By Georgina Clatworthy

Budgeting your wedding flowers cost can be difficult because certain flowers will carry a premium over others.  Whilst you can calculate the cost with the help of your florist it can be a good idea to know where you can save money on your wedding flowers and where you should be spending it.

Where to Spend…..

Talk to your florist about creating impact in your venues without having to cover every available surface with flowers.  For your wedding ceremony a bridal bouquet is essential, as well as posies for your bridesmaids, buttonholes for the groom and groomsmen and corsages for your moms.

You should also have at least one large arrangement to sit on the altar at the ceremony venue or to go at the front of the venue.  Most couples will allocate the majority of their budget to flowers for the wedding reception particularly as this is where they and their guests will spend most of their time.  Flowers for the reception include table arrangements, centerpieces and flowers for items such as the wedding cake, chair backs and wedding favors.

Where to Save….

Just as with everything else to do with your wedding day, it is possible to save on the cost of your wedding flowers too without compromising on style.

• Choose flowers which are in season
• Keep your arrangements simple.  Wired arrangements will cost more, as will ornate designs with lots of flowers.  Hand tied bouquets are far cheaper than more formal bouquets.
• Flowers are more expensive around holidays such as Christmas, Valentine’s Day and Mothers Day.
• If you really a particular flower which is expensive, use it exclusively in your bridal bouquet.
• Get double value from your arrangements by moving those used at the ceremony to the reception venue.
• Instead of splashing out on bouquets of flowers as thank you gifts, give away your table centers instead.

By Georgina Clatworthy

When it comes to wedding flowers ideas there are some key aspects you will need to consider first before making a final decision on what to have and the types of flowers to include.  Achieving perfect wedding flowers can be one of the most difficult aspects of your wedding planning, so it can be a good to collate as many ideas a possible before you meet with your florist.  First and foremost though take the following steps when it comes to choosing your wedding day blooms.

1. Set a Realistic Budget

Your wedding budget controls every aspect of your wedding including your wedding flowers ideas so make sure you assign a realistic figure for your flowers when you put your budget together.  Many brides will dream of filling their venues with beautiful flowers but before you pursue your ideas you need to work out how you have available to spend on flowers first.  On average you should allocate between 5 and 10% of your budget for your wedding flowers and remember that this figure also needs to include the cost of vases and the florist’s time in preparing your arrangements.

2. Find a Good Florist

Recommendations from family and friends is a great way to find good vendors for your wedding, including florists.  You may already know a florist in your local area or have received recommendations from your venue, who often have a list of vendors and service providers available.  One advantage to using a florist who knows the venue you have hired is that they will be able to design and arrange your flowers for maximum effect within the venue itself.  Another tip for finding a florist is to look out for beautiful arrangements in hotels, restaurants and other public buildings and then enquiring as to who arranged them.

3. Know your Style

As well as matching your flower arrangements to your wedding style, you should also consider the style of your venue.  For instance, if you venue is contemporary in style then your flowers need to be modern in style to coordinate.  More traditional venues such as country mansions lend themselves to more traditional styles of flower arrangements.  Look through your bridal magazines for inspirations and ideas when it comes to style of arrangements and put together a mood board of pictures for your florist to work with.  You also need to note the color of the décor and carpets in your venue so you can choose flowers which will complement them as well as coordinate with your wedding colors.

By Georgina Clatworthy

In the second part of my look at cheap wedding flowers I consider DIY options, recycling and how to use expensive blooms.

