The price of flowers isn't always transparent when thinking about how much your wedding flowers are going to cost. This post aims to answer your most asked questions when it comes to the cost of your wedding flowers and how best to approach florists to get the ball rolling.
I often get asked as a florist, 'how much is a bridal bouquet?' And the truth is, it's a question I'm unable to answer without first asking some questions of my own. There are many factors that come into pricing flowers, especially when it comes to wedding flowers. A large bouquet of Bird of Paradise will cost much more than a small bouquet of Chrysanthemums because they vary wildly in stem cost and the size of design is different.
Things you need to consider are:
- Seasonality (Peonies will cost much more at the beginning and end of their season because they are scarcer during this time)
- Stem Length (The taller the stem, the longer it took to grow, the more it costs)
- Arrangement Size (More flowers and taller stems equals a higher price)
- Flower Choice (Flowers range in price which is dependent on many factors)
- Stem Count (More flowers equals more money)
- Colour (Certain colours are rarer and so cost more)
The cost of wedding flowers also depends on how many arrangements and displays you wish to have.
Here in Manchester in the UK, after covid the trend to go DIY and save on those pennies became a popular option. Many couples either couldn't afford to go crazy with flowers or weren't having many guests so venue flowers seemed pointless. In this instance, couples scaled back on décor flowers, instead, opting for a bridal bouquet and buttonhole only.
On average a bridal bouquet will range from anywhere between £80.00 and £150.00. A buttonhole between £12.00 and £20.00. If your flowers are really small with common, medium quality stems then expect to pay less. If your flowers are on the larger scale with premium exotic flowers, expect to pay more. It's as simple as that.
In the last 5 years the price of flowers here in the UK has risen. Higher import costs plus rising energy prices have been a factor in this. Most florists can't afford to swallow these costs and must therefore pass this increase on to their customers.
The overall average price of wedding flowers in Manchester ranges from £1,000 to £3,000. This is based on all the weddings I've catered for in my own business as well as others over the last 5 years. This includes designs such as having a bridal bouquet, buttonholes, bridesmaid bouquets, table flowers and venue flowers. For the full package, you're looking at the higher estimate and don't forget that any businesses that are VAT registered will also have to charge 20% on top of that figure. If you're looking to go really crazy with your flowers (think floral arches and walkways, overhanging's and large scale installations) then you're looking at thousands if not tens of thousands.
Why are wedding flowers so expensive?
The reason wedding flowers are more expensive than your usual florist bought flowers is because much more time and effort goes into creating wedding flowers. The stems we buy from our growers for weddings are also the most impeccable stems available, and these cost more. The cost even sometimes quadruples per flower for us to buy these luxurious quality stems. Not just that but we also have to buy extras and in bulk. Often, flowers arrive damaged, or aren't the superior quality you expected to receive, they might come with slight defects on a few of the flowers. This is why we buy more than we intend to use, to ensure every flower is perfect.
You'll also find that many florists will have a minimum spend for weddings and events. This is for the above reason. Everything we buy has to be in bulk. If you only want a bouquet and buttonhole, the florist will be left with a lot of high quality stems that they just wouldn't be able to sell in store at regular retail prices. This means they would only break even by doing the job for you, or even worse, come out at a loss.
Remember, flowers are a luxury product.
Let's face it flowers aren't cheap. Someone once said to me 'but they grow in the ground!' and I exclaimed 'so do diamonds!'. There's so much that goes into providing luxury flowers. All the way from the growing stage to the harvesting stage, to transportation to arranging. Throughout this whole process these fragile fresh products have to be cared for and protected so that stay in tip top condition. Plus, this is all done in the quickest time possible. As soon as they're cut, they start to perish and it's a race against the clock to get them to you, the customer.
Who should I trust to provide me with the best flowers?
If you want a florist that is experienced, who you can trust, and who is going to take the time to create florals that represent your personality, then you must expect to pay for this service. Florists spend years learning new skills and perfecting their craft. You may not realise it if you don't buy flowers very often but it is a skilled practice that isn't as easy as it first seems. Imagine an artist that has to keep their work alive and is also constrained by time to get their work finished before it perishes.
To ensure your florist is a good one, check out their reviews and their previous work. Look at their portfolio of work, do they do different styles and designs? Make sure they have range and aren't just carbon copying every wedding. Are they qualified? What form of accreditation do they have? Most importantly, have they adapted their skill set to be able to do sustainable floristry that is foam free? On an accredited floristry diploma, foam designs, even though hazardous and full of micro plastics, are still a staple part of the curriculum.
Getting a quote
Don't be put off by florists who charge for quotes. Time is money and this is a good sign that your florist wants to give you their time and full attention. At Sweet Bud Florals we charge £20.00 for quotes which comes off of our clients deposit. This means it is essentially free if they intend to go ahead and use us as their florist. We only look for clients that really appreciate our work and the service we provide and so, the majority of the clients we work with are happy to pay this fee.
Do's and Don'ts when contacting florists for weddings
Here are a few pointers to consider when reaching out to florists regarding wedding flowers...
DON'T
- Contact on the day - This happens more than you might think. Just last week I had a customer call asking for a rose bridal bouquet for the same day. Unless it's a very popular high street florist, it's very unlikely a florist would be able to pull a bridal bouquet out of the air for the same day. Most clients contact their florist well in advance, sometimes even up to 2 years in advance. This works best to ensure availability, however I have done weddings with just 2 weeks notice. It's always best not to risk it though!
- Send copy and pasted emails with an itemised breakdown, asking for a quote - This screams that you only care about looking for the cheapest option and it will be a huge red flag to the florist. Instead, find a florist who you really like the look of and book in for a consultation with them. You can always ask about their average prices in advance if you're concerned it's going to be out of your budget and a waste of time. But please don't waste their time by asking for them to quote every single design and then not use them.
- Keep making changes - If you're not sure about the kinds of flowers you want or the colour scheme for instance, but you really want a certain florist to do your wedding flowers. The best thing to do is pay the deposit to book your date and hold off contacting your florist regarding designing until you are sure about what you want. Every time you make even the slightest change, your create unpaid work for your floral designer. To combat this many florists will place clauses in their wedding terms and conditions. This will usually state how many changes you are allowed to make or when the deadline is for any changes. I prefer to keep it more relaxed than that but just don't be a bridezilla eh?
DO
- Give the florist a budget to work with - If you're concerned about costs, don't be afraid to give the florist a budget that you would like to stick to. They will do what they can to provide you with the best according to your budget. If it's not possible then they will let you know and explain why. Often arrangements can be scaled down to give you a cheaper option that is still as beautiful.
- Send Pics! - Send your florist as many inspiration images as you possibly can. This will help your florist narrow down what kind of style you want to go for. Think about your colour scheme, flower choice and size of arrangement. Just try not to have photo references that wildly differentiate in style, colour and stem choice. This can overwhelm your florist and make it even harder for them to figure out what you're looking for.
So, if you're Manchester based and are looking for a wedding florist, hopefully this will give you all the info you need to know before contacting your favourite floral designer. If you're a florist looking for clients then I hope this will also give you a few things to think about when working with potential clients.
Overall when thinking about costs I think what you should take from this, is that flowers aren't cheap. Unless you're happy to go DIY and grow your own or buy some cheap stems from a supermarket, wedding flowers are going to cost you a fair bit. But if you want something truly spectacular and want the job doing right, a good florist can make all the difference to your wedding. They will do their magic and work really hard to give you the most incredible, captivating flowers that make all your guests go wow!
Photo's from L&C's Wedding 2024