Behind the inspiration Photo: Estimating the Cost of Your Wedding Flowers
[Ring! Ring! Ring!] The sound of the office phone draws me away from the most recent blog I’m working on—“Thanks for calling Belli Fiori! How may I help you?”
“Hi! I’m getting married next year and have been stalking your Instagram. I would love some further information about your services and pricing.”
It’s a super common query, whether it’s coming from a voice on the other end of the phone or a DM on Instagram. The photos you see on our Instagram are gorgeous, but when it comes to your wedding flowers, how do you estimate the cost for your wedding flowers?
Photography: Rochelle Maples Photography
When considering what you might spend on wedding flowers, start by weighing your wedding priorities. There are a number of blogs online that recommend allocating 10% of your overall wedding budget to your wedding flowers, and maybe that IS the right budget for you, but if flowers are in your top 3 priorities then you will definitely need to increase your budget. Begin by making two lists, the floral elements that are absolute “must have” and floral elements that “would be nice if it works into our budget”. There are so many ways to incorporate flowers into your ceremony, cocktail hour, reception, afterparty & post-wedding brunch. We can (and have) incorporated floral elements into almost every part of the wedding experience from floral wreaths on the door of the bridal suite to bathroom decor, and fairytale entrances. If you are eager to have customized floral elements scattered throughout your big day, we recommend allocating a higher percentage of money to your floral and event design budget.
Photography: Sarah Harvey Photography
You might be thinking, okay blogger lady, that still seems pretty vague.
And you are right. In addition to where you want floral elements, you should also consider the color and varieties of flowers you want to incorporate. If you’re dreaming of a day bursting with peonies, orchids, garden roses, ranunculus or anemones, you need to prepare to spend more as these beautiful, top tier blooms can add up quickly. In general, we recommend using these more expensive flowers in high profile areas, like the bridal bouquet, head table arrangements or entrance décor. Bridal bouquets cost on average $300-$375, but top tier bouquets can range as much as $500-$600.
Photography: Zoe Life Photography
Photography (left to right): Heather Roth Photography | Natalie Bray Photography | Krista B Photography |Jacoby Andrick
Most of our couples have a specific look in mind when they seek out a florist who specializes in event design. (Learn more about working with a floral designer, here.) Our floral designers spend years studying under more senior designers to develop the skills and techniques to achieve specific looks. I say all of this, because as you are finding the perfect photos for your inspiration, pay attention to the fullness of the look, the variety in product, and the style. When you show that photo to one of our lead designers, they are going to consider the complexity of the design, fullness of the look, materials, and labor required to achieve that look- just to name a few factors. Tall centerpieces can range in price from $400-$800. For elevated pieces, like the ones you see below, typically start around $2,500, and go up from there. Keep in mind, length of the table, number of elevated pieces and look can all play a role in this price.
Photography (left to right): Mike Cassimatis | Kelly Park Photography | Mike Cassimatis
A final note, we have written a few blogs now about pricing, but one thing I like to remind people when considering the cost of your event florals is the extraordinary amount of work it takes to get these flowers from farms in Ecuador and Columbia to your reception table (learn more here). It takes us a full week of “all hands on deck” preparation from the moment the flowers arrive at our door to the time they are setup on your special day. With hearts full of passion and skilled hands, our amazing floral designers give their all to bring your wedding vision to life!
Photography: White-Klump Photography | Jess & Jen Photography | Natalie Bray
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-In order of appearance-
Planning: Events Luxe | Cosmopolitan Events | Lauren Dittmeier | Proposing Dreams |Kat Gaines Events | Kristin Ashley Events | Atlar’d Events | Rebecca Laugeman
Venue: Red Oak Valley | Bellerive Country Club | Old Warson Country Club |The Ritz-Carlton Saint Louis | Missouri Athletic Club | The Caramel Room | Piper Palm House