Factors That May Affect the Cost of Your Wedding Flowers

Photo by Till Death Do We Adventure

A LARGE GUEST COUNT

A large guest count significantly impacts the cost of wedding flowers because it increases the volume of floral elements needed throughout the event. With more guests, the couple will likely need additional tables, each requiring a centerpiece or floral arrangement. Whether the centerpieces are elaborate or simple, the cost multiplies quickly as the guest count rises.

A larger guest count often means a bigger wedding party, including bridesmaids, groomsmen, flower girls, and sometimes extended family members. Each person traditionally receives a floral item like a bouquet, boutonnière, or corsage, which means more flowers, materials, and labor.

Each additional table, floral detail, and guest-facing installation means more flowers, time, and staffing. For large weddings, even small floral details add up, as the scale required to make a memorable impact is larger.

SEASONALITY AND LOCALLY SOURCED FLOWERS

Flowers that are in season locally are typically more abundant and less expensive. For example, peonies are widely available in spring and early summer and will be less costly in those months. Out of season, these same flowers might need to be imported from other regions or countries (like Holland or South America), significantly increasing the price due to shipping and import duties. Importing flowers not only raises the per-stem price but also adds shipping fees that factor into the final cost. This is especially relevant for couples with a strict color or flower preference that doesn’t align with the wedding date’s season.

In-season flowers are usually of higher quality and have a longer vase life because they haven’t been subjected to long-distance travel or storage. Fresher flowers are easier to work with, look fuller and healthier, and last longer at the event. Off-season flowers, on the other hand, may be less resilient, which sometimes requires florists to order extra stems to account for any blooms that don’t arrive in good condition.

Certain popular wedding flowers, like roses or dahlias, experience peak demand during wedding season (usually spring through early fall). Even if they’re in season, high demand can drive up prices, particularly around holidays like Valentine’s Day or Mother’s Day, when roses, for example, are at a premium. Conversely, choosing flowers that are less popular or that thrive in the season of the wedding can save on costs. Winter weddings, for instance, might take advantage of seasonal greenery and winter-blooming flowers like amaryllis or hellebores, which are more affordable in colder months.

Local growing conditions affect what blooms are readily available in each season. In the Pacific Northwest, for instance, spring brings tulips, lilacs, and ranunculus at lower prices, while late summer is great for dahlias. Flowers that thrive naturally in the wedding’s season are more economical because they don’t require as much artificial growing support, like heated greenhouses.

Seasonality also affects design options. With in-season blooms, couples have more flexibility with color choices and flower types, as florists can easily source fresh options. Out-of-season flowers limit choices and could mean higher costs for alternative options or custom orders, which can be more labor-intensive to arrange and source.

Opting for local, in-season flowers aligns with sustainable practices, reducing the carbon footprint associated with long-distance flower shipping. Some couples specifically seek out seasonal flowers to be environmentally conscious, which often costs less overall. Florists may even offer discounts for weddings that opt for all-local, seasonal flowers as it simplifies sourcing.

Photo by Leah Warner

Photo by Alixann Loosle Photography

TYPE OF FLOWER

Flowers that are less common or highly popular for weddings—like peonies, orchids, and garden roses—tend to be pricier. Their limited availability and high demand drive up costs, especially during peak wedding season. Flowers that are less common or highly popular for weddings—like peonies, orchids, and garden roses—tend to be pricier. Their limited availability and high demand drive up costs, especially during peak wedding season.

Flowers like proteas, anthuriums, and heliconias are tropical varieties that usually need to be imported, raising costs significantly. They also often require special handling due to their size and structure. Flowers like tulips and hyacinths, typically spring blooms, cost less when used in spring weddings but become much more expensive during off-seasons.

Checkered Fritillaria

Checkered Fritillaria

Hellebore

COMPLEXITY OF DESIGN

Complex arrangements like cascading bouquets, floral arches, or elaborate centerpieces often require more time and multiple layers of flowers, foliage, and wiring to achieve the desired shape and effect. Floral installations demand detailed handwork. Florists must often cut, wire, and arrange each bloom individually to maintain a stable, visually stunning arrangement. This precision work takes more hours to complete, increasing the labor cost. For weddings with multiple arrangements, maintaining a consistent design aesthetic takes extra planning and often multiple designers to create identical bouquets, centerpieces, and other floral pieces across the event space.

More elaborate installations often need specialized mechanics and support structures, such as arches, foam-free mechanics, or sturdy frames. These materials add to the overall expense and require skilled labor to assemble. Certain floral elements need to be installed on-site, especially for large installations like floral walls, arches, or ceiling-hung flowers. This requires transporting materials, setting up safely, and then taking everything down post-event. For weddings with both ceremony and reception flowers, the team may need to set up twice or move flowers from one site to another, adding labor costs and logistical expenses. Outdoor installations often come with their own unique challenges, like windproofing or providing extra support in case of inclement weather, which can add to both materials and time costs.

LOCATION AND TRANSPORTATION

If the wedding venue is far from the florist’s studio, transportation fees generally increase. For example, a wedding held in a remote vineyard, mountain lodge, or beach location requires longer travel times, potentially including additional mileage, tolls, and gas fees. Florists often charge extra to cover these logistics, especially when round-trip travel is involved. For weddings held in rural or hard-to-access locations, the florist may need to factor in the cost of larger vehicles or a team to handle transportation, especially if the arrangements are substantial or require special care during transit.

