Flowers-what to do with a small budget???

Hi. Our wedding is in August and our budget is what I think to be small compared to the average LI wedding being $25,000. I am a recent college grad who is also unemployed...anyway, our flower budget is small and while I don't want to skimp out, I also don't want to spend an arm and a leg on something that will die or be thrown out the next day...and you never really hear about guests complaining (and they will always complain ) that the flowers didn't make you want to dance or that the centerpieces didn't taste like your cousins...if you get my drift. However, I still want flowers and I know not to skimp out on my bouquet, but any ideas??? Please help...

Re: Flowers-what to do with a small budget???

what if you do fake flowers? of spend your flower budget on really nice bo-k and for centerpieces do candels .. and if you really want the flower feel put fake rose petals on the table. I know what you mean I am the same way about the budget.. I have been stressing the flower thing myself. esp since everything I love is so damn expensive!!

Re: Flowers-what to do with a small budget???

Some halls include the centerpieces in your package!

Also you can do some alternative centerpieces using candles and rose petals or something like that!

Depending on the size of your bridal party this can also keep the cost down and you can forgo church arrangements (if you are getting married there) as honestly I dont see the point of them becuase no one notices the flowers you have at the ceremony!

Re: Flowers-what to do with a small budget???

oh that was another thing I wanted to tell you. You know how when you go to see the hall and they have it set up for a 'wedding' and they have those fake centerpieces.. see what the hall says mine threw them in the contract for free if I wanted to use them.. you just have to make sure the guests wont take them home!

Re: Flowers-what to do with a small budget???

Stick with flowers that are in season...go smaller - not necessarily skimpy - more along the lines of clean, simple and elegant.

Maybe think outside the box and go with a lot of candles with minimal flowers. Use ivy instead of other greenery filler.

Meet with a talented florist who can work with you and within your budget. I (obviously since I booked him) think John of Flower Michele is phenomenal and is talented enough to work with you to create something beautiful instead of just stuffing a lot of greenery-filler to cut cost.

Good luck!

Re: Flowers-what to do with a small budget???

I agree with that. I would concentrate your budget on a nice bo-k for you and one real nice arangement for a table like the cake table...and do some dort of candle thing, or a potted plant or something for the tables.

Re: Flowers-what to do with a small budget???

I am in the same boat as you! I am employed, but have only been out of college since Dec. 2002. We also have the same budget and I am having over 200 guests! That means over 20 tables! So to save money I am doing my own centerpeices. They are going to be hurricane glasses with a pillar candle inside and rose petals and votives around them on the table. Probably going to be about $15 per table. Now I can get nice flowers for the bouquets!

Re: Flowers-what to do with a small budget???

My hall has centerpieces in the package and they are real, fresh flowers! I am choosing to upgrade them but I was was very budget minded they are more than adaquate!

Re: Flowers-what to do with a small budget???

Julz where are you getting your hurricanes? how big are they? I found ones... a little expensive but they are HUGE and really nice... even though they are costing me a little more its still less then a big thing of flowers would : )

Re: Flowers-what to do with a small budget???

talk to the florist and expln that you are on a budget... maybe you can get less flowers per centerpiece... or have smaller bo-ks... there is always room for flexibility... like I am only have 24 flowers per centerpiece where I think a lot of people have more than that. I think Flowers by Emil is good with a budget. I booked Pedestals and found their prices to be good as well. Good Luck

Re: Flowers-what to do with a small budget???

Thank you all for the imput. I am totally reading Martha Stewart Weddings and am getting some awesome ideas for everything BUT the flowers because she has the BEST of everything...grrrr...but thank you all for the imput...it helps! and as a side, i always thought that i would be a candle centerpiece kind of girl, but i was told, and it makes sense, that in august, candles may make the room really hot (told by the caterer who has nothing to do with the flowers). It is funny how the bride you thought you would be is not the bride you are turning out to be...anyone else feel that way...for instance, i never thought i would be veil girl, but when i put one on, wow, i loved it.

Re: Flowers-what to do with a small budget???

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Posted by Soon2bMsZ

Julz where are you getting your hurricanes? how big are they? I found ones... a little expensive but they are HUGE and really nice... even though they are costing me a little more its still less then a big thing of flowers would : )

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They are not really hurricanes, more like a vase shaped like a hurricane! They are pretty big too! I got them from Michaels onsale for half price. Only $1.99 each

Re: Flowers-what to do with a small budget???

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Posted by cocoa

but i was told, and it makes sense, that in august, candles may make the room really hot (told by the caterer who has nothing to do with the flowers). It is funny how the bride you thought you would be is not the bride you are turning out to be...anyone else feel that way...for instance, i never thought i would be veil girl, but when i put one on, wow, i loved it.

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I never heard such a thing - doesn't your place have a/c? My CPs (10-12 tables) have 5 pillar candles in them...I'm getting married Labor Day weekend and no one ever mentioned a thing about that!

As for your last comment - DEFINETLY! I was adamant about finding a simple, plain, strapless, modified a-line without a veil...and I went totally different & love it!

Re: Flowers-what to do with a small budget???

I love the idea of candle centerpieces. I'm having bo-ks of in-season flowers and votives. A friend of mine had plants and hurricanes. If you put some thought into it you can defintely come up with something beautiful on the cheap. Candles give and element of romance that flowers sometimes can't provide. My cousin had nice centerpieces and I know she was on a strict budget. It was a square badket with little purple plants in plastic containers. They were packed so tight all you saw were the purple buds.

Re: Flowers-what to do with a small budget???

Check out Donald Hedgecock - I'm getting all my flowers for $870 and that's 12 upgraded centerpieces and a 20 person BP. I've heard of people getting $15 centerpieces from him (10 tulips).

For DIY, get the book 'Wedding Flowers you can make yourself' and check out the suppliers on my budget vendor page:

Budget Vendor webpage

Good luck!

Re: Flowers-what to do with a small budget???

I went to pedistals last night and I personally think their prices were a little outragous. They wanted $100 for a basic cake decoration with roses. Now we all know their is no way they are going to stick $100 worth of roses on a cake.
My sister used Flowers by Burton in may for her wedding she had 5 more girls than me and 5 more tables and she paid less than what pedistals quoted me.

Another thing all the flower vendors are tell me is that Roses are a lot cheaper than other flowers so if you want a little cheaper go with the roses.

Re: Flowers-what to do with a small budget???

Do low lying centerpieces. Stick with flowers that are in season. Go simple.

How many centerpieces do you need?

Re: Flowers-what to do with a small budget???

I am also in the same boat as far as a flower budget. My worst case scenario is to have a ton of tapered candles and rose petals spread around the table. I don't think it is so bad. I saw this at a wedding and it was lovely. Also, you could do low flowers- I saw a bunch of roses and it was lovely.

Re: Flowers-what to do with a small budget???

Roses are budget friendly. So maybe you can stick with a small centerpeice in a bubble bowl. Negotiate free rose petals (most places include for free anyway).
And for your bouquet, think about holding a few strands of orchids. It should only run you about $75.

Check out the Flower district in manhattan. The florists on LI go there to buy flowers, so if you go there yourself, you can cut out the middle man.

BTW, what is your budget for flowers? I don't mean to be nosy, but maybe we can give you more suggestions.
Hope this is helpful.

Re: Flowers-what to do with a small budget???

I would say get a smaller centerpiece and add votive candles or long tapers.