Want your blooms to steal the show without hijacking your entire wedding budget? Flowers are a pivotal part of making your big day look as beautiful as possible – so to find out how it’s done without spending that spare million stashed in your bank account (OK, without needing to hit up your bank for a ‘flower loan’), we decided to ask an expert. Enter Annastasia Grande from Grande Moments Wedding Events, who was lovely enough to spill all her secrets, just for you guys. You’re welcome.
image: http://www.weddingclub.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Screen-Shot-2015-03-26-at-12.33.36-pm.png
Image: Grande Moments
Which flowers would you recommend for brides looking to save but still create beautiful floral arrangements?
If you like a particular expensive flower, such as roses, don’t be put off because they may sound costly. You don’t need your entire bouquet to be just roses – you can fill in bouquets with flowers such as Lisianthus and Chryshanthemums and Carnations, which are all less expensive than roses. A combination of these with some foliage, like Dusty Millar and ivy, will look beautiful.
Another tip to remember is that the bigger the flower, the more space it will fill up in the bouquet. So sometimes the flower may cost a little more each stem, but if they have a big head on them you will need less flowers in total.
What tips do you have for brides who are choosing their florist?
Definitely shop around for a florist. You should be able to get an idea of average prices and availability for your wedding date by asking between three and five florists.
You don’t always have to go with the biggest florists to get the best price or the most beautiful bouquet. If you can find a florist who works from home, they won’t have the overheads that your regular florists have and therefore, they should be able to give you a better price.
If there is a local floristry school in your area, you can also ask for them to recommend a student that has graduated recently – they will give you an honest recommendation.
Image: Grande Moments
Does the timing of my wedding affect the cost of flowers?
It does. Sometimes the one thing that is overlooked is the time of year the bride orders her flowers. For instance, it is a beautiful time of year to have your wedding around February, however, the flowers are more expensive this time of year and the growers have very scarce pickings because of Valentines Day. Especially if you are looking at reds, pinks and whites, it can be very difficult to get bulk quantities for these colours from the growers up to two weeks before and two weeks after – and if you can get them, they will be at a higher price.
Also, always ask what time of year your florist or their wholesalers have their annual increase. Some do increase their prices, for example at the beginning of the year, this will impact the total cost of the flowers by the time your wedding day comes.
When will I have to pay for my wedding flowers?
Brides may not realise that sourcing the flowers for their wedding date sometimes can take between two and four weeks to get exactly what she wants. If the florist needs to pay a deposit to the grower/wholesaler to secure the order, this means the couple must have payments to the florist at this time as well. Some florists will require the full payment up to four weeks before the wedding date, and this is why.
Could the final price end up being higher than the original quote?
Often, brides don’t realise that after placing their order with their florist, some things can change by the wedding day. For example the flower or colour that may normally be available at that time of year may at the last minute not be available. This could be because the growers have had bad weather or their crops just haven’t bloomed as they would normally, or the colour has varied slightly. Your florist will always search around for an alternative supplier, but sometimes the difference will be that the colour may vary slightly, or just may not be possible, therefore an alternative will be recommended and this could then vary the end price.
Image: Grande Moments
What’s a way to save on wedding flowers that most brides don’t consider?
Ask your florist what the cost of delivering the flowers on the wedding day is (usually there will be two deliveries; one to the bride and her bridal party, and one to the groom and his party). If the bride can arrange for a family member to collect the flowers from the florist on the morning of the wedding, that is another saving off the total cost.
Any other cheeky saving tips?
Always, always ask your florist about a complimentary throwaway bouquet. Most florists will make up a throwaway bouquet from left over flowers that were ordered for the main bouquets. There are always flowers left over, therefore, they have already been paid for. Of course it won’t be identical to the main bridal bouquet as it could be a combination of what is left over, and it will also usually be smaller, but if you are not paying for the throwaway bouquet then this is another saving.
What flowers are you planning to use for your wedding?
