How much should I expect to spend on my wedding flowers?
How much should I expect to spend on my wedding flowers?
How long is a piece of string…? Unfortunately what seems like a straightforward question tends to have a bit more of a complicated answer.
However, this subject isn’t one that should flood you with dread. Like all the items in your wedding budget, you need to focus your spend on the things that really matter to you. Not mad on flowers? Then don’t feel you need to fork out on them. You can create beautiful styling effects without any flora or fauna if you so wish. If you are a floral fan though, read on for some general hints and tips when it comes to thinking about the cost of your wedding flowers.
Minimum spends and bespoke pricing
Most floral designers will have a minimum spend of anywhere between £500 and £10,000 to make each job financially viable for their business. The minimum spend level will vary from company to company and some florists will be happy to just offer the basics (bouquets and buttonholes for example), whilst others will expect to supply a full floral design service.
Bespoke pricing is commonplace in our industry, and you often won’t find price lists on floral designer’s websites; every client and brief is unique, so pricing is done on an individual basis. That’s not to say that there isn’t a general rule of thumb; for example, bridal bouquets usually cost anywhere between £85 and £150 and buttonholes might range from £6 to £10. For large scale installations, florists will often charge on a per metre or per foot basis, and they might even have set pricing for items they deliver regularly – like church urns or table arrangements.
What goes into your quote?
One key thing to bear in mind is that when building your quote, your florist will always take into account not only the flowers and foliage that they will use in the arrangements but also the time, equipment, manpower and logistics needed to deliver every one of your requirements. That means that when you see a figure for, let’s say, a doorway arch installation, what you’re seeing is the real cost to deliver the whole and final piece – not just the price of the flowers and foliage that might be included. That means you are not only paying for the raw materials and your florist’s time to design, create and deliver the final piece, but also the practical elements that go along with that. Does the structure need to be built? Will equipment or tools need to be hired? Are there going to be extra staff required on the day to help with the install and de-rig? All these items need to be accounted for and considered within the cost of each design.
Communication is key
To avoid any confusion or miscommunication around your wedding budget, ask your florist for clarity upfront. Find out how their pricing system works, what taxes are / aren’t included, and what the payment process looks like. Your florist should always want to be as transparent as possible, and be happy to provide breakdowns where necessary. If you have a budget you need to stick to, then let your florist know. If you are starting from scratch, then talk to them about your venue and the areas you think you might like to dress, as well as any bridal party requirements, so they can start giving you some initial ideas with costs attached. Be prepared to also potentially have to pay a holding deposit to secure your date as time goes on. Quotes require hours of work, effort and creativity to produce, so a holding fee demonstrates to your florist that you are serious about acquiring their services; in return, they will be happy to spend time adding thought and detail into your proposal.
“Price is what you pay; value is what you get”
The most important thing I would want you to take away from this is that your florist is there to help, not hinder, your decision making process. A good florist will never pressurise you into spending money, but will instead show you the ways in which you can maximise your floral budget to get as much as you can out of the day. Having said that, the age-old saying “you get what you pay for” rings true here; cheaper is not always better. You will always be able to find someone who can do something for less (and that goes for life, not just in the context of weddings). But what else do you lose in the process? Think back to why you chose your florist in the first place and what value they’re bringing to your wedding. If you believe their flowers are going to be the pièce de résistance on your perfect day, then you’ve already got your answer. Take a look at my post on ‘5 key things to bear in mind when choosing your wedding florist’ for more pointers on this.
