Why do florists charge more for weddings? An assumption that is made about wedding florists is that we charge more for wedding flowers than other arrangements. This is a common misconception. We would and have charged the same for any large scale event. We do not charge more for wedding arrangements just because they are for a wedding. There are however aspects of event or wedding flowers that make relatively expensive.

Factors that contribute to the cost of wedding flowers:

1.) Premium Flowers

For starters, wedding flower arrangements often contain premium flowers that most people do not buy in everyday arrangements, such as dahlias, garden roses, and peonies. These stems often run about $5 to $10 per stem wholesale. A large quantity of these flowers definitely adds up.

2.) Freelance Labor

Labor is a large factor when considering the cost of wedding flowers. On average we spend between 20 to 40 hours working on each wedding. Wedding florists usually hire freelancers to help prep arrangements, transport arrangements, and setup and takedown of floral installations on wedding days.

3.) Hard goods and rental items

Florists often source and provide hard goods such as bud vases, compote vessels, arches, and other items that are used in conjunction with flowers to make arrangements. Whether a couple outright purchases these items or rents them from the florist, there is a cost involved in that.

In addition to vessels we also source large amounts of chicken wire, floral foam, or other structural supporting material to create arrangements.

Some more things to consider

Your wedding’s location

Where in the country your wedding takes place will have a large impact on your floral budget. I am a florist in Utah, which is a landlocked state, and that means that for weddings I pay more for freight costs than those closer to major ports may. Something else to consider is the distance your florist will need to travel. We do weddings 30 minutes from where we are based to weddings five hours from where we are based. The travel time and travel expenses your florist incurs will reflect in your floral quote.

Your florists experience

The experience and skills level of your florist will also greatly affect your floral quote. If your florist has a unique style you are drawn to, it is likely they have spent years developing the skill level needed to achieve it. An in demand florist will likely charge more than a florist who is inexperienced because they understand the value they bring to your event.

Learn more about wedding floral pricing here.