Realistic Expectations | Beautiful Bountiful Bouquets
Hello fellow Wedding Obsessioners, Obsessionists…Well, whatever we are called, we are a great community of those who love everything beautiful, when it comes to weddings.
For my next installment, I wanted to add to my “Realistic Expectations” series. Last May I discussed what one should expect centrepieces to cost here . This time, I thought it would be a great idea to talk about that beautiful bouquet a bride walks down the aisle with and what WO’s readers should expect them to cost.
Through Pinterest many brides are pinning many types of bouquets. From shabby chic and vintage, to elegant and luxurious, there are millions of choices to pin the hours away when doing searches through Pinterest, Google, etc. As much as we all love the beauty of flowers and how much they add to our wedding day, many brides have come into consultations saying that they love all of this but are completely unaware of what this will cost them.
So, to give you an idea of what bridal bouquets will cost on the big day, there is no better way to get it out there than by showing you examples.
( Ryan and Beth Photographers )
$270
I don’t know what it is about this bouquet, but it is one of my favourite FULLER bouquets from 2011. It is close to the average cost for bridal bouquets (that being $250 from averages of our clients) and contains all seasonally available flowers (it was created in October).
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( Capture It! Photography )
$225
This is one of the first bouquets we created under the brand “Akiko Floral Artistry”. I love it, because not only is it extremely SIMPLISTIC in it’s styling, but it’s timeless in it’s look. It also has a really unique flower called Saracenia. It is the flower in the middle that looks somewhat like a calla. It’s actually a flower that grows from ponds and shallow waters. Truly amazing, but one that is not on our weekly supplier lists often – therefore, it is more of a special order item. For that reason alone, having a specialty flower in this bouquet results in it being priced in the $200s.
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( Ryan and Beth Photographers )
$274
Here is another really fully bouquet. This bouquet could easily be priced over $300 if in place of the carnations, we used roses. This brings up the point that using less costly flowers as a substitution for some of the more expensive stems can not only save some money, but it can also create added texture to your bouquet.
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( Willow Lane Photography )
$364
As you have already noticed, this bouquet, although all monochromatically green and natural looking, is the most expensive bouquet shown. Why? Although it is full of a lot of moss and greens, it did in fact take a LONG time to create. Time is money. So, if you’re looking for an architecturally interesting bouquet, expect that it will be more of an investment.
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( Capture It! Photography )
$160
This bouquet is actually really unique, but the least priced option in the bunch. Why? Although it is also architecturally interesting, it is made quite easily with only 2 varieties of orchids and a total of 4 stems. Although Cymbidiums (the yellow orchid) are quite costly per stem, you are creating a full looking bouquet with just one stem. And, in case you are wondering, this bouquet is typically held at one’s side or front. It is held with the bamboo being placed horizontally in the bride’s hand. It’s a great bouquet to show movement as the bride walks down the aisle.
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( Just For You Photography / Picture That Photography )
$300
Finally, this might be a familiar bouquet as it was featured a few short weeks ago here on Wedding Obsession . This bouquet was actually made within a grapevine nest sourced at a local craft store. It was further accented with a second smaller bird nest atop the bouquet. Again, it is more monochromatic as with the other “green” bouquet featured above, however what causes the increase in price of this bouquet is not only the mechanics involved in creating it, but the accessories used. Whether using natural accessories as in this one, or having a really BLINGED out bouquet, accessories play a large role in the overall cost of one’s bouquet.
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I hope that these images gave you an idea of the factors that play an effect in the cost of one’s bouquet. If cost is a factor in selecting your bridal bouquet, here are some points to keep in mind when sitting down with your florist to discuss your bouquet needs:
Seasonality. Opt for flowers that are locally grown and available at that time of year. If you live in an area like us (Edmonton), there might not be much to choose from. However, your florist will know what flowers are grown nearby in other provinces that are great options. This will eliminate cost associated with suppliers importing flowers from the US, South America, Thailand, New Zealand, and Holland.
Variety. Another way to keep cost down is to choose a bouquet filled with flowers of one variety. This will eliminate the florist’s requirement to purchase various bunches of different flowers. When choosing a 0 bouquet filled with various flowers {although only a few stems of each variety will be used in your bouquet}, the florist may be left with the remainder stems of each variety to figure out what to do with. In many cases, florists have weekly requirements and quotas for their retail sales which most likely do not include flowers used in your wedding. If that is the case, expect that the florist will require the remainder stems to be used in your bridal party bouquets or elsewhere in your wedding order. Overall, this will drive the cost up somewhere. It might not be in your bouquet, but will be elsewhere in the wedding order.
Different Styling. As shown in the 5th image, great looks can be created that not only create that wow factor, but also are cost effective. As shown, you can get a great vertical bouquet that uses not only ‘luxurious’ flowers, but fewer of them. You can get an elegant look at an effective price point.
Accessories. If you want that glam bouquet filled and finished off with a lot of BLING or a bouquet created with lots of different elements such as fabric/paper flowers, feathers, and natural elements, expect to pay a higher price point. All of these items not only have to be sourced by your florist (unless you bring them in yourself), but also have to be secured to your bouquet in a fashion that will guarantee they stay put during the wedding day.
Well, until next time,
Happy Planning!
-Jennifer of Akiko Floral Artistry & Jennifer Pederson – Signature Florist
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