Guest Blog: Wedding Advice| 5 Tips for Flowers that Fit Your Budget
This week I caught up with Jolie Colon, wedding planner and floral designer with I Do Events & Party Rentals in Orlando, to get some helpful tips on how to save without sacrificing when it comes to your wedding flowers. Here are her top 5 tips to save a little green in the greenery department!
#1 Use Affordable Flowers
Let’s face it, most of the bridal magazines, blogs, Pinterest and wedding florist’s websites like to feature beautiful lush floral designs that are designed with lots of Garden Roses, Peonies, Orchids and other high-end flowers. I am guilty of that as well… But know that you can still have a beautiful floral oasis that fits your wedding budget if you choose flowers that are either in season or choose flowers that are more cost effective and give you the same feel you are looking for.
One of my favorite cost effective flowers is the White Hydrangea. Yes, White Hydrangeas – believe it or not, White Hydrangeas are more affordable than color Hydrangeas. So if you see a floral piece that has Hydrangeas, choose white. Color Hydrangeas could potentially triple in cost! Another flower that can keep your cost down and is coming back onto the scene is the Carnation. Though I am not a big fan of Carnations myself, using them in bunches can be very pretty and also very cost effective. And finally another favorite – a standard rose. In my years as a floral designer, I’ve discovered a few types of standard roses that look like a garden rose, without the high cost of a garden rose and have been able to save my clients hundreds of dollars.
#2 Go Smaller & Lower
I love the drama of a large and high centerpiece, but also find that if a small, low centerpiece is done well it can be just as beautiful and dramatic. Doing small centerpieces can also allow you to use some of the higher end flowers, giving you an elegant and more couture design. The same goes for bridal bouquets – bouquets do not have to be large in design to look couture. Sometimes, choosing one large beautiful flower with a few fillers and a pretty ribbon could just be enough.
#3 Go Green
A big trend that is still going strong this year is lots of greenery with almost no, if not any, flowers in bridal bouquets and centerpieces. Eucalyptus is a perfect versatile green option and comes in many varieties such as feathered eucalyptus, seeded eucalyptus and silver dollar eucalyptus. This lush, organic look pairs great with black, plum or blush bridesmaid’s dresses!
#4 Recycle
Many brides today are choosing tall and large centerpieces for their ceremony aisle and then recycling them on their reception guest tables once the ceremony is over. They are even using their bridesmaid’s bouquets to double as low centerpieces. Speak to your floral designer to see if there is a second set up fee, but for the most part, you will find that they are happy to do it for you.
#5 Be a Minimalist
Choose only pieces that are a must have. Flowers on lobby entrances, at cocktail hour, or on escort card tables and cake tables are a nice to have, but honestly the most remembered flowers and most photographed flowers will be the bridal bouquet, your bridal party’s flowers and the reception centerpieces. Stick to the must have pieces and you’ll find it easier to stay on budget!
Jolie Colon is the lead wedding planner & floral designer at I Do Events and Party Rentals. Her wedding studio is located in Tavares, just north of Orlando, Florida. She has been in business since 2007 and brings her New York design school background and creative eye to every wedding she is a part of!