If you don''t mind my being nosy . . .

[Morticia]

gingerbcookie! Your place is gorgeous too! Where is that?

Here is where my FI and I are leaning towards... Not great pics but I love the ceremony one. We'd have our ceremony there too, in the conservatory.

http://www.themadisonhotel.com/ceremony.html

 

[Mara]

teebee, your pictures of your chapel are just STUNNING! I am speechless..so beautiful, pictures there will just be breathtaking!! great find! I definitely would agree you don''t need to do too much, I am such a fan of WHITES with lush greens like that, to me it''s the most simple and elegant look. I wouldn''t throw too much color in there at all, though maybe a very hot pink would be very pretty and a beautiful contrast as well.

 

[abradabra]

Flowers aren''t ultra-important to me. Actually, it''s kind of ironic how much time I spend reading this BWW/GG board, considering how laid back I''m being about planning my wedding. If I look pretty, the boy shows up, and I like the food--I don''t much care about anything else...

Anyway, my flower budget is small--partly because I''m getting married in New Hampshire and partly because I don''t want anything out of control.

* My reception site is actually fabulous about flowers. You basically get their budget for flowers for the week and can add to it as you see fit. We ended up opting to have a small centerpiece (I hate not seeing the people at my table because of the centerpiece) of white roses and freesia for each table. I think it''s about $350. Also, since we''re getting married at our (and the bulk of guest list''s) alma mater, I think people are going to be more focused on reminiscing than on the decor. The campus itself takes care of that.

* For the ceremony, I''m spending about $1,000 for 2 altar baskets, my bridal bouquet, 7 bridesmaid bouquets, 4 corsages and 11 bouts. I firmly refuse to toss my bouquet, so I''m not needing a separate bouquet for that.

One thing I found helpful in keeping my flower budget down was being mindful of what was or was not in season. To that extent, I found this site helpful: http://www.freshroses.com/volume.html Peonies or tulips in September? You''re going to pay through the nose.

Reena, you''re likely to have a similar problem as I did--very little is in season in September! I guess the summer heat kills a lot of flowers and it''s too early for a lot of the fall blooms. No wonder everyone gets married in May... It may not be as bad for you because the weather is more consistent/favorable in California.

 

[heart prongs]

TeeBee - What a gorgeous chapel! Is that where Meadow from the Soprano''s was married by any chance? klr

 

[teebee]

Thanks all!! I''m still so in love with our locations ~ seriously, pictures of the chapel just about make me cry it''s so beautiful!!

The chapel is actually located in NW Arkansas ~ Eureka Springs to be exact, in the foothills of the Ozark Mountains. It''s only a 2-5 hour drive for the majority of our guests (most of us live in Oklahoma) so I''ve been calling it my "semi-destination" wedding.

Reena ~ I''m totally sympathizing with you. I''m always negotiating with myself in order to get something I really want, but then when it comes down to cutting back on the things I promised myself I would cut back on... I just can''t do it!! My FI says I''m a snob... whatever... I just tell him to go gripe at my parents for teaching me to recognize and appreciate quality. But... yes, that $8k quote would have made my jaw drop ~ you are not being unreasonable at all to not want to pay that much!!!

Morticia ~ I had the same thought when I saw the chapel - I just knew I had to get married there if I couldn''t get married on the beach. I love expensive flowers too! Again, my FI thinks that everything I like is expensive... he''s kinda right about that... Peonies are one of my favorites and your reception area looks amazing too.

GingerBcookie ~ OMG, I looooove your reception site!!! That is going to be such an amazing place - I love those carved wood doors. Are you talking about having some sort of arch? I dunno... I don''t know that it is necessary if you are surrounded by gardens and greenery. Then again, you may just want something to delineate the space ~ a frame like you said. I had all of the color stuff worked out in my head until a few weeks ago... I''m still tweaking a few things but I''m looking at fresh citrus greens (what I call lemongrass) and white/ivory. Plus, just like Mara suggested, I will probably throw in a bright accent color like hot pink (which is why the green cymbidium orchids are perfect).

