A Look Behind Wedding Flower Costs
A look behind wedding
flower costs
If you’re planning an event, you might be asking yourself, “why do wedding flowers cost so much?”
As florists we get asked all to often why the cost for flower arrangements is so high. Most couples don’t know where to start, and that is OK! It is my hope that those in search of a florist can read this and gain an understanding of the process & costs associated with creating your beautiful custom arrangements. I hope to provide you with the resources you need to confidently move forward selecting your flowers and arrangements.
So why are they so expensive?
Flowers aren’t just a “pluck and go” sort of deal. There are many factors that go into having beautiful blooms for your event.
Cost of goods
We’re paying for high quality flowers, which is expensive. The blooms we get aren’t something you can just pick up at the grocery store.
Arrangements are comprised of many individual blooms. The more blooms you have, the more expensive the arrangement will cost.
Cost can greatly vary based on the flower type.
SHIPPING
More often than not, flowers need to be shipped internationally or across country. Shipping is not cheap! Flowers are perishable and require overnight delivery in most cases which is very expensive.
During growing season, flowers can be purchased locally. Buying local can be a way to save some money on flowers, but even then you’re limited to certain flowers that grow in your area, and there will always be flowers that require a lot of care and patience to grow-which increases their cost. Many florists try to buy local when it’s available, but many weddings will still require some or all flowers to be shipped to a wholesale supplier for florists to purchase from.
Labor/designing
Arranging flowers takes a lot more time than you might think. We put a lot of time and effort into making them look gorgeous for your event.
To give an idea, I spend an average of 1 hour to put together a bridal bouquet, 45 min per bridesmaid bouquet, 30 min for each corsage and boutonniere, and bigger scale arrangements take at least a couple hours-often times more. There are also countless hours spent prepping and pruning the blooms before they are even put into arrangements.
PLANNING
There’s a large amount of time that will be spent planning the specific flowers for each arrangement for your event. It is very tedious work and requires a lot of attention to detail.
EXPERTISE
You are paying for your florist’s expertise! Each florist will charge differently depending on their level of knowledge and experience. If having someone highly talented in the industry is important to you then be ready to pay the costs their services are worth.
FLOWERS ARE PERISHABLE
It’s just a matter of fact: flowers don’t live forever. They don’t maintain freshness for very long, so florists only have a small time frame to work with the flowers.
Refrigeration
Coolers are expensive and so is running a cooler.
Florists must keep flowers in a cooler to delay their decay. This allows more time to arrange the flowers and gives each flower enough time to fully bloom before an event.
extras
Florists have to overestimate some when ordering flowers. There will always be blooms in a bunch that have broken or died in transport, some that never look as good as the others, and blooms that will break when being placed in arrangements. In many cases, these blooms cannot be used.
We want our clients to have the best blooms, so when needed, extra bunches are ordered.
Flowers go through many delicate stages before they make it to your event. Overall you’re paying for their journey, maintaining their freshness, and the style and expertise of your florist.
Flower arrangements are expensive and you should be prepared for the costs; however, depending on what you need/want for your event, many florists will be willing to work with you and your budget. Trust their expertise. They know the best ways you can cut costs and still have a beautiful event! Just be honest and upfront with your florist about your budget and expectations and you should be well taken care of.
I hope this has been helpful, please let me know by hitting the like button below <3 I’d love to know!