Lets Talk Flowers

Hi everyone! I hope you are all having a great year and everything is going well! As a former bride I was always so lost at what I needed to do and what realistically everything cost! I feel like Planning a wedding is like the first day of work… that never ends. No matter how much research and training we have we still have no idea what’s going on or how its all going to work… the only thing we know is why we are there and what we are planning! This blog series is for you! I am going to walk you through planning a wedding and hopefully take some stress of your shoulders!! I am not in anyway a wedding planner; I am a Wedding Photographer and a former bride dedicated to taking care of my clients!

First Topic, FLORALS!!!

Often times floral arrangements will be the most expensive part of your wedding experience. However, this isn’t always the case. It’s crazy to think, “How could flowers be so expensive?” Here is why!

It depends on what flowers you are thinking of using, the wedding date, how lush you want your arrangements and bouquets. To give a little example, in the rose family my favorite is called ‘Juliet’, this one flower cost $10 a stem (last time I check which was during the end of summer time 2016). Which means if you have even 6 of those flowers in your bouquet not including any other flower, greenery, tax, or labor cost, your bouquet/floral arrangement is already $60+. Premium flowers are flowers like lily of the valley (incredibly expensive), callas, oriental lilies, peonies, garden roses, named roses, orchids, etc. Talking with your florist about the best options for you is so important! If you want expensive flowers but have a small budget you will be running into some issues! If you get married near a holiday where flowers are in great demand, the prices for the florists are high and the costs get passed on to you. How lush do you want your bouquet, ceremony pieces, centerpieces? You know those "Martha" looking centerpieces? They can be a couple of hundred dollars - or much more - EACH!

Below are some average cost on wedding floral decorations, remember these are average flowers you can find more or less expensive arrangements!

CEREMONEY

$300 – Bride’s bouquet

$15 – Groom’s Boutonniere

$440- Bridesmaid bouquets (four at $110 each)

$25 - Fresh flowers for bridesmaid hairstyles

$72 - Groomsmen boutonnieres (four at $18 each)

$36 - Father and grandfather boutonnieres (two at $18 each)

$60 - Mother and grandmother corsages (two at $30 each)

$50 - Ring bearer's "nest"

$35 - Flower girl's basket of petals

$300 - Ceremony arrangements (two displays at the altar)

$500 - Ceremony arrangements (two floral garlands on church railings)

$75 - Wreath (on church doors)

COCKTAIL HOUR

$275 - Escort-card table arrangements /

$225 - "Wishing tree" display

RECEPTION

$1,750 - Dinner table arrangements (seven at $250 each)

$500 - Chandelier decor (two at $250 each) /

$220 - Floating candle arrangements (55 at $4 each)

(Prices are subject to change depending on florist and florals choose.)

Prices are scary… I am right there with you! But they are doable. Talk with your florist and find the best option for you! If you have a LOW budget (which is totally fine!) you may be feeling overwhelmed right now, please don’t! There are beautiful inexpensive options for you! Some of my favorite bouquets and floral arrangements feature the “Lower” end flowers!

Here is a list you could ask your florist about!

Alstroemeria - blooming season: late spring or early summer

Baby's breath - blooming season: summer

Carnation - blooming season: late spring

Chrysanthemum - blooming season: late summer and fall

Daisy - blooming season: late spring

Freesia - blooming season: spring

Gladiolus - blooming season: summer

Queen Anne's lace - blooming season: late spring

Sunflower - blooming season: summer

Wax Flower - blooming season: spring, summer and fall

Here's some average minimum prices...don't hold your florist to this, it depends on the flowers you choose and how large you want your florals!

Bride's bouquet: $100 and up Bridesmaids: $75 and up boutonnieres: $10 and up corsages: $20 and up ceremony arch: $150 and up ceremony large arrangements: $125 and up each aisle petals: $100 and up aisle hanging pomanders: $50 and up each centerpieces: $25 and up ($25 is very spare; $50 is more on the low-end) each petals around centerpieces: $7 and up cake flowers: $50 and up escort table flowers: $35 and up

Again, it depends on what you have in mind, and the florist's design.

Weather you have a large or small budget for florist your wedding will be beautiful! I hope this blog post gave you a little insight in what you’d like or where to start!

Till I see you again!

Cheers,

Hannah Judd

Preferred Florist venders

Katie Stice – Roots and Floral (Featured in video blog and all flowers shown)

Marianne Seale – Bushel and a Peck Floral Design

Venders Involved

Photographer – Hannah Judd Weddings

Videographer – Cayly Bascom Photography

MUAH –- Elena Ochoa ECKO Beauty

Florets – Kaytee Stice – Roots floral design

Venue – Rush on Metro