How Much to Budget for Wedding Flowers in 2024

When you think of the details that go into a wedding what do you think of? The color palette? The music? The food? My mind always goes straight to flowers! In the ceremony alone there’s the bride’s bouquet, the bridesmaids bouquets, the boutonnieres, the flower girl petals, and any florals up at the altar or lining the aisle. And then upon arriving at the reception, there can be centerpieces, floral chandeliers, the list goes on! What I’m trying to say is that traditionally, flowers and greenery play a HUGE part in weddings, and the last thing I want is for you to be blindsided by the pricing! So let’s get into it, shall we? Here’s what to expect when budgeting for flowers for your wedding!

Photo by Rosy & Shaun

Los Angeles wedding planner, Tessa Lyn Brand, of Tessa Lyn Events, gave an average price range that you can expect to see!

• Bridal bouquet: $250
• Bridesmaid bouquet: $80
• Boutonniere: $20
• Pin-on corsage: $25
• Wrist corsage: $30
• Reception centerpieces: $120-$600
• Flower girl petals: $25
• Ceremony structures: $1,500-$4,000
• Arrangements next to place cards and guest book: $200
• Head table florals: $1,500 
• Sweetheart table décor: $500
• Cake flowers: $150
• Flower Crown: $100

She recommends setting aside 7% of your overall budget to flowers. Other sources say to set aside 8-10% depending on how big the wedding is! I know this may seem like a lot, but it’s better to be safe than sorry, and it’s our goal that you save as much money as you can, by using these tips!

Photo by Kate Headley

Choose your flowers based on what’s in season and locally grown!

For example, for a summer wedding, you should use flowers like dahlias, hydrangeas, roses, or orchids! I know it will come as a shocker, but Summer weddings have the most options in terms of what’s in bloom! Who would’ve thought? Moving along, for a Fall wedding, choose flowers like calla lilies, sunflowers, chrysanthemums, or gerbera daisies! Using flowers that are in-season are a lot cheaper than anything out-of-season. There are beautiful options for every season, so unless you’re a stickler with which types of arrangements you want, we think you’re in a pretty good position if you use this tip! 

Photo by Tana Helene Photography

Mix expensive and inexpensive flowers!

Another way to save money on florals is by mixing expensive and inexpensive flowers. For example, let’s say you’re having a Fall wedding and are using calla lilies as your main flower. You can fill in the rest of the arrangement with a less expensive flower-like baby’s breath! To further save money, consider filling unique thrifted lanterns with an inexpensive flower (like bushels of baby’s breath) to use as centerpieces for your tables. Throw some cute fairy lights into the mix, and you’ve got yourself the cutest fairytale-like centerpieces, and you’ve barely made a dent in the budget!

Photo by Niki Marie Photography

Reuse your ceremony flowers at the reception!

If you have any big and beautiful arrangements at your ceremony, why not transport them to your cocktail hour or reception? Reduce, reuse, and recycle right? Intentionally making sure your flowers and greenery can be transported easily, can save you loads of time! An example of this would be moving flower boxes that line the aisle, to line the DJ booth or bar. Also, make sure that if you have an extravagant floral arch or backdrop that you want to move, that the flowers are secured tightly for transportation! Better yet, come up with a design so the flowers can be removed in bunches and reused for centerpieces! 

So much thinking and planning just for flowers, we know! Hopefully, these tips take a little bit of stress off, and help you feel more prepared to plan out your wedding flowers!