How to Save Money on Wedding Flowers

Depending on the style you’re going for, chances are there’ll be a vast array of different flower arrangements at your wedding. The list includes bouquets, centrepieces, boutonnières, welcome arrangements, altar arrangements, bridesmaids bouquets, wedding cake flowers… and the list goes on from there. There’s nothing quite as lovely as wedding flowers and the joy and happiness they bring.

The trouble is, while wedding flowers are beautiful and plentiful,  they can quickly become expensive. In the UK, couples spend an average of around £1,000 on wedding flowers, which is rather a lot when you also consider that the average overall cost of a wedding is £19,184.

But, is it possible to get cheap wedding flowers while not compromising on quality? Many couples won’t have a budget anywhere near the national average or want to spend a grand on flowers, and that’s okay – there are still plenty of options out there for you.

In this post, we’re going to take a look at all the ways you can save money on wedding flowers while still making sure that your venue is bursting with beautiful blooms.

Why do couples pay so much for wedding flowers?

A wedding is a fabulous occasion, and like many celebrations, flowers are the go-to decorative item for adding colour, luxury and elegance. Flowers are also a popular symbol of love, which is why they’re so perfect for a wedding.

As a result, many couples love to use flowers throughout their big day, from the moment their guests arrive at the ceremony to the moment they leave the reception. And because they play such a prominent role, the price of wedding flowers can be somewhat on the high side.

But why exactly are they so expensive? There are plenty of reasons why you may pay a premium for wedding flowers, which is all information you can use to your advantage to save some money (which we’ll get to shortly):

• Volume – From bouquets to boutonnières, many different flower arrangements feature in a wedding
• Quality – When it comes to weddings, florists often use the crème de la crème of flowers
• Availability – Most flowers are seasonal, particularly in the UK, so it can be expensive to import certain flowers
• Expertise – Florists use their skill and experience designing wedding flowers
• Time – Wedding flowers often take a lot of time to design and arrange
• Delivery – Your florist will need to deliver and set up your flowers at the venue

Do you need flowers at your wedding?

Whether or not you have flowers at your wedding is entirely your decision. It all depends on your budget, your style and – ultimately – your preference. While there’s nothing written in stone that says you need to have flowers at your wedding, your guests will likely notice it if you choose not to have them.

Flowers are one of the biggest wedding traditions there is, and the pure presence of flowers denotes elegance and love. That being said, there could be several reasons for not wanting to have flowers at your wedding, for example, due to allergies, or you simply aren’t interested in anything floral. And that’s okay, you can still have a beautiful wedding without so much as a petal being anywhere near your venue.

15 ways to save money on wedding flowers

Wedding flowers are a big expense, but they’re a non-negotiable for many couples. If you do choose to have flowers at your wedding, but don’t want to spend an amount even close to the UK average, then there are ways around it. Below are 15 ways you can save money on wedding flowers.

1. The bigger the better

Choose flowers with big heads. Not only do they look stunning, but the bigger the flowerhead, the fewer stems you need to fill out an arrangement. That means you’ll also spend a lot less money.

For example, for every peony or hydrangea you have in an arrangement, you would need two or three roses to fill up the same amount of space. The bigger the flowers, the less you’ll spend in the long run.

2. Avoid popular flower choices

Flowers like roses, carnations and tulips symbolise love, which makes them popular choices for floral arrangements. That means they can also be quite pricey. Instead, why not consider flowers that are both beautiful and aren’t commonly seen at weddings, such as chrysanthemums, daisies and Peruvian lilies?

3. Be creative with your bridesmaids

Be a trendsetting bride and instead of full bouquets, give your bridesmaids corsages to wear on their wrists or boutonnières to fix onto a neckline or waistband. It will leave their hands free (to fluff out your dress if need be) and provide the perfect accessory for their outfits. Not to mention it will save you a lot of money, especially if you have four or five bridesmaids.

4. Choose the perfect position for your flowers

Use flowers as your focal points. Positioning some at the bar and on the central table will draw the eye and let you get away with much smaller pieces on the other tables. This will make the room seem full to the brim with floral decoration, whereas actually, you’ve just been super clever with how you use them. Even big flower arrangements can get lost if they’re not positioned in a way that works for them and the space, so smaller arrangements can have a big impact if carefully placed.

5. Less is more

We may have already said how bigger blooms are better, but doing the opposite is also a great way to save some money. Instead of having big bunches of flowers on every table, try putting single stems in elegant and tall vases as eye-catching centrepieces. Because of the impressive height, the room still looks decorated throughout, but this way you use fewer stems and your guests will be able to truly appreciate the flowers you’ve chosen.

Roses are fabulous flowers that work well like this, but speak to your florist about which flowers will work best for your budget.

