Seven Ways to Cut Your Wedding Flower Costs

Most people have a set amount of money that they can spend on flowers for a wedding. Usually the cost of wedding flowers is about 10% of the entire wedding budget. Of course this number is flexible - you might want to splurge in one area (e.g. your invitations) and tighten the reins in another (e.g. your flowers). Here are 7 different ways you can lower your flower costs:

1. Use less expensive flowers rather than exotic ones. Chrysanthemums, carnations, alstroemerias, and baby's breath are beautiful flowers and can make a stunning display. These flowers cost a lot less than roses and lilies yet can do the same job.
2. Use exotic blooms very sparingly such as only in your bouquet or your fiance's boutonniere.
3. Use flowers that are in season. They will be less expensive and you have a greater chance of them being fresh.
4. Avoid getting married around times where flower prices are higher - Mother's Day, Valentines's Day, Christmas, and Easter.
5. Use less expensive look-alikes. For example, roses tend to be costly, so to cut costs, you can use lisianthus.
6. Use smaller bouquets and arrangements. Instead of having 40 roses in your bouquet, cut it down to 25 roses. If you have your heart set on a certain size, you can then add ivy, berries, herbs, or other affordable flowers to fill up your bouquet. Your bridesmaids can carry single stems down the aisle. That can be both dramatic and elegant. Sometimes less is more.
7. Use your ceremony flowers at your reception. Arrange for someone to transport any arrangements that you may have to your reception. Use your bridesmaid flowers to decorate the cake table and yours to dress up the head table.

These are just a few ideas for how to trim your wedding flower costs. Keep them in mind when planning and you will save yourself a significant amount of money. It is possible to have very beautiful wedding flowers without breaking the bank.

Nadine Visscher has arranged flowers for more than 15 years and has written The Beginner's Guide to Wedding Flowers found athttp://www.WeddingFlowerDirections.com