The Average Wedding Cost for Flowers is More Than You Think
Hi friends! Welcome back to The Chic Capitalist blog. Today, we’re discussing the average wedding cost for flowers and why they’re so dang expensive! I encourage you to read through my full commentary, but if you’re only here to get an idea of how much you should expect to spend on your wedding floral arrangements, simply click the button below to access my wedding flower calculator:
My Experience With Wedding Flowers
If you’ve been following my journey, you might know that I’m getting married this year (2024). Recently, my fiancé and I began to look at wedding florists. From the very get-go we both agreed flowers were an item neither of us cared about very much. After all, you’ll be discarding them the next day. What sense does it make to blow your entire wedding budget on them?
Of course, if you want to spend your entire wedding budget on flowers, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. You do you!
But we simply didn’t (and still don’t!) care about flowers. With our minds set on saving a few bucks on our floral arrangements, we thought we’d for sure be under-budget. Boy, were we wrong.
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The quotes started rolling in, and all of them were more expensive than we bargained for. They’d range anywhere from $6,000 to almost $8,000! And soon my curious mind got to thinking: why do wedding flowers cost so much?
The Average Wedding Cost for Flowers According to Internet Sources
As with any burning question, I immediately turned to Google. Upon searching the average wedding cost for flowers, I found a wide range of prices came up. And all of them seemed off base! Compare the range provided by two of Google’s top-ranking sites:
There’s a 520% – 1000% difference between those two sets of numbers!! Yikes! It’s easy to see now why my fiancé and I had some sticker shock (we used Wedding Wire’s average wedding cost for flowers when creating our wedding budget).
But based on the prices my fiancé and I were quoted, I believe the true average wedding cost for flowers is somewhere in between those two ranges. So, as part of this article, I’ve developed a calculator that will reveal how much you should actually budget for wedding flowers, so you don’t experience any unwelcome price shocks like we did.
Why The Average Wedding Cost for Flowers is More Than You Think
Before I unveil my wedding flower costing calculator, let’s have a brief chat about how the flower industry as a whole operates.
According to Florists’ Review, the standard industry markup on fresh flowers can range from 3x to 5x the cost to produce, with 3.5x being the industry norm. So, if you produced or purchased a $1 rose, you’d then turn around and sell that same rose for between $3 and $5. And don’t forget – you have to factor in the costs of nonperishable hard goods, such as vases, ribbons, etc. as well as labor. Nonperishable hard goods typically have a markup ranging from 2 – 4x (industry norm of 2.5x), while labor charges can account for between 10-40% markup on the retail price of all the materials used in the arrangement (Florists’ Review).
You don’t need me to tell you how fast that adds up…but I will anyways with a silly little example:
Say you decide to do a dozen roses as a centerpiece. Let’s assume each rose costs your florist $1 and you pay $3.50 (the average 3.5x markup). Let’s also assume each vase costs the florist $6 and you pay $15 (the average 2.5 markup). Your florist charges an additional 20% for their labor. Total cost for each centerpiece comes out to just under $70. And remember – that’s just the cost for a single centerpiece. Now, you have to multiple that out for the number of tables you have, depending on your guest count.
Factors That Affect The Average Wedding Cost for Flowers:
So, now that we’ve established the average wedding cost for flowers can be pricey, let me elaborate on what factors, specifically, are used as part of my wedding flower calculator. The following factors will influence the price you pay for wedding floral arrangements, assuming you decide to use real flowers:
#1: Location
Location affects the price of flowers in a handful of different ways, including:
- Whether the flowers are locally grown. Locally-grown flowers tend to be cheaper.
- Whether the flowers will need to be delivered to a remote region. If you’re getting married in a remote location, you may need to pay more.
- And whether you live in an area with a higher cost of living. The higher the cost of living, the more you may need to pay for floral arrangements.
#2: The Number of Bridesmaids, Groomsmen, and Other Honorees
The more bridesmaids and groomsmen you have, the more bouquets and boutonnières you’ll need to purchase from the florist. Similarly, you’ll need to purchase corsages and boutonnières for any honorees (think parents and grandparents) you want to pay tribute to.
#3: The Number of Guests
The higher your anticipated guest count, the more centerpieces you’ll need. Assuming you decide to use real flowers for your centerpieces, the guest count – or more precisely, the table count – can have a large impact on the cost of wedding flowers.
