Originally written as a feature article for Brides of Munster Magazine, where it was published in the Spring 2023 issue. You can also read it here: https://bridesofmunster.ie/mythbusters-the-truth-about-wedding-floristry I hope you find it useful!

I’ve been doing wedding flowers for almost 10 years now, and I hear a lot of the same statements again and again, so I think it’s time to bust a few myths! I’ve also asked some of my florist friends what myths they’ve heard. Any of these sound familiar?

A florist doubles the price straight away when you mention the word “wedding”

When you order a gift bouquet from a florist shop or website, you chose from the flowers that are available that day, and it is a brief, minimal-interaction transaction. Wedding flowers involve multiple in person/phone consultations, site visits, sourcing of materials, special orders placed with growers often months in advance, and are made to a specific brief to match the colour scheme of your wedding. Certain flowers are grown for wedding floristry that aren’t used for your average daily bouquets (eg garden roses, peonies, hydrangeas, etc), and their desirability can result in demand outstripping supply, which pushes the prices up at certain times of the year. We order from the auction houses up to a week before your wedding; the ordering process alone can take a few hours as I make sure I get everything I need for you at the best price. Then 3-5 days before the wedding (depending on if the flowers need to be at a certain stage of “opening” on the day) your flowers will arrive, they are unpacked, conditioned and placed in cold storage until they are ready to be worked with.

In the meantime, all the other elements of your wedding will be prepped and checked, e.g transport boxes, mechanics for arrangements, containers, and décor items like lanterns, easels and candles. The days before your wedding will be spent making your bouquets, arrangements, and buttonholes, and sometimes going to the venue in advance if larger, more complicated structures need to be prepped. Finally, your wedding day arrives, and we often need to deliver to multiple locations (e.g your house, your partner’s house, the church and reception venue), sometimes returning to the church after the ceremony to move items so they can be used again. It is a long, often quite detailed process, so we consider our pricing very carefully, and I hope you will agree that it is worth it for what you get on the day.

Image by Stephen O’Sullivan (https://www.stephenosullivan.ie/)

Simple = Cheaper

I hear this a lot. “I want to keep it simple” is often a veiled statement for “I’m on a limited budget”, and there is a perception that bouquets containing certain types of flower are cheaper. If that’s the look you love, go for it, but don’t compromise on your look for the sake of what you think something will cost. Baby’s breath is often perceived as a cheaper option, but a gorgeous domed baby’s breath bouquet can take longer to make (the flowers don’t come that way!), and this is what pushes up the cost. The best way to make the most effective use of your budget is just to tell your florist what kind of flowers and colours you love (I love it when couples send me pictures or a link to their pinterest board), how much you have to spend on your flowers (be realistic!), and we can advise you the best way to spend it. Your florist will then use their expertise when picking the best quality in-season blooms within your budget to make your vision a reality.

Image by This Modern Love (https://www.thismodernlove.co.uk/e)

I should set aside 10% of my total wedding budget for flowers

This arbitrary percentage gets bandied around a lot, but in reality your flower budget will be dictated by what items you need, not by how much your overall wedding will cost. Some couples want lots of flowers everywhere, so their budget will be higher, others may just need personal items. The majority of florists have a standard price for wedding bouquets, buttonholes, and any other items you may need; this may change if you are want out-of-season or exotic blooms, or if your heart is set on a large arch for example. If a florist can give you a price guide (or quote if closer to the time) for the majority of items, you can then decide how much you need to set aside. They may not always be possible however, especially if you’re booking them more than a year in advance, as we have no idea how much flower prices will change over the course of time. I understand this can be frustrating, but in light of the events of the last couple of years, we cannot control market forces, much as we’d like to. And flowers can go down in price as well as up, especially if you chose a wedding date in low season (eg November or January).

Flowers Are a Waste of Money

Yes, I am biased, but this statement couldn’t be more untrue. I know you can’t “eat” flowers, and they do die eventually, but I’ve never seen a wedding that is not made more beautiful with the right flowers. You will be looking at your wedding photos for the rest of your life, and, along with your dress, your flowers are a focal point, so it is worth picking something lovely. And you can always get your bouquet preserved afterwards; there are some amazing local flower artists who will make a lovely keepsake for you (Pressed Flowers by Nell and Flower Beauty Floral Art are two of my favourites!).

Image by Wonder and Magic (https://www.wonderandmagic.ie/)

Silk Flowers / Dried Flowers are Cheaper

The best value flower for your money is always the one that is picked fresh and brought straight to the market. If a flower needs to be dried, bleached or dyed, this is an additional process that requires extra materials, time and manpower, so your average dried flower will be more expensive than its fresh relative, and in most cases harmful chemicals are used in the dying/bleaching process. Similarly, silks (which are mainly made from oil-based plastics) require a lot of resources and energy to be made; and, unlike fresh flowers, they will not biodegrade, so they are not an eco-friendly option. If your florist is also a grower, or can source beautiful seasonal blooms from local flower farms, this is by far the most desirable option.

Image by Kyrstin Healy (https://kyrstinhealy.com/)

Foliage is Free

Just like flowers, foliage has to be grown, harvested and transported, all of which has to be paid for. It is usually (though not always) cheaper than flowers, but good quality foliage is always worth the money. In fact, some of the best foliage on the market right now is grown here in Ireland! Check out Irish Green Guys on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/irishgreenguys/); James grows the most fantastic foliage just outside Tralee, and he regularly posts videos of the planting and growing process so you can see exactly where your foliage comes from.

I hope this dispels a few myths! The take-home message is, pick the look you love, not what you think will save you a few bob! And we will help you make it happen. If you have more questions, feel free to get in touch! And enjoy your wedding planning!

Mythbusters - The Truth About Wedding Floristry