1. Nostalgia: Take a look back and think about your favorite flowers from your childhood or those of your mom or Grandma.  Chances are these will be more affordable as they are probably favorites you would have had growing in the garden.  Vibrant arrangements of tulips, daffodils or hydrangeas look amazing in glass vases and are good value for money.
2. Offer to Share: A good way of getting cheap wedding flowers is to share with others.  Ask your venues if any other weddings are taking place on the same day or weekend and then contact the other couples to see if they would be prepared to share the cost of flowers.
3. Pick your Own: Enlist the help of friends and family with gardens to grow flowers for your wedding day.  This can help you to create cheap seasonal arrangements but do make sure you get your timings right to ensure they are in bloom by the time the big day arrives!
4. Quality Over Quantity: You don’t need to go mad and order up arrangements for every nook and cranny of your venue – flowers in the restrooms are lovely but not really necessary!  When it comes to cheap flowers you need to adopt a strategy about where and how you use them – make sure you spend the most money on arrangements that will be sited where people will see them and get the most from them.
5. Reduce, Re-Use, Recycle: Make your flowers multi-task by reusing them throughout the day, for instance, transport your ceremony flowers to the reception, use altar arrangements for the top table, bridesmaid bouquets for centerpieces and pew ends for chair backs.  Later on you could give them away as wedding gifts to friends and family who have helped out.
6. Scent Sensation: Create the illusion of more flowers and a fresh atmosphere by using highly fragranced flowers such as freesias, lilies, jasmine and hyacinths.
7. Timing: Choose a wedding date which coincides with a major holiday such as Easter or Christmas.  You will find you can save money on your larger arrangements for your venues because they are likely to already be decorated.
8. Use Pricey Flowers Sparingly: Use the most expensive flowers in your wedding bouquet and choose cheaper alternatives for your other arrangements.  This has the added bonus of making your bouquet stand out.
9. Vary Height and Placement: Even though your budget is small you can create the illusion of lots of flowers by varying the height and placement of your arrangements around your venues.
10. Wider Tables: Choose larger tables so you can seat more people around them meaning you will need fewer tables and fewer table centers.
11. X Factor: Personalize your bouquet with symbolic additions such as brooches or swatches of fabric from your mom’s wedding dress.
12. You, the Florist: Be your own wedding florist by taking a short course in flower arranging so you can learn how to make your own bouquets and arrangements.
13. Zeal: Staying committed is the key to achieving budget friendly wedding flowers.  Of course it is easy to wow your guests when money is no object, but you can achieve the same with a little creativity and some careful planning.

By Georgina Clatworthy

If your wedding budget is getting a little tight then finding cheap wedding flowers can be a good way of clawing back some much needed cash.  Cheap flowers doesn’t have to mean compromising on your dream blooms, but rather more about being a little savvy, a little creative and ready to consider all alternatives. 

Here is the first part of my A-Z of budget wedding flowers.

1. All Tied Up: A florist will charge more depending on the amount of work involved in your arrangements.  Avoid costly shower bouquets which are time consuming to construct and instead order a pretty hand tied posy of roses.
2. Back to Basics: Don’t overlook adding in cheap wedding flowers as fillers such as carnations.  Carnations and daisies make stunning pomanders for bridesmaids and flower girls and tall glass vases filled with gypsophila make sweet, cheap arrangements.
3. Complement with Candles: Adding in non-floral elements can make a real difference to even the simplest of wedding flower arrangements.  Make small centerpieces romantic by surrounding them with votives or pretty tea lights in glass holders.
4. Double Duty: Double up your centerpieces with your wedding favors by adding in some edible elements such as lollipops.
5. Embrace the Budget: Be upfront with your florist from the start about the amount of money you have to spend.  Armed with this they will be able to maximize your money on affordable flowers rather wasting your time on arrangements you can’t afford.
6. Flower Heads: You can save money on larger arrangements by placing single flowers such as roses, gardenias or camellias on each guest’s place setting.  Or put them in single vases for a striking display.
7. Greenery: Fill in large arrangements with cheap greenery to save money on flowers.  This will allow you to stretch your budget further on more expensive flowers.
8. High Impact: Having one big display can make a bigger statement than having lots of small ones.  Instead of ordering lots of pew ends go for a large display on a pedestal to stand at the front of the church and which your guests can enjoy throughout the ceremony.  You could move it to your reception later on.
9. In Season: These days you can have pretty much any flower you want no matter what the season, however many have to be flown in especially and this raises the cost.  For cheaper flowers choose in season, locally grown blooms which will be fresher, hardier and budget friendly.
10. Jam Jars, Tins and Hessian Sacks: For a traditional country style wedding choose some traditional vessels to arrange your flowers in.  Soak jars and tins to remove the labels and line Hessian sacks with cellophane to make them water tight.  You can then fill with your choice of flowers and decorate with ribbons or vintage labels.
11. Keep it Simple: For a sleek modern look give your bridesmaids a single flower stem to carry rather than a posy or bouquet.  Consider gerbera’s, roses or calla lilies.
12. Less is More: It is obvious that the best way to cut your flower costs is to have fewer of them, but there are ways you can do this without compromising on style.  Place centerpieces on every other table to instantly reduce your costs or avoid them altogether and instead go for some awe inspiring arrangements for key tables in your reception, such as the cake table and top table.
13. Make it Modern: Modern designs tend to involve fewer flowers and tend to be much cheaper.  It is the big traditional arrangements which are the most expensive.  