Mara ~ That is so exactly what I was thinking on the hot pink accents!! Hehe, I look like such a copy-cat!! I was thinking of using the green cymbidiums in my bouquet w/ hot pink ribbon and then have my bridesmaids wear dresses in green w/ pink cymbidium bouquets and green ribbon (or some other pink flower if the orchids get too expensive) and then mostly greens and white at the reception w/ pink accents... It''s still a work in progress... I need to post some of my ideas and get opinions from everyone.

heart prongs ~ I''m not sure where she got married, but I have a feeling that''s not it. I''d have to think that if she''d been married in Arkansas I would have remembered that. Although... we don''t really have cable (

GASP!!) so I could have easily missed it.

 

[gingerBcookie]

teebee - i forgot to mention in my last post, my friend had submerged orchids for her weddding -- very dramatic and elegant, as well as economical! she was able to shave off a lot from her flower cost by doing that because you need fewer flowers. I didn''t notice any browning, she used the darker purple orchids with the smaller blooms (cymbidiums?) not the phaelenopsis (sp?) that you have pictured. i think your color scheme will look fab in your two settings!!! i love green themed weddings!

 

[mrssalvo]

Here''s where my sister was married last year. she (our parents)

spent just under $750 on flowers. she really didn''t do too much b/c the outdoor set up was already pretty "floral" without the extras. this is a stock photo from the website. the bride comes out the side of the historic mansion

and walks into this

the receptions are held inside the mansion and standard decorations were included in the rental price. no need to pay for extras.

hubby and I were married at the same place 5 years ago, in a different area and I only spent $200 on flowers, just the basics and nature at it''s best. (i also was friends who had an in at a flower wholesale place and did all the bridal party bouquets etc. as a wedding gift)

 

[rfath]

Oh lord.. I''ve got my contract in front of me... the one thing I actually cared about were the flowers. And I''m not *really* having flowers in the classical sense. The goal was to try to match the natural flavor of the wedding site with lots of natural foliage - ferns, mosses, etc.

I''m officially spending more on the flowers than on the photographer at just over $4k including taxes and delivery. It makes me blush to consider that I''m spending THAT MUCH on something so transient, but I figure it''s my one irrational HAVE TO HAVE.

But I dearly love this florist - she and I have been working together to come up with the ''theme'' for the wedding and to plan the tones and textures. It''s really like I''m paying for a coordinator AND a florist with that money.

http://www.lejardinblanc.com

 

[Morticia]

Rfath,

Your florist''s work is to die for! LOVED her/his portfolio.

I''m torn on the flowers. I don''t want to spend to much, b/c they die so quickly, but I loooooooooooooove them.

If the flowers are one of you top priorities, rfath, then you''re doing the right thing. It''s your one special day, why not? Anyway, after checking out the link, and your florist''s pics, it''s pretty safe to say your wedding flowers are going to be beautiful!

Post some pics afterwards.

 

[rfath]

Morticia -

Thanks! With a venue like this Stonehurst, I wanted something special. Fortunately, my fiance understands how important the flowers were to me as well.

The florist will be at the wedding taking pictures for her website, so they''ll definitely make it there! She''s so excited about the event that she''s trying to see if any of the regional wedding publications will want to cover it. No idea if it''s likely to happen, but she''s thrilled that I''m excited about the idea and willing to let her use her judgement to make the perfect arrangements within my budget.

I''m also positive that I''ll spam pricescope with pictures from my wedding as well!

 

[SadieShoe]

I am having my wedding in Florida. I met with six florists who quoted me from as low as $3,000 to as high as $10,000 (Centerpieces ran from $87.50-$250). We settled on a florist that will probably end up costing between $5,000-$6,000. It seems really high, but at the time we were deciding, it was definitely the mid-range price. The centerpieces are going to include roses, hydrangea, stock, orchids, and tulips (for a July wedding) and will cost around $175 each. Is that way too high for those flowers? I know stock is relatively inexpensive but I don''t know much about the others, especially at that time of year. We also need big centerpieces, since the reception is going to be in a very large ballroom that would look empty without significant flowers, etc.