It’s also worth noting that tall floral centerpieces typically cost more than short floral centerpieces.
#4: The Types of Flowers
Flowers are seasonal. So, depending on the season you get married in and whether you’ll select seasonal flowers, you may find that you either pay a premium or save some money.
According to The Knot, the best in-season wedding flowers by month are as follows:
January Wedding Flowers: Anemone, Amaryllis, Baby’s Breath
February Wedding Flowers: Orchid, Ranunculus, Waxflower
March Wedding Flowers: Ranunculus, Sweet Pea, Tulip
April Wedding Flowers: Sweet Pea, Lily of the Valley, Hyacinth
May Wedding Flowers: Hydrangea, Peony, Lilac
June Wedding Flowers: Delphinium, Rose, Gardenia
July Wedding Flowers: Lisianthus, Calla Lily, Gerbera Daisy
August Wedding Flowers: Protea, Zinnia, Cosmos
September Wedding Flowers: Dahlia, Marigold, Carnation
October Wedding Flowers: Dahlia, Chrysanthemum, Amaranthus
November Wedding Flowers: Scabiosa, Celosia, Stock
December Wedding Flowers: Rose, Hellebore, Camellia
With all these cost considerations in mind, enjoy my free wedding flower calculator!
Wedding Flower Calculator:
My free wedding flower calculator will give you an idea of what you can expect to spend on your wedding flowers:
Please note that the wedding flower calculator is intellectual property of The Chic Capitalist, LLC. It is for your information and personal use only. Please review the Terms and Conditions Policy for more information.
Alternatives to Save Money on Wedding Flowers:
Not quite on board with paying a 350%+ markup! Neither was I! Here’s a few alternative options you may consider to save some money on wedding flowers:
1. Bud Vases
If you’ve been on Pinterest looking at wedding flowers, chances are you’ve stumbled upon photos of bud vases. Not only do they look great, but they can save you a LOT of money. After looking at the price differentials between a traditional centerpiece and a collection of bud vases, my fiancé and I decided to go with bud vases for our own wedding – yay!
2. Assemble Your Own Floral Arrangements
With this option, you can cut out a florist completely and save loads of money. This is an option I considered for our wedding and my mom plans to employ for my upcoming bridal shower. Trader Joe’s and Costco both have beautiful, and affordable, flowers to pick from.
3. Use a Florist, But Scale Down
Another option is to use a florist, but to scale down based on your budget. For instance, tall centerpieces often cost a good deal (I’m talking double!) the cost of shorter centerpieces. If you’re restricted based on your budget, think of doing smaller floral arrangements or even selecting flowers that are in-season and more easily attainable.
4. Consider Using Fake Flowers
Fake flowers are a great substitute to using real flowers. Oftentimes, fake flowers look so realistic that they may be mistaken as real flowers from a distance. Fake flowers cost a lot less than real flowers, so if you’re on a tight budget, but want the visual aesthetic that comes with flowers, fake flowers might be a great option for you.
5. Use Nontraditional Centerpieces Altogether
If you don’t care AT ALL about having real flowers or could do with less, think about using nontraditional centerpieces. Here are some options:
- Fish bowl with a live beta fish (the trick here is keeping the fish alive until after the reception!)
- A stack of vintage books
- Candles and lanterns
- Geometric metal fixtures with fairy tale lights
- Succulents or gourds
The possibilities are endless! Let your imagination run wild. Although, if you’re looking for a little more inspiration, check out this article from Martha Stewart.
Other Wedding Inspiration
Hopefully this article gave you a better sense of the average wedding cost for flowers! If you liked this post, may I ask that you please share it with a friend?
And if you’re getting married soon or know someone getting married soon, check out my other wedding-related content, including my cash wedding gift calculator, affordable white bachelorette party dresses, how to save for a wedding in a year, and the cost of being a bridesmaid.
Also, sign up for my newsletter below to gain access to TCC Club Exclusive Content, including my wedding budget spreadsheet detailing how much you can expect to spend on a wedding and how you might choose to allocate your costs.
Thanks for reading! Until next time, friends.
Mikaela
Hi! I'm Mikaela, a blogger, CPA, soon-to-be bride, dog-mom, and self-proclaimed finance enthusiast. Join me on my journey to uncover some of the best financial practices and investment opportunities.
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