A Breakdown of Wedding Flower Costs: Where to Splurge & Save

Weddings are beautiful, but they can be expensive—especially when it comes to flowers. As a wedding florist, I often get asked, “How can I stick to my budget without sacrificing beauty?” The truth is, with smart planning and a few insider tips, you can absolutely have stunning florals without overspending.

In this guide, we’ll break down typical wedding flower costs and help you figure out where to splurge, where to save, and how to make the most of your floral budget.

Local Averages

The average cost of a wedding in Texas typically ranges from $30,000 to $35,000, depending on location, guest count, and overall vision. A good rule of thumb is to allocate 10–15% of your total wedding budget to florals, which covers everything from bouquets and boutonnieres to ceremony installations and reception centerpieces. For couples planning a full-service wedding, our clients usually invest around $6,000 for floral design, which includes custom floral planning, delivery, on-site set-up, and post-event pick-up. This ensures your florals are not only beautiful but seamlessly executed from start to finish.

What do I need?

We often break weddings down into three main categories: personal flowers, ceremony, and reception designs.

• Personal Flowers: Bouquets, boutonnieres, corsages

• Ceremony Flowers: Arch flowers, aisle markers, altar arrangements

• Reception Flowers: Centerpieces, head table arrangements, cake florals, installations

Where to splurge?

Bridal Bouquet

Your bouquet is the most photographed floral element of your wedding day. It’s in nearly every portrait, detail shot, and walking-down-the-aisle moment. A lush, custom-designed bouquet sets the tone and makes a big impact.

Tip: This is where your most expensive flowers should be! Are orchids meaningful to you, or is a lush garden rose a sweet tribute to your grandmother? This is where we highlight that!

Ceremony Design

Your ceremony is the heart of your wedding day—it’s the moment you say “I do” and where your love story officially begins. It’s also one of the most photographed parts of your wedding (second only to your bridal bouquet!). That’s why investing in impactful ceremony florals is always a smart choice.

Think floral arches, ground meadows, aisle markers, or a lush backdrop behind the altar. These statement pieces not only elevate your ceremony space but also create stunning photo opportunities you’ll cherish forever.

Tip: Many ceremony floral designs can be repurposed for the reception. Ask your florist about which installations can be moved and reused—like framing your sweetheart table or enhancing the cake display.

Sweetheart Table

Your head table is a focal point for the reception. Go lush here—it’s where all eyes (and cameras) land during toasts and dinner.

Tip: Go all out in a few key areas, rather than trying to decorate every corner of the venue!

Where to save?

Bridesmaid Bouquets

Simpler designs or even a single-stem statement bloom can still look cohesive and elegant. Keep them smaller than the bridal bouquet and opt for hardy flowers.

Tip: These are something you can repurpose for a lush head table, or even pair with candles for a guest table centerpiece.

Cocktail Tables

Cocktail tables are small, and guests won’t spend much time examining the florals here. A bud vase or small cluster of blooms is usually plenty. You can even use leftover stems from larger arrangements or cuttings to save money here.

Tip: Candles are a simple way to elevate a cocktail table, and often much more cost-effective than florals.

Guest Tables

If you have 10+ guest tables, full arrangements on each can quickly eat up your budget. Consider mixed centerpieces—some tables with candles and greenery, others with smaller floral accents.

Tip: Repurposing ceremony pillar arrangements and bridesmaids bouquets can help with guest tables, but you have to account for that in both timing and staffing costs!

Sample Wedding Budget Breakdown

Final Thoughts

You can have gorgeous, memorable wedding flowers without blowing your budget. The key is knowing where to invest for the biggest impact and being creative (with a little help from your florist!) when it comes to saving.

If you're a bride in the Dallas-Fort Worth area looking for thoughtful, personalized floral design, I’d love to chat and help bring your vision to life—beautifully and budget-consciously.