 

[larussel03]

some venues include centerpieces, like a couple of the ones that I am considering. It doenst seem to bring the per person cost up and will probably save a few bucks on flowers since we''ll have about 12 tables or so

 

[E B]

I'm thinking no more than $300.00-$400.00 on flowers, total. I'm getting married in a garden, and I'm doing the centerpieces myself. Oh, and my bouquet, too. $1,000+ for flowers? I don't think so!

 

[aphisiglovessae]

So far, about 200 bucks spent on my flowers.

 

[selflove]

Mine will be approx. $300 for a 60 person wedding with 3 BMs. I think I can only do this so cheaply b/c of the LA Flower Market.

 

[ChargerGrrl]

What a timely post! I've just started my florist search.

We're getting married at a winery, and prefer to have the venue speak for itself. So, my flower needs are rather simple - my bouquet, MOH bouquet, 3 mothers corsages, 5 bouts, and enough rose petals to sprinkle around candle centerpieces on 10 tables, & decorate the cake & photo mat/guestbook barrels. I'm using black beauty roses (deeeeeep red).

I just about died when I got my first estimate $600!!! I think that's ridiculous. I'm still awaiting 2 other quotes, but when I spoke to one of the other florists on the phone, she guesstimated that it would be $300-$400 tops. That sounds more like it.

During my flower research, I learned that Costco has a number of wedding flower packages! They have a good selection of flowers to choose from, and they range from $700-900:
http://www.costco.com/Common/Category.aspx?cat=24847&eCat=BC%7C21124%7C24844%7C24847&whse=BC&topnav=&hierPath=21124*24844*24847*

 

[XChick03]

Wow, I never realized flowers could be so expensive. We''re getting married here so thankfully, flowers will kind of be a non-issue for us.

 

[CareBear]

I''m spending about $400. My friend is a certified florist and she does flower arrangements in her free time. So I''m only paying for the cost of the flowers. Lucky me! She''s ordering the flowers through costco''s floral department (I had no idea they had one). Here''s an estimate of what I need: 5 dozen roses for the cake, 1-2 dozens for the bride''s bouquet. 4 dozen total for bmas, 2 dozen for boutonniers, a couple bags of petals for the signin table, special floral arrangement for the head table, and filler flowers (I''m leaving this up to her). I''m actually not doing center pieces. To me, the table looks good enough if I rent seat covers for all the chairs. If I do decide to have center pieces, it''ll be something small like candles. The church provides silk flowers for decoration, I''m just going to use those to save some money.

 

[JKohio]

Chiming in late here & I appear to be in the minority. Keep in mind that location has a lot to do with how much flowers cost, too. I spent $600 on flowers in Cleveland, OH. We went with a florist who does weddings from her home workshop, so that saved us $$ (low overhead for her!). Standard ''shop'' florists were quoting me $1k for the same order:

1 bridal bouquet - roses, phlox, delphinium, ivy
3 bridesmaid bouquets - same flower mix
8 bouts - rose/ivy (plus delphinium for groom)
4 corsages - sweetheart roses, ivy, delphinium
1 large altar arrangement
2 small altar arrangements
12 potted mums (for half of the guest tables -- we did floating candles on the rest)
1 toss bouquet

My mother-in-law made our pew bows (accented with ivy) -- all 24 of them! What a woman!

Pics of the flowers, etc. in my knot bio. Link in my sig. below.

 

[lmurden]

Floral Budget $900.00 for 75 people

Bouquet $100
Toss Bouquet $0
Center piece $330.00
Sweat Heart Table $55.00
Columns $90.00
Vases $100.00
Rose petals $60.00
Cake Decoration $45.00
Delivery/Set-up $78.00
Taxes $42.00

 

[E B]

Date: 2/28/2006 1:01:37 AM
Author: XChick03
Wow, I never realized flowers could be so expensive. We''re getting married here so thankfully, flowers will kind of be a non-issue for us.

XChick, that location is gorgeous!