Most flowers are best set up close to the event time to maintain their freshness. For weddings in faraway locations, this may mean starting the delivery journey very early in the morning or the night before, adding to the florist’s labor costs. Some venues require same-day setup and teardown, creating time constraints that may require the florist to increase staff on-site, especially if the floral installations are complex. Venues with strict timelines often necessitate multiple team members to execute setup and takedown quickly, impacting labor and delivery charges.

Weather is another factor, especially for outdoor or partially covered venues. If weather conditions necessitate last-minute adjustments (like adding extra protection from sun or wind), florists may need to charge additional fees for on-site adaptability and the time required to ensure arrangements remain intact.

Some arrangements are too large or intricate to transport fully assembled, so florists may need to rent specific tools or vehicles, such as vans with shelving or larger trucks, to manage complex setups. This extra logistical need affects the overall price.

Some venues have restrictions on vehicle access or parking, particularly urban locations or historic sites. For instance, if the florist can’t park close to the entry, additional charges may apply for the extra labor required to carry flowers longer distances. If the venue has limited access windows, such as a narrow timeframe for unloading and setup, florists may need to adjust their plans or bring more staff to stay on schedule, impacting both labor and travel expenses.

Photo by Lauren Miles

Photo by Linden Wilson

SETUP AND BREAKDOWN

Setup and breakdown play a big role in the cost of wedding flowers because it can be a labor-intensive process, transportation and logistics can become increasingly complex as the difficulty, needs and quantity of flower arrangements increases, special equipment or installation might be required, there might be environmental and/or weather factors and the disposal and management of waste could all have affects on the cost of setup and breakdown.

For complex floral installations, the setup process is often time-consuming and requires a team of florists or assistants. Large floral arches, hanging installations, and tablescapes all require careful setup to ensure stability and the right aesthetic. Labor costs increase with the complexity of the setup, as detailed arrangements need skilled hands to assemble and secure everything on-site.

After the wedding, a team must return to take down arrangements, dismantle structures, and clear flowers, which requires additional labor. This often happens late at night, and florists may charge extra for late-hour breakdowns. Breakdown labor ensures the venue is left clean and ready for its next event, and this step requires just as much precision to avoid damaging rented equipment or the venue itself.

Transporting flowers to and from the venue often involves multiple trips to ensure everything arrives fresh and undamaged. Larger weddings may require multiple vehicles to transport florals, tools, and setup materials. If florists need to set up in remote locations or venues with challenging access, like a beach, forest, or rooftop, the logistics can become more complex, requiring additional resources and time. This also applies to breakdown if the florists have to transport everything back, especially with tight schedules at busy venues.

Many wedding venues have strict timelines for setup and teardown, meaning florists might need to bring in a larger team to meet these requirements in a limited time. These last-minute labor adjustments can add to the total cost. Some venues also have specific regulations for when flowers and decor can be brought in and removed. For example, if a venue requires teardown immediately after the event, the florist may charge a premium for working outside standard hours.

Large, elaborate installations like flower walls, arches, or hanging florals sometimes require special equipment like ladders, scaffolding, or floral structures, which add both time and expense. Florists must plan ahead for these needs and have the right team and tools to execute the design safely and effectively.

For outdoor weddings, florists may need to adjust the timing of their setup to avoid direct sun exposure, high wind, or other weather conditions. This may mean setting up close to the ceremony time, adding pressure to the setup team. Extra precautions like bringing protective covers, water sources, or temporary cooling systems might be needed to keep flowers fresh, especially in hot or rainy weather, further adding to setup costs.

The more elaborate or remote the wedding setup, the more these elements add to the final bill. These costs ensure the florals look fresh and vibrant and that the venue is left clean and intact.

LABOR

Labor is a significant part of the cost of wedding flowers, often comprising as much as 30-50% of the total floral budget. Initial consultations are time-intensive. Florists spend time understanding the couple's vision, color palette, theme, and floral preferences to design a cohesive plan. Florists often create mood boards, color schemes, and sometimes even mock-ups to confirm the design direction with the client, which adds to labor time well before the actual event.

Once the design is set, sourcing flowers involves coordinating with wholesalers, growers, or sometimes even directly with farms, especially if the couple wants specific flowers or colors. The process of processing flowers is extensive. Each flower requires unique, specific care, florists must remove thorns, strip leaves, trim stems, and condition each flower to ensure longevity and freshness. This laborious process often begins days before the event to allow blooms to open to the right stage for the wedding day.

The process of creating bouquets, centerpieces, and installations can take hours or even days, depending on the complexity and volume of arrangements. Large-scale installations, like floral arches or hanging arrangements, are labor-intensive and usually require a team of florists and assistants working together to bring the designs to life.

Maintenance labor may also be involved if flowers need to be refreshed or rearranged throughout the event (for example, moving ceremony florals to the reception area after vows). Intricate or custom designs, especially those that require precise placement of flowers or special techniques demand more time and skill, increasing the labor costs.

Labor is often underestimated in wedding floral pricing, but it’s a huge part of what creates a beautiful and seamless floral experience. The time, expertise, and attention to detail that go into each step of the process are what make a florist’s work stand out, and they’re essential for creating the kind of memorable, high-impact floral designs that couples envision for their weddings.