By Georgina Clatworthy

Achieving the perfect wedding flowers can be as much about knowing what and how to buy as it is about the flowers themselves.  When the time comes to buy wedding flowers consider the following five tips to help you set your budget, compare prices and choose the right bouquet to buy.

1. When Should I Buy Wedding Flowers? When you book your wedding florist can depend upon the size of your wedding and the size of the florist shop you want to hire (generally speaking a larger florist can handle a faster turnaround).  The location of your venue can also be a factor, but usually you should start looking around six months before your wedding day.  If you find someone you love and can work with then book them as soon as possible especially if your wedding day is one the busiest times of the year.  If you want to make changes to your flowers order much can depend on the size of the job and your florist, but if you only want to make small changes then one to two weeks in advance should ok.
2. How Much of My Budget Should I Allocate? This can vary depending on your wedding, but you should expect to allocate around 5 – 10% of your total budget on all your wedding flowers needs.  Be upfront about your budget with your florist when looking to buy so they can maximize your options and give you some ideas.
3. When Comparing Prices are there any Additional Fees to Consider? Ask about additional costs such as tax, delivery, clean up and prop hire.  These are all added extras that can quickly add up so make sure you get them included in any quotes.  Standard items such as glass vases are often included in the price if you return them afterwards.  Also bear in mind additional overtime costs if your florist has to travel a long way to your venue to deliver and clean up.
4. When Will My Bouquet Arrive? It is usual for your bridal bouquet to be delivered to you a few hours before the ceremony and they should arrive with a moist wrap around the stems to keep the hydrated and so you don’t need to worry about them until you need it.
5. How Do I Choose a Bouquet Shape to Compliment My Wedding Dress? Any florist worth their salt will be able to advise you on the right shape of bouquet to buy for your wedding dress so it is always worthwhile taking a photograph of your dress with you.  Large, full-skirted dresses often suit larger bouquets such as shower arrangements, whilst simpler styles will suit hand tied bouquets.  Your height and body shape are other considerations as you do not want your bouquet to drown you out when you walk down the aisle!

By Georgina Clatworthy

There can be many aspects to a wedding which will dictate your wedding flowers ideas.  Not only do you need to think about your wedding style, but also your own tastes, your wedding colors, the finished arrangements and your venue.  So here are five ideas you should consider when the time comes to sit down and talk with your florist about your wedding flowers.

