Got my first floral quote.

Get a couple more if that's over your budget. I checked out 3 when I was looking. I told them each that my budget was **** max. One came back with a quote of 4000, another was about 2800 and the one I went with was 1800 with deliver included. I liked all of their work equally so I felt like I got a great deal!

Don't be afraid to shop around! Also, don't be afraid to find some different ways to save money. For example, we are using a florist but are purchasing petals in bulk from BJs online to line the aisle, which will save us nearly $300! Also, we are repurposing our BM bouquets (8 of them) as our short table centerpieces. For that reason, we made them a little bigger and more expensive than we would normally make bouquets, but in the end it will save us $400!

Yeah we are deff going to keep looking around. Maybe I will find someone cheaper!!!

Shop around for sure. I was being quoted up to $6000!! Crazy! Some quotes for lower price I didn't like what they offered. I was asking on all groups and Facebook. Until someone recomended someone who is fairly new and needs to built her book. She gave me $1875 for a job that is worth like over $3000 everywhere else. Love her!

One thought might be to cut the order from the florist and fill in with some bulk flowers purchase at a wholesaler, Costco, or the like. Order some matching or coordinating flowers to fill in some of the areas you "took" away from the florist. Very likely your guests won't be able to tell that the flowers cam from two different places... and you liable to save a considerable amount of money.

Here's the thing - I have done wedding florals for 27 years - did you tell the florist your budget? Or did you not know what your budget was, being new to this, showed the florist your inspiration photos, and s/he quoted you based on those photos?

As a florist, if you don't tell us your budget, but tell us how many of what, and here are the photos, you will get back a quote that may sticker-shock you. If you know upfront, that you can only comfortably afford $1200, tell the florist. What I would do in that situation, is quote you average prices (non-premium flowers) on the personal flowers, and what is left, I divide by how many centerpieces you need, and THEN I can tell you what I can do for the centerpieces for that price.

I recently had a bride contact me for a quote. Her budget did not fit her needs - she had 5 attendants, and 20 tables. I'm not kidding, it left $11.45 per table for centerpieces. She was a lovely person, but I can't do it for that price unless she wanted a bud vase. So then I suggested she do candles herself on half the tables, and I could do very very very simple centerpieces on half the tables. Or, I could sell her bulk flowers and she could DIY (but keep in mind, that's a lot of flowers to do the day before your wedding. A lot of work).

So, regretfully, I could not help her. But I was kind, because I realized she hadn't done the math. It comes down to, you either have to increase the budget, or decrease what you want (in either number of items, or reduce premium flowers to seasonal flowers, or both).

For those of you with no clue what flowers cost: check out a couple of local florist websites, see how much the average bouquets, centerpieces, etc cost. Do the math. Don't forget tax. Don't forget delivery and set-up.

I would recommend going back to that original florist, and tell her/him that the price is higher than your budget; what can they recommend to bring the cost down? And please, ladies: don't haggle the prices. Expect the designs to be simplified, or the flowers to be less premium, or you can choose to delete some optional pieces. I've done some very lovely, complete weddings for less than $800, but I need some flexibility (you choose the colors, I choose the flowers - sometimes, there might be a sale on peonies! Not always, but you never know!).

We floral designers expect to revise the quote at least once, sometimes twice, so that we are all on the same page.

Best wishes to you.

Holy crap these prices. My flower budget is $400 max. Good luck to me! I'll know on Sunday if that's realistic or not :/

Same here Taryn...I have a very low flower budget because it was not at all high on my priority list. I'm pretty sure I am going to have sticker shock when I finally meet with the florist in a few weeks.

Got another quote today. It was almost double. No thanks! I can deal with 2 grand but I would love to get it to 1500. We will see!

Check your local grocery store! People sometimes over look grocery florist but they do a really good job. I work for a grocery chain in Texas and my store does a good job. Getting everything done for less than a thousand

Maybe you can cut down the arrangements by doing every other table and candles and mirrors at the others.

Definitely see about different options in your price range, smaller arrangements, using cheaper fillers, skipping flower centerpieces. If you are flexible most of the time they are able to meet you in the middle!

I am doing every other table with candles and reusing the bm bouquets for the other tables. I have two pieces I want for the ceremony that we are reusing for the reception as well. I just can't afford it and based on my budget we are going minimal. My quotes were all around 800. I got most of my quotes through thumbtack but I am still calling around and looking at their portfolios.