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10 Ways to Get the Best Value for Your Wedding Flower Budget
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Choose locally grown flowers. Flowers grown in North America and
South America are often less expensive than flowers grown in Europe
or the Orient.
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Choose flowers in season. Flower prices fluctuate based on supply
and demand. When a certain flower is blooming, there is high supply,
which means the cost will go down.
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Choose inexpensive year-round blooms. Some flowers, such as
carnations, daisies and Gladioli, are typically inexpensive
throughout the year.
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Get
married midweek. The cost of flowers increases throughout the week.
Flowers for a weekend wedding must be purchased on Friday, which is
likely to be the most expensive day of the week.
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Avoid
getting married at peak floral times. Flower prices at Valentine’s
Day, Mother’s Day and Christmas are high. Wholesale prices can
increase by 300 percent or more at these times—and florists have no
choice but to pass those increases on to customers.
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Pay
upfront. Flower growers ask a premium because they do not have a
guaranteed buyer for their blooms. Because their merchandise is
perishable, they need to factor for the stems that will not sell and
will be thrown away. By ordering and paying for your flowers before
the wedding, the grower has a committed buyer and will often offer a
discount of around 5 percent.
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Offer
service in trade. Florists may offer some of their goods in exchange
for your services and goods. For example, offer your accounting
services to the florist in exchange for flowers.
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Select one or two types of blooms. Florists have to purchase large
auction lots when buying their flowers. Even though you may only
need two stems of ginger, for example, your florist may have to
purchase 100. That risk of extra wasted inventory will cost you.
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Rent
glassware and other reusable components. Many florists will rent
glassware and other nonperishable components (usually for 40 percent
to 50 percent of the retail price). If you don’t plan on giving your
flowers away, consider renting vases, containers, etc. That way, you
can enjoy the flowers, but you don’t have to pay for the expensive
vases and containers.
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Ask
your florist for assistance. An experienced florist can advise
what’s in season, what is better priced, etc. He/She also can advise
you on blooms that can give you the gorgeous premium look you want
at a surprisingly reasonable price.
Courtesy
of Claire Rose Ihasz; Ladybug Florist; Toronto, Ontario, Canada,
who posts this list on her website,
www.ladybugflorist.com, for
the benefit of prospective bridal customers.
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