Seasonal Wedding Flowers: Sourcing Sentiments and Savings
When it comes to planning a wedding, most couples would agree that wedding flowers account for a large part of any budget. As such, it makes sense to seek out any opportunity to save money on wedding flowers. This allows any floral savings to be applied to another item on a couple’s to-buy list. However, does the desire to save money on flowers leave only cheap, less-than-perfect bouquets and centerpieces as the only budget-friendly options? No, especially if a couple understands that the advantage of floral seasonality often means not only getting the best wedding flowers at the best of the season, but also getting them within an established budget.
For many years, June reigned as the favored month for weddings, allowing June brides to wear dresses that accommodated the summertime weather, with bridesmaids following suit in pretty pastel dresses. However, as times have changed, so has the seasonal heat – with the summer sun of June replaced by the cooler temps of September and October as the preferred months in which to marry. This shift from summer to fall weddings has also impacted floral choices, and is now based on flowers in season in during fall and winter.
Even with brides preferring a fall wedding to a summer one, savings and sentiments can still be found. Cost-savvy couples are often advised to work with local florists to take advantage of seasonal floral availability, which can equate to increased value and decreased floral expenses. Among the most popular wedding flower choices for spring are peonies, lilacs, tulips, and garden roses. For the summer, it’s hydrangeas, clematis, scabiosas, and zinnias that top seasonal lists. In the cooler months of fall, brides look for dahlias and chrysanthemums, and for winter, seasonal preference is found with amaryllis, ranunculus, and hellebores.
In addition to choosing in-season flowers, couples can also save money by taking the advice of floral and wedding industry experts. In Indian River County (IRC) there is no shortage of flower shops eager to assist couples with seasonal wedding flower choices, such as at Hutchinson’s Floral Artistry—a well-known flower shop in the community since 1998. Bobbi Gomez, store manager, suggested couples embrace multi-use arrangements to help cut floral wedding costs.
“We advise couples to use multi-use arrangements, which can be used at a rehearsal dinner on one day and at a brunch or second event the next day. We also encourage couples to start early with their wedding plans so they can get the best price and selection of flowers,” Gomez said. “Another way to save money on flowers is to choose simpler, smaller bouquets that require less flowers, but that can be added to with more greenery and fillers, which cost much less than florals,” she added.
In agreement with Gomez about the benefits of multi-use arrangements is Chris Correia, floral designer at The Flower Box, also located in IRC, who offered various options for brides looking to get the most bang for their seasonal wedding flower buck.
“I usually guide cost-conscious brides towards hydrangeas first—they fill space and can be added to with greenery to create a bigger bouquet without needing a lot of additional flowers. We also suggest multi-use arrangements for bridesmaid bouquets—which can be used in smaller vases for décor—as they are not being held all the time. Other multi-use options include putting some bouquet flowers on the aisles or on every other pew at a church, as well as using clippings from gazebos and arches as small vase décor at the head table, sweetheart table, or at a reception table or bar,” Correia detailed.
Another emerging trend noted by Correia is that of rental floral arrangements, which include floral arrangements that are assembled and delivered to a wedding, and then later removed after the event as well. This leaves one less concern for the bride and groom as they depart for their honeymoon as newlyweds.
According to Andrea Ancel, director of design and lead floral designer at FTD, seasonal blooms are those “that are at their optimal freshness. Choosing in-season florals allows you to get creative with incorporating flowers that are in their prime bloom stage and flowers that are locally grown and sourced. Not to mention, locally sourced blooms are more readily available and budget-friendly, so you can get your dream buds with less competition and at lower rates.”
For couples located—or planning to wed—in Indian River County, weddings held in winter months are considered as problem-free as any other month, thanks to accommodating weather and the year-round availability of many preferred wedding flowers. With this in mind, local floral shops and in-state wholesalers stand ready to make floral wedding dreams come true for every couple—dreams that bloom with seasonal sense and save money as an investment in the future.
Photo courtesy of Charla Storey
Photo courtesy of Wyldbee Photography
Photo courtesy of Mallory Williams Photography/Bride & Blossom
Photo courtesy of Berkeley Florist Supply