As told by couples who were married in 2023.
Whether you want orchids, roses or peonies in your floral arrangements, wedding flowers can get expensive. You'll likely have to allot a decent part of your total wedding budget to flowers if you envision them playing a significant role in your ceremony or reception decor. When it comes to the average cost of wedding flowers, factors like your venue and the time of year will affect the price, but it helps to have a general idea of what you might spend before you start finalizing the details.
The Knot Real Weddings Study polled nearly 10,000 newlyweds who were married in 2023, giving us brand-new insight on how much wedding flowers cost for many couples throughout the country. We're sharing those statistics and more to help you understand how your costs might compare—plus, we've outlined the main factors that can impact your overall wedding flower budget. When you're ready to find a wedding florist, head to The Knot Vendor Marketplace to research vendors by location, budget and style.
In this article:
- Average Cost of Wedding Flowers
- How Have Wedding Flower Costs Changed Over the Years?
Average Cost of Wedding Flowers
According to our internal data, the average cost of wedding flowers in 2023 was $2,800. The cost of wedding flowers has been steadily increasing over the last few years and is a result—at least somewhat—of inflation and the potential for flower shortages caused by climate change. And while the situation has improved since the pandemic, there's no overnight fix, which means that couples should prepare for higher costs and increased demand when ordering wedding flowers.
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Most importantly, the key is to remember that how much you spend on wedding flowers will fluctuate based on the types of flowers you want, your wedding season and the style of the arrangements.
"It's important to be realistic with your floral budget so you know what that budget will give you," says floral designer Yumiko Fletcher of Hana Floral Design in Mystic, Connecticut. "The industry standard has always been that floral is roughly 10% of your overall wedding budget, so a couple having a $75,000 wedding should assume their florals are in the $7,500 range. But if you have high expectations and flowers are a priority for your big day, then perhaps you really need to allocate 15% because today's $7,500 is not the same as two years ago."
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Some couples choose to line their ceremony aisle and reception venue with hundreds of fresh flowers. If that's the look you envision for your wedding, expect to pay well over $2,800. But if fresh blooms aren't on the top of your must-have list, there are plenty of alternatives to decorate your space without going over your wedding flower budget. Trendy options like branches or pampas grass (or even spray-painted greenery) can transform any venue, and using more greenery than expensive flowers can be a cost-saving measure, depending on the type.
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"Flowers are almost always more per stem than a stem of greens; however, this doesn't mean greens are cheap by any means," says Fletcher. "If you prefer a very floral heavy arrangement for your centerpieces with little to no greenery, this is naturally going to cost more. So even adding greenery will help fill in spaces and help save money."
Using seasonal wedding flowers can also help to reduce some of the cost. Says Fletcher: "If flowering branches are a must for you, then those are only available in the spring months. If you love dahlias, then summer into fall weddings makes the most sense. Ask your florist what is in season for your wedding and let them go to local growers to source some pretty stems for you."
High-impact floral installations are a top wedding flower trend for 2024, which means that hiring a professional floral designer will be just as important as ever. Our survey found that 65% of couples included a florist in their lineup of wedding vendors. The remaining couples either went for floral packages offered by their venue, or they likely took care of their flowers on their own, which has its own base cost. In many cases, your florist can help you save money (and time) by eliminating the guesswork of sourcing flowers on your own.
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How Have Wedding Flower Costs Changed Over the Years?
The total cost of a wedding has increased from last year, with the national average now at $35,000. Unsurprisingly, the average cost of wedding flowers has also steadily increased—last year saw a 17% increase from 2022, and a 22% increase compared to 2021, when the average cost was $2,300.
Keep in mind that $2,800 is a national average, with an emphasis on both words. If you're having a smaller wedding that requires fewer flower arrangements, you may end up paying less. On the other hand, if you're having a luxury wedding or want elaborate arrangements with flowers that are in high demand, the final amount will be more.
Vendor and venue packages can also influence how much the wedding flowers cost. All-inclusive wedding venues with in-house floral designers may create corresponding table centerpieces, boutonnieres, bridesmaid bouquets, corsages and floral decor as part of their price offering. While $2,800 serves as a general price, the average cost of wedding flowers can fluctuate based on volume of stems and the complexity of your order.
The bottom line: It all depends on what you and your partner consider to be most important. Though it would be an added cost to decorate with trendy or rare flowers instead of blooms that are more easily sourced, you may decide that it's worth it from a personalization aspect.
As you work with your florist during the wedding planning process, flexibility and trust are key these days. "Couples need to think of their needs versus their wants," Fletcher says. "Make sure you communicate with your florist what these items are and prioritize the needs first, the wants second if budget allows. Be flexible with the types of flowers. Tell your florist your color palette and overall wedding style and let them buy accordingly."