6. Switch petals for paper

Did you know you can still have flowers even if you don’t want real ones? Switching real flowers for faux or paper-made flowers works a treat and can cost less than the real deal. For an extra touch of personalisation you can also tie this back to your wedding theme by making flowers from pages out of your favourite book or sheet music from your wedding playlist.

To save even more cash, why not have a stab at making the flowers yourself? It’s not like they’ll wilt over time, so if you start early enough you should be able to make plenty. There are loads of paper flower tutorial videos on YouTube to get you started.

7. Double up

After the wedding ceremony, your bridesmaids won’t have much use for their bouquets, so why not make them work extra hard and reuse them at the reception? Place them at certain focal points, or even use them as centrepieces on some of the tables. It’s unlikely that your guests will even notice!

8. Choose flowers that are in season

The time of year you’re getting married can have a big influence over the cost of your flowers, particularly if there are specific flowers you have in mind, because seasonality plays a huge part in cost. For example, peonies, when not in season, can be four times more expensive than roses. This includes cabbage roses that look almost exactly the same.

To keep costs down, choose flowers that are in bloom during the time of year when your wedding is taking place, for example:

• Spring: tulips and snapdragons
• Summer: freesias and irises
• Autumn: roses and dahlias
• Winter: poinsettias and amaryllis

9. Choose a venue with floral beauty

You might not even have to spend much money on flowers if you choose a venue that has plenty of floral beauty of its own. An inner-city hotel might need a little extra help in the flower department, whereas a countryside manor will likely have landscaped gardens, wonderful artwork and stunning decor which means you don’t need to rely on flowers to add any additional beauty.

For a bit of inspiration, check out our post on 35 beautiful outdoor wedding venues in the UK.

10. Do you really need boutonnières and corsages?

Depending on the number of groomsmen and bridesmaids you both have, one thing that bumps up the cost is the number of boutonnières and corsages you’ll need. Two ways to reduce costs is by cutting them altogether or getting creative to bring those costs down. Why not design your own with faux or paper flowers? Or you could pick them up for less than £2 each by using a website like TEMU or Wish.

11. Go green

While flowers are beautiful and vibrant, the more you have in an arrangement the more you’ll have to pay. So, why not fill some of that space with a little greenery, instead? More greenery, like ruscus and baby’s breath, brings new textures and shapes to an arrangement and accentuates the flowers so they pop even more. Not to mention it will help keep the costs of your flowers down. Win win!

12. Consider dried flowers

Dried bouquets are versatile and unique, and work whether you’re going for a vintage or more modern style at your wedding. They’re also more affordable due to the fact they last far longer than fresh flowers. Not only that, but you’ll be able to take them home afterwards and they’ll last for months, or even years.

13. Use your green fingers in the garden

Fancy yourself as something of a gardener with well-attended flower beds at home? If so, why not put together some arrangements of your own? Or, if you’re not quite that adventurous, you could take just a few single stems, such as from a rose bush, to use in tall vases that would work as simple, yet elegant (and highly personal), centrepieces.

14. Choose a local florist

When searching for a florist to design your flower arrangements for your wedding, make sure you choose one that is local to you. If you choose one based on price alone, you may be in for an unwelcome surprise when it comes to the cost of delivery and setup. Make sure you double-check the catchment area of the florist you hire so you don’t pay any additional delivery costs.

The only exception to this rule is if your wedding is taking place in London. Hiring a London-based florist is often more expensive than hiring one from outside the capital. So, we recommend comparing prices to see if it’s worth hiring one that has to travel a little further, as it could save you money. Just remember to get plenty of quotes and weigh up which offers the best value for money.

Browse our huge range of florists and find fantastic floral experts close to you.

15. Sweep the supermarket

Pretty much all of the big-name supermarkets sell wonderful flowers, and if you (or someone you trust with the job) get there early enough on the day, you’ll have a huge selection to choose from. You might not want a bunch of supermarket flowers as your bouquet, but they’re perfect as welcome flowers or to feature as table centrepieces. Plus, they’re so much cheaper than the flowers that you’d get from a florist, making them a perfect choice for couples on a tight budget.

Save money by planning your wedding with Bridebook

At Bridebook, we have all the tools, tips and information you need to plan your big day and save money. Sign up today and start your planning journey!

Browse other similar articles:

• How Much Do Wedding Flowers Cost? The 2023 Average Revealed
• The Ultimate Wedding Budget Breakdown
• How Much Does a Wedding Cost? The 2023 UK Average
• Introduction: Your Wedding Budget
• Hidden Wedding Costs Every Couple Needs To Know About
• Wedding Etiquette: Who (Traditionally) Pays For What?

Happy Planning!