehi, Utah about wedding florals and planning your budget, and she had a few things to say on the topic.

“I find that $2,000 typically covers an average-sized bridal party, simple reception centerpieces, and a few other pieces of decor like a sign-in table arrangement, toss bouquet, cake flowers, or welcome sign flowers,” Sarah said. “Adding on installations such as a ceremony arch, aisle flowers, backdrop for pictures, mantlepiece arrangement, etc will make the price jump because these items are typically large in size and need to be designed on-site.”

These are good things to take into consideration as you’re planning your budget because you can make adjustments as needed simply by changing up your plan for the decor.

Sarah furthers her statement by explaining the impact an installation has on the presentation of an event is absolutely worth the cost, as it makes a statement in all the photos, welcomes your guests, and is more likely to be remembered and treasured as a part of your big day than the boutonnieres.

Looking for an easy way to save on your floral budget, rather than cutting things out? Sarah suggests mixing and matching your centerpieces. You can design half of your tables with full or tall floral arrangements and do something simpler (and more budget-friendly!) for the other spaces.

“A cluster of candles with greenery around the base, or 3-5 bud vases with single stem flowers, will be much more cost-effective and still take up space and make an impact!” Sarah explains. “I also love mixing two different types of centerpieces because it adds depth to the decor and intrigue for your guests.”

If you love greenery running down farmhouse tables or serving tables but don’t have the budget for full garlands, consider using loose greens instead. Loose greens require a minimal amount of stems, much less labor, and will give you a light and airy look that still covers the tables! Sarah has plenty of ideas on the subject and would be happy to discuss your ideas!

Another way brides can save money on their floral budget is to repurpose some of the wedding day florals, but this should be done carefully, as often the florals don’t work as well beyond their intended design. For example, you can turn your bridesmaid bouquets into centerpieces at the reception, after wedding ceremony photos are completed. This only works if the bouquets are a bit larger and the centerpiece vases are chosen intentionally.

You can also repurpose archways and urn arrangements after the ceremony by moving them to surround the wedding cake, head table, or using the florals to make an additional backdrop at the reception!

Lastly, one of the most common wedding floral budget misconceptions that Sarah shared with me is that faux florals are cheaper than fresh. They’re not always, and brides can actually save quite a bit by speaking with their florist and looking for out-of-the-box ideas, and not simply assuming that a cheaper alternative is a fake flower.

Have any more questions about floral budgets? Reach out to Sarah at Blushing Rose Floral to discuss your wedding plans and floral budget and see what sort of magic she can cook up for you!