Budget Breakdown: Bouquets

Let’s talk about flowers ladies! Since I've been working on this post, I realized I don't know as much as I should about flowers. With the help of Charity from He Loves Me Flowers and my good ol' mama, who actually used to be a florist (I know you would think I would be better at this), I've come up with a lovely and informative post about selecting the perfect bouquet for your wedding day.

We all know flowers are a very important aspect of the wedding, and the price can be overlooked in the beginning. The truth of the matter is, flowers can be major part of the total budget. Of course, there are many aspects that can increase or decrease the cost of your floral arrangements, like type of flower, or season of the wedding. Today I'm breaking down the cost of bridal bouquets, and sharing some information I found along the way.

  $ = $70 - $110 

$$ = $110 - $180

 $$$ = $180+

1 | Succulents, dahlia, & carnation   2 | Succulents & peonies   3 | Red dahlias, wheat, hens and chicks, purple salvia & ranunculus

1 - $     2 - $$$      3 - $$

Quick note: you might recognize bouquet three if you've been with us for a while! It is the lovely arrangement from our styled shoot with Christine Bonnivier Photography and He Loves Me Flowers! Check it out!

It might have a funny long name, but a ranunculus is nothing short of gorgeous. The color range of a ranunculus makes it a great option for trying to work with a vivid color theme. The best time for ranunculus in your bouquet is between February and May. They are reasonably priced and work great by themselves or with other flowers.

1 | Milky Way Roses, hydrangea, seeded eucalyputs, & nigella  2 | Blue & green hydrangeas, blue delphinium, sea holly, lavender, dusty miller, hyacinth & berry  3 |  Blue delhinium, baby blue hydrangeas, ivory roses, freesia, & seeded eucalyptus foliage

1 - $     2 - $$     3 - $$$

If you are wanting to incorporate a more rustic look into your wedding, a variety of wild looking flowers can do just that. A very popular bouquet flower is hydrangea. Hydrangeas come in blue, burgundy, light pink, light blue, green, and white. The light blue and white versions are much cheaper than the others, but you can obtain the pricey colors if your florist is able to dye them. From spring to fall, these beautiful flowers can make or accentuate your bouquet for an excellent budget option. Another great perk - they take up a lot of space!

1 | Oceana, Sahara & Akito long-stem roses, football mums cremone, lisianthus, spray roses & camelias  2 | White peonies, white ranunculus, white freesia, sweet akito rose with white feathers & a broach  3 |  Astilbe, hydrangea, peony, garden rose, dusty miller & sweet pea vines

1 - $     2 - $$     3 - $$$

One of my favorite flowers is the peony! Peonies are great for bouquets, because they are full and lush, therefore you don't need as many to create a larger arrangement. However, they are pricey! As a budget breaker trick, we recommend using them in just your bouquet and keeping centerpieces, or wedding party bouquets slightly more basic. Peonies come in white, pale pink, magenta, and red. Their peak season is April through June, and can be harder to find in the off season. Truly a short period of availability, but completely worth it. They are fragrant and beautiful!

1 |  Football mums, pincushion protea, billy balls, & Dusty miller   2 | Yellow roses, billy balls, dusty miller   3 | Dahlias, china mums, white roses, billy balls & dusty miller

1 - $     2 - $$     3 - $$$

Well we can't talk about bouquets without talking about roses. In the language of flowers, a red rose means love, and that is what a wedding should be filled with. Roses! Oh, and love of course :). Obviously, the most well known wedding flower would have to be the rose. They are great because they come in an array of color and are available year round. They are easy to ship making them a great choice if your wedding is in a remote area or on a budget.

  

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I hope you now have a better idea of what kind of bouquet will not only work great for your wedding but also your budget. Keep in mind that all of these examples are based on a BRIDAL BOUQUET which are usually at least double what wedding party bouquets tend to run. So don't panic! If you still are not sure what type of bouquet you really want, I found a great site with plenty of pictures of all different types of bouquets: Bollea. 

My last piece of advice when it comes to bouquets is to choose a great florist. Going with the cheapest florist might seem like a good idea, but you don't want to pay for it on your wedding day. Different florists use different levels of quality flowers, you really get what you pay for when it comes to flowers and design work. We have some wonderful florists that we highly recommend. Feel free to reach out to us for suggestions. 

Now if the thought of flowers has stressed you out to the max, take a deep breath and check out alternative options, Eccentric Bouquets. 

-Rochelle ;)