1. How do I decide on how to decorate my wedding venues with flowers?  A good starting point is to think about how your day will progress logistically.  Think about where your guests will be standing or sitting, what your schedule is, where you will enter rooms and how long you will be staying in each venue/area/room.  This can help you to determine where your flowers should be placed.  It is also useful to note any special features of your wedding venues such as fireplaces, alcoves, pillars etc which could feature in your overall wedding decoration design.  You also need to think about how the color of the walls in your venues will affect your choice of wedding colors and the color of flowers you want.
2. Some of us suffer from hayfever – which flowers to choose? If you or any of your guests suffer with hayfever then you will need to give special consideration to your choice of wedding flowers ideas.  Try to avoid scented flowers in particular which can stimulate symptoms.  The goods news however, is that many varieties of flowers these days are not scented so you will still have lots of choice.  If you do want to have some scented flowers in your arrangements then only include them in formal arrangements which will be placed away from guests and in a ventilated area – avoid scented flowers in your bouquet and table centers.
3.  Should I avoid any colors? When choosing any color combinations for your wedding you should look to those which compliment each other and flowers are no different.  The key with your flower ideas is to get the right mix of flowers and foliage to balance the scheme, for instance, an all white bouquet would look washed out without the addition of some greenery and adding contrasting colors in your flowers will add depth to an arrangement.  Very bright and vivid colored flowers shouldn’t be teamed with very pale flowers as the contrast can affect the way they look in your photographs.  Another tip if you want black and white photographs is to choose arrangements with a mixture of flower varieties as single variety arrangements can look dull and uninspiring when photographed in black and white.
4. Are some flowers better for outdoor weddings then others? All flowers can work as part of outdoor arrangements and your florist will take steps to ensure they will survive the elements.  Here your ideas need to focus not so much on the flowers but the way the arrangements are structured and you need to think about how your flowers will work with your setting rather than fight against it.
5. What alternative container ideas could I consider as a change from traditional vases for my table centers? When it comes to table centers you can use just about anything!  Take inspiration from your wedding style or theme and think about vessels that coordinate.  Table centers have been arranged in everything from wicker baskets and jam jars, to tea cups and vegetable crates.

By Georgina Clatworthy

Fall provides a stunning array of colors for a wedding and fall wedding flowers are no exception.  This season in particular is abundant with rich tones accented with evergreen foliage. 

Bouquets:

For a later fall wedding choose a simple bouquet of hand tied ‘Grand Prix’ roses, viburnum berries and painted twigs or for a bigger statement choose ‘Grand Prix’ roses dotted with viburnum berries.  For a less formal bouquet choose a hand tied design with fall wedding flowers such as ‘Black Barraca’ and ‘Grand Prix’ roses, anemones, skimmia, oak leaves and red robin.

Table Centerpieces:

Choose vessels such as earthenware pots and bowls, plain china or clear glass vases.  Use fall flowers such as roses, sedum, ivy and wired miniature apples to surround a pillar candle or make a trio of arrangements for each centerpiece, with each vase containing one variety of flower – try combinations of ‘Aladdin’ tulips, ranunculus and anemones.  Line a box vase with aspidistra leaves and add ‘Grand Prix’ and ‘Milva’ roses, guilder rose, celosia, leucospermum and hard ruscus for a pretty fall inspired display, complete the arrangement with feathered butterfly picks which could be used as decorations for your wedding favors too.

Echo the fruitfulness of the season by filling glass vases with red apples and red colored granules.  Top with coordinating flowers such as velvety red roses and seasonal berries for an inexpensive table centerpiece.  If you want to create a wedding centerpiece to wow your guests use square bowls placed one on top of the other for a tiered effect and fill with ‘Grand Prix’ roses and artificial cherries.

Other fall wedding flowers include:

• ‘African Dawn’ roses
• Clove carnations
• Abutilon
• Acer palmatum

By Georgina Clatworthy

The cold crisp air of winter makes a perfect foil for an elegant monochrome scheme of winter wedding flowers.  Add some drama to your wedding day flowers by accenting classic white flowers with black details for a look which will suit both town and country weddings.  You may not think that winter has much to offer by way of stunning blooms but you could be pleasantly surprised!

Bouquets:

Whites, ivories and creams are the palette of choice for most winter brides so try a hand tied bouquet of white avalanche roses dotted with pearls and crystals or use ‘Atiko’ roses accented with black lace strips and crystals.  If you would like something a little more exotic then a wired bouquet of white phalaenopsis orchids is stunning, or go for a hand tied bouquet of white calla lilies studded with black gems and pearls.

Table Centerpieces:

Crystal makes the perfect vessel for wedding centerpieces or try plain glass vessels.  Use a plain glass bowl and fill with pearls and crystal beads, add in some white avalanche roses and stud with more crystals and pearls for a wintery arrangement.  Use white avalanche roses with eucharist lilies, bouvardia, ‘crystal blush’ calla lilies, hydrangeas, asters, senecio and eucalyptus for an elegant display arranged in tall crystal vases.

