2020 Newly Engaged? How to plan for the cost of wedding flowers.

Congratulations! You're engaged! That's great news! Now for the (sometimes) overwhelming part of planning your romantic wine country wedding. Usually what is on everybody's mind is "how much will this wedding cost?", and the question we get most is "how much do your wedding flower packages cost?"

My immediate response is that every bride and groom is different in terms of style, color palette, and the floral pieces they require. For that reason, Petal Town Flowers doesn't do wedding flower packages - we create custom wedding flower designs to match your unique vision and style. Sounds expensive? Well, it could be, but usually we can tailor your choices to match your budget.

Why do wedding flower costs vary so much? Flowers are living breathing things, and they are sensitive to seasonal availability and to swings in market pricing (like red roses around Valentine's Day). Choosing peonies over dahlias will have an impact on your cost, depending on the time of year. Flower trends also affect market price, which affects your ultimate cost. When eucalyptus garland becomes popular, the market price of eucalyptus goes up.

Some flowers are large and loose, which will take up more space, and some flowers are very dense and will require more blooms to fill your bridal bouquet. Choosing the style of your bridal bouquet can slightly impact the overall cost, but the largest component of the cost is in the design labor. For that reason, choosing "cheaper flowers" doesn't necessarily reduce the overall cost by much. What makes the most difference is in the size and density of your floral pieces multiplied by the  quantity you desire.  For example, a loose  and airy bridesmaid bouquet will cost slightly less than a tight compact bouquet, but when you multiply that by four bridesmaids versus eight bridesmaids, you will start to see a larger difference. 

So what is the bottom line? While we don't like to quote costs before we understand your specific elements, we can offer a range in pricing to give you a basic idea:

• Bridal bouquets will range from $150 up to the $250 range

• Bridesmaids bouquets will range from $55 to around $100

• Flower Girl baskets and crowns are around $45 each

• Boutonnieres (the "man flower") are $20

• Corsages (either pinned or wrist) are $35

• Ceremony flowers depend on your venue, your style etc -

  • Arch, arbor or chuppah flowers start at $100

  • Wine barrel toppers, large altar arrangements etc start at $95

  • Aisle bouquets are around $45 each

  • Petals for aisle are around $120

• Centerpieces vary widely, depending on size, style and the floral element -

  • Short simple country style will be between $55 to $75 per round or square table. Farm tables will depend on the length and number of florals per table. The longer the table, the more space to cover.

  • Low and fuller will range between $65 to $85

  • Garland is charged by the foot and depends on if it's loosely placed, or woven, and if it includes flowers or only greens.

  • Tall, large, full will start around $85 and go up depending on many factors

For the budget savvy bride or groom, some things to consider to keep your costs lower -

• ask about renting the vases for your floral pieces. Typically no one needs 15 square vases after a wedding is over. Florists love to get them back and will often reduce the price of the flowers if the vases are returned.

• re-purpose ceremony flowers for the reception. Sometimes you can re-use the aisle bouquets for cocktail tables, dessert bars etc. Altar or Arch pieces can be snuck into reception areas while your guests are moving from one space to another. Ask the venue coordinator about relocating flowers.

• add votive candles, which are less expensive than flower arrangements and can fill the space between or around your floral centerpieces.

A lot to take in? If you'd like to get the ball rolling, the best way is to complete our wedding questionnaire. The questions will prompt you to think about your design and the elements you are looking for. Another great tool is Pinterest - create a board and start collecting ideas and inspiration from the vast web. Once you are ready, we can create a custom flower quote for you, which you can continue to refine until about a week before your wedding.

Happy Wedding Planning!

Wedding flowers Trentadue Winery. Copper arch flowers. Bridal bouquet full greenery plum mauve flowers.