Wedding Flowers Questions!?

Hi all, i am looking for some place that lists the average costs for certain flowers in the midwest based on the time of year and such. I am trying to decide which flowers will be the most economical out of the choices I want for my wedding. I am currently looking at Gerbera daisies, or Sweet Peas. Any help would be much appreciated! Thanks!
Wedding Flowers Questions!?
I worked as a floral designer in Minnesota for over 15 years. I would suggest you go to at least three different florists and ask for price quotes. Tell them you are on a budget and then see what they suggest. Very few flowers are grown locally in this area, so you won't save much by asking for local flowers. You will save by finding a florist who does good work at a reasonable price and who will suggest different ways to do things that will save you money.



However, to specifically answer your question, you probably don't want to ask for spring flowers like tulips, lilacs and lily of the valley unless they are blooming here. Gerberas are available most of the year, so you are safe with them. Also keep in mind that some flowers don't hold up well enough to be used in wedding bouquets because they wilt too fast or because their stems are to delicate.



Again, go check out some florists. Most, if not all of them will give you a quote at no charge and you don't have to tell them you are shopping around.



Have a great wedding!
Reply:Can't help so much for the prices etc but you may consider this...

If you are having your wedding at a place where another wedding will be held the same weekend, you may be able to share to cost of the flowers with the other wedding party.

My aunt once owned a business that specialized in flowers for wedding %26amp; wedding consulting. This was an option that some people do consider.

When my sister got married, her flowers were bought wholesale (b/c of aunt's license) but she still spent a small fortune on flowers that ended up at my place when everything was over.



Note on silk flowers...

They are Gorgeous, I still have my wedding bouquet and it looks just as good today as it did 10 years ago.

BUT, some churches will NOT allow the use of silk flowers. They may allow them in the reception hall but not in the sanctuary. If you start to think along those lines, clear it with your church before you invest the cash.
Reply:If you're looking for economical.....have you considered making your own arrangements out of silk flowers? Some look quite real(including the gerbera daisies, which I love) and they'll last forever so they make great gifts for your bridal party. Depending on your skills, they can be dramatic (huge bouquet) or simple....single or triple calla lilly (just wrap the stems together with silk ribboon and secure with decorative pins )for example. People may say "It's your wedding day, go all out" but flowers die and in the end it is you, the food and the music that people remember.
Reply:Call a wholesale florist.....they know market prices. If you are Columbus, Ohio there are two downtown. If you are near LA, the downtown flower market is very inexpensive. Farmer's markets also would be very inexpensive, especially if you could let them know in advance what you need.



On the other hand, it is your wedding....not a time to choose the cheapest flower, as it will be in the photos you show your grandchildren. Buy what moves you and you won't regret it.



Sweet Peas are very fragile and won't hold up even to the reception. Gerbera daisies are very bright and bold and would be difficult to match to a satin and sequined gown. Try to match the flowers to the rest the wedding starting with your dress. Roses are tough and available year round.(it takes quite a while to dethorn them). It may be better to go with just a few flowers rather than a massive bridal bouquet. Think a few white callas versus a 3 dozen rose bouquet by viewing bride's magazines for ideas.
Reply:Well...some things to think about...Sweet peas are wonderful, and so are gerbera daisies. However you will have to put wires in the daisies...like you would on most arrangements...and depending on how long your wedding is, they might look really bad by the end of it. Sorry....they do not last long, they brown....

Now as for the list of flowers....try calling a local florist and asking them where they buy there flowers, there should be a large market someplace. If you have any friends that business licenses they can get the flowers ( think of an open air market for just flowers )
Reply:Just a thought... for our wedding we did both fresh and silk flowers. the wedding party and my bouquet was all fresh, but all other corsages were silk, made nice momentos for the family, as they were able to keep their flowers.



If you have a Costco membership - they usually have beautiful fresh flowers. We talked to the supplier and got awesome prices and put in an order beforehand for what we wanted. Note: we were only able to get the flowers... we had help making putting arrangements together for our ceremony and reception.



Congrats and have a beautiful wedding day!
Reply:well, I just finished a wedding yesterday for a woman who wanted nothing but gerbera daisies, and she was on a SERIOUS budget. Just remember, daisies are a casual flower, so if you want a more formal wedding I would stick to sweet peas.