Professionally styled wedding flowers look amazing but they can cost a lot.
The American Association of Bridal Consultants says the average bride will spend about $1800 on flowers, including $366 for centerpieces, $287 in reception décor, $298 for ceremony decorations and $134 for corsages and boutonnieres, as well as $139 for the bridal bouquet.
Many brides are taking a “Do-It-Yourself” (DIY) approach to wedding flowers. That means making your own bouquets, centerpieces and floral decorations.
The most popular floral projects are usually fairly simple, yet stylish. If you use fresh flowers purchased from a flower supply store or your local florist, you’ll have to prepare the arrangements, bouquets and boutonnieres close to the wedding, like the night before or the morning of the big day. Be sure to get help from friends and family who have practiced the designs you want.
Another option is to use artificial flowers like silk blooms. With these fake flowers, you have more time to craft your arrangements. Plus using faux flowers means you won’t have to worry about wilting blooms or droopy designs.
Being a DIY bride can be a lot of fun but it’s also a lot of work.
“DIY projects can be helpful in sticking to your budget, but can be time consuming and may not always have optimal results,” says Amy Squires, co-owner of WeddingChicks.com, a wedding blog that has many DIY projects including flower garland, wreath-making, paper flower crafting, boutonniere-making, and DIY terra cotta pots.
“We highly recommend pricing out the actual cost of the DIY in addition to the estimated time to be sure it will work for you,” says Squires. “Practice makes perfect. It’s imperative that you practice so you know you can be successful and happy with the result.”
Websites like Pinterest have lots of floral inspiration but the projects can be a lot more complicated than they seem. Be realistic and don’t overwhelm yourself.
“Start small,” advises Squires. “Do your research and find a project that suits your needs and fits your style. Consider the boutonnieres or perhaps a centerpiece, or maybe a faux flower bouquet for your rehearsal dinner.”
Consider taking a flower arranging class at a local community college. You can learn practical flower design skills, which can save you lots of money if you end up doing your own arrangements.
Designing your own wedding flowers takes creativity, time and money. Done efficiently, it’s typically cheaper than hiring a pro to do the job for you.
How much you can save depends on how elaborate you want to get. For example, buying simple vases and filling them with a single rosebud is a lot cheaper than creating colorful centerpieces using a mix of fresh flowers arranged in vintage teapots.
No matter how affordable your supplies are, it’s a good idea to think about how much labor is involved, especially if you have to handle the assembly by yourself.
“We do know that time is money and peace of mind is worth its weight in gold,” says Squires.
Create your bridal bouquet and bridesmaid bouquets using fresh or artificial blooms. Make sure your do-it-yourself bouquets are well crafted. These designs, especially the bridal bouquet, are going to get lots of attention in person and on camera. A good choice is a bundle of roses, unified by stems wrapped in coordinating ribbons.
Add special flair to your bouquet by incorporating your something old, new, borrowed and blue, such as pinning your mother’s brooch to the arrangement or using your grandmother’s scarf as a fabric base for the bouquet.
Keep these floral arrangements simple. One flower, a little greenery, floral wire, floral tape and a pin are all it takes. Be sure to practice especially if you’re using real flowers. Fresh flower boutonnieres and corsages need to be refrigerated and ready-to-wear.Artificial flower designs can be done well in advance to ensure they’re just what you want.
These pieces are usually larger than any other wedding flowers but that doesn’t mean you can’t design something pretty and practical.
Tall colored wine bottles make great vases and can be filled with a few Gerber daisies, sunflowers, or calla lilies. Display mason jars with a sweet mix of fresh flowers. Succulents are another colorful choice that also add lots of texture to the table, plus they don’t wilt!
Use fresh fruits for colorful and edible decorations. A wire basket filled with bright lemons or green apples can be visually pleasing and very affordable, while a tall glass vase filled with colorful cranberries, grapes or blueberries looks stylish.
For seasonal weddings, use readily available items to create a table display, like an autumn variety of pumpkins, mini pumpkins and gourds; a mix of garland, pine sprigs and pine cones in December; pots of sunny daffodils in springtime or cheerful hydrangeas in summer.
Use fresh flowers that are in season to ensure you get a great price, compared to other blooms, which may be out of season and have to be shipped from across the country or the world.
Shop for inexpensive vases, jars and trays from a variety of sources, including craft supply stores, dollar stores and thrift shops. You might even have some of these items in your house, such as a mix of clear glass vases. Don’t worry if all the pieces don’t match – that’s part of the charm.
Consider using a mix of teacups and teapots for floral centerpieces. With the china as a unifying theme, colors and patterns can be different. Use vintage silver items from around your house as well. A serving tray for example can display candles and flowers.