For something simple use plain black bowls and fill with avalanche roses or if you want to add some glitz to your wedding tables use mirrored boxes filled with calla lilies, eucharis and phlox, dotted with pretty white dove picks.  Make up individual flowers and doves to use as decorations on your wedding favors too.

Other winter wedding flowers include:

• Anemones
• Pittisporum
• White peonies
• Cineraria Leaves

By Georgina Clatworthy

The summer bride is spoilt for choice when it comes to choosing her summer wedding flowers.  This season in particular presents a wide variety of blooms in a rainbow of colors and at this time of year, flowers are at their best.

Bouquets:

Go for hand tied bouquets with a wonderful summer palette of pinks, yellows and vibrant greens.  Try a combination of ‘Esperance’ roses, ‘Duchess’ peonies, freesias and ranunculus for a fragrant posy.  Or a pretty summer bouquet of ‘Snow Girl’ and ‘Dr Fleming’ peonies with ‘rosalind’ roses.  For the ultimate summer wedding bouquet and one with the true fragrance of the season, use a combination of colorful sweet peas and poppies.

Table Centerpieces:

For these types of arrangements summer wedding flowers offer an abundance of choice especially with your color palette. Try ‘Sweet Avalanche’ roses with spray roses, ranunculus, jasmine and hydrangeas or for something more vibrant use ‘Amalia’ roses, bouvardia, peonies, astilbes and eucalyptus.

An elegant arrangement of white ‘Aspen’ and ‘Artemis’ roses in a white basket makes a beautiful centerpiece for any style of wedding or stick with a palette more reminiscent of the summer season and use white and pink ‘Sweet Avalanche’ and ‘Cezanne’ roses with ‘Mimi Eden’ spray roses, hypericum, eucalyptus and hard ruscus.

For a more elaborate table center choose ivory colored bird cages and have them filled with ‘English’ and ‘Bartzella’ peonies, sweet peas, bouvardia and gardenia leaves for an eye catching and fragrant display.

Floral Decorations:

Many couples will use the good weather of the season to have an outdoor wedding and flowers can be a big decorative feature in your chosen setting.  Have heart shaped wreaths crafter with ‘Juliet’, ‘Rosalind’, ‘Patience’ and ‘Miranda’ roses, fragrant marjoram, pittosporum, rosemary, eucalyptus, ruscus and lavender.

Other summer wedding flowers include:

• ‘Pink Piano’ roses
• Pistachio leaves
• ‘Cherry Brandy’ roses
• Salal and bear grass

By Georgina Clatworthy

One of the best ways of choosing your wedding flowers is to coordinate them to the time of year in which your wedding will take place.  Not only does this give you a wonderful seasonal color palette to work with, it also presents you with seasonal flowers that will be cheaper on your budget.  Spring wedding flowers present the perfect palette of fresh colors such as blue, lemon-yellow and ivory.

Bouquets:

Choose hand tied bouquets of spring flowers such as narcissi, freesias, or lily of the valley.  If you would like more varieties of flowers in your bouquet try combinations of ivory roses, agapanthus and lavender or mix white hyacinths with lilac colored muscari flowers.  Ask your florist to sprinkle your bouquet with swarovski crystal topped pins to mimic the pretty spring morning dew drops.

Table Centerpieces:

Choose simple designs such as plain glass, china or even card box vases filled with spring wedding flowers such as ivory roses, germini and carnations or choose a color palette of lilac and purples with lisianthus, fressias and eucalyptus.  For something more elaborate why not use tiered cake stands and fill each section with a different flower?  Try ivory roses, hydrangeas, narcissi and fragrant chamomile.

Other Arrangements:

Combine the flowers you have used in your bouquet and table centers for other arrangements such as those used at your ceremony and to the entrance of your wedding reception venue.  Choose some fragrant varieties also which will give your guests a beautiful scent of spring each time they pass by.

Don’t forget your buttonholes and corsages which should include the same flowers as you have used in your bouquet – particularly for the groom.  Use ivory rose petals for your flower girls baskets and coordinate your bridesmaids posies with the color of their dresses.

Other spring wedding flowers include:

• ‘Akito’ roses
• Gentian