Wednesday, 21 July 2010

Amalies 5 top tips to save money with flowers

I've had a few well received responses regarding my floral industry blog posted the other day. Some peeps have requested further advice of obtaining more for your money regarding floral arrangements and who am I to say no?! Instead of a fab Friday I thought I'd share a few more pointers with you...

1) Ask the florist from the off whether a trial centrepiece is included in the price (a good florist will happily do this). Knowing what to expect on the day means you should not be disappointed. If the trial doesn't look enough then you may decide to 'find extra b
udget' or invest a little money elsewhere. This could include more eye catching guest favours, coloured wine glasses, single bud glasses, votive candles or to scatter more petals or crystals around.

2) Some florists will charge you extra for hiring out candelabras, vases etc... I think this is wrong unless they don't have stock and have to hire or buy them in for you. If this is non-negotiable and they want to charge a premium then I suggest sourcing or hiring them in yourselves. There are many companies on-line which deliver and collect directly from the florist at very reasonable cost.


3) Opt for different centrepieces. For example a few stunnin
g peonies in a glass bowl will only cost £15, whereas a large candelabra stuffed with hanging flowers can be more than £150. Using different sized vases or vintage pieces such as cake stands and bird cages adds interest to the room however you'll save money on requiring fewer flowers.

A few examples of centrepieces from the fabulous PK Florist in Farnham.

4) Think about using a more dramatic centrepiece such as cherry blossom, curly willow or manzanita branches which come in a variety of colours from companies such as Blooms and Branchs. They are reasonably priced and either your florist can decorate them with flowers on the day or you can decorate them in advance with jewels, crystals, miniature birds, butterfly's or anything else you can get your hands on to make it 'wow'.

5) Placing a mirror under the floral centrepiece will not only bounce lovely candlelight around but will make you look like you have more flowers than you have!


Trust in your florist and your wedding planner if your having one. They are the experts and will quickly be able to help with new idea's on how to obtain the most for your budget.

The bottom line is NEVER think by doing them yourself you'll save money and they'll look great. Floristry is not easy. A weeks course in flower arranging does not make up for years of experience. Brides who think they'll be able to do their own flowers in the morning as well as everything else are crazy. Leave it to the professionals as you'll have enough to do on the day such as relax, enjoy yourself and look beautiful!

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