5 Ways To Cut Costs On Wedding Flowers

Local petal pros share tips on trimming the flower budget.

As anyone who’s planned—or is planning—a wedding knows, a total budget can be blown quicker than you can say, “I do!” There’s more to think about than the venue, the dress, and the food—and it’s often the seemingly secondary accouterments that can sneak up on you and eat away at your budget. But there are ways to save substantial money without sacrificing style or quality. One way to cut costs is to trim the flower budget. Here’s some advice from local pros on just how to do it.

1. Stay In-Season
“Try to stay with in-season flowers,” says Sammy Manessis of Arcadia Floral Company in Mamaroneck. “Popular flowers like peonies are in season March through June and, sometimes, the first week of July. The farms we buy the flowers from usually raise the price outside their season. By purchasing in season, you will save money.”

2. Choose Smaller Centerpieces
“High centerpieces are more expensive because you have to fill a lot more space. If you are going to use them, it has to look substantial; you have to fill about 30 inches to two feet,” says Monica Chimes of Monica Chimes Floral in West Harrison. “You can save 20 to 50 percent by getting rid of high centerpieces.”

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3. Keep Your Guest List Manageable
“The biggest determiner of a flower budget is the number of guests,” says Susan Orts of Rubrums Florist in Ossining. “If you’re planning a wedding with 100 guests, it’s going to be 10 centerpieces (with 10 people per table) at $100 per table. That totals $1,000. If you have 150 or 200, that doubles your flower budget.”

4. Go for Big Blooms
“Use flowers that give you a bigger bang for your buck,” advises Chimes. “Hydrangeas are great because they’re bigger flowers and will take up more space. For example, most people want to use peonies, which cost from $10 to $20 a stem. It takes three to five peonies to take up the space of one $7 hydrangea.”

5. Place Flowers Where Guests Will Appreciate Them
 “Concentrate on putting your money where guests are going to enjoy the flowers the most,” says Orts. “For instance, it makes more sense, if you’re on a limited budget, to put more of your flower budget into centerpieces, where people can see them throughout the event.” 

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