What do wedding flowers cost?
How much do wedding flowers really cost in New Zealand?
You might have been scrolling through your Pinterest boards, eyeing those gorgeous wedding flower arrangements and thinking, "What are my wedding flowers gonna cost, really?"
You might've even stumbled upon that 10% rule, where you're supposed to allocate 10% of your wedding budget to flowers. I did some digging and found that the average New Zealand wedding budget hovers around $30,000, which would mean about $3,000 for flowers. Interestingly, this $3,000 figure lines up with what 90% of my enquiries suggest.
But here's the twist – I'm here to challenge that one-size-fits-all notion because, well, every single wedding is unique. The cost of wedding flowers can swing wildly, and it's not just about a percentage. There are loads of factors at play:
Image Kowhai and Thistle
Why every wedding is completely different
Let's imagine two couples planning their weddings and explore some reasons why their floral costs could be vastly different, casting aside the 10% rule:
Bridal Party: Picture this – one couple has two bridesmaids, while another has seven. That alone could throw a spanner in the budget to the tune of at least $500.
Flower Style: You may love the look of heavy en-masse flowers, oodles and oodles of top-grade roses and orchids. You want those table centerpieces bursting with over 30 stems each and a bar that looks like a flower wonderland.
Then there are the folks who opt for an elegant, minimalistic vibe. They might skip ceremony flowers, go for simple bud vases on tables with just a couple of stems, and add some graceful signage flowers. The price difference? It could be thousands.
Venue Vibes: Where you tie the knot matters too. Think about it:
One couple have booked a corporate-style venue, that is a VERY blank canvas that needs ‘zhuzhing’. Does it have high ceilings where you need to have tall high arrangements to draw the eye up to? Or some delicious colour in the room, so it doesn’t look like a Doctor’s conference? Flowers will transform it!
Another couple opt for a rustic barn with wooden beams and chandeliers galore. This room may only need a few key features with flowers to accentuate the features of the venue.
Then, another couple book a classic venue with stunning wallpaper and beautiful features, and we don't want the flowers to fight with it, or they're just not needed!
What's Important: Some couples are head over heels for flowers and want them to steal the show. Others? Not so much. They couldn't care less about flowers and that’s totally fine!
Images Stephan and Nakita
Do florists have set flower prices or offer packages?
But most people still need a starting point. Many of our enquiries say “we have no idea what to spend on flowers”. Where’s a couple to begin in building the budget for the aspect of their big day? Some request packages. As a New Plymouth florist specializing in event and wedding flowers, we don’t offer packages, as every month varies with flower availability and flower type, and every wedding and couple is completely unique. We would hate to have a blanket cover price, you book us and then you are disappointed because it wasn’t what you were imagining it to be. We find it’s best to quote individually after talking with a couple to get an idea of the volume of flowers they want and what areas they want to cover. However, we hear you, read on to help better understand the average cost of wedding flower budgets to get you started.
A little idea of Wedding Flower Prices
A wedding ceremony will traditionally incorporate the bridal bouquet, bouquets for the bridesmaids, corsages, buttonholes, and ceremony flowers; the reception is sometimes decked out with centerpieces, garlands, and even on the cake. The possibilities are endless! Here are some typical options:
Bridal bouquets and buttonholes for the average 3x Bridemaids and Groomsmen wedding party: Approximately $1000
Ceremony Flowers: A basic arch $350+ or you can do a full elaborate arch/flower towers that can be around $2000. You could have another option of plinths which is approx $1200, pillars around $1500+ or ground arbour $1250+. The flower types you choose and abundance of flowers then also make a difference.
(we start to see how it easily varies)
Other options for the ceremony can include sign flowers, aisle entrance flowers, petals, aisle flowers adding $80 - $1000 more
Reception flowers: Bud vases for guest tables are generally around $750 for all the guest tables or large full arrangements $250 each. Some people choose to have bar flowers. These can start from $350 up to $1000
Hanging installations generally start around $1500 and depend on the size, abundance of flowers, location, access to the ceiling space and the staff needed.
Oh, and don't forget the labour*, delivery fees (including those pesky fuel surcharges), and unpredictable weather affecting flower prices.
Here's a pro tip: tell your florist your budget upfront, share your flower dreams, and let them work their magic to get you the most bang for your buck.
Nail down an ideal wedding budget
Before you dive into floral planning, it's a good idea to nail down your overall wedding budget, even if it's a rough estimate. Then, chat with your florist, lay out your must-haves, your nice-to-haves, and the parts where you're open to adjustments. They'll help you find that sweet spot where your floral dreams meet your budget reality.
Ready to talk flowers?
So are you at the point of planning where you want to talk about your wedding flowers? Want to know a bit more about what we can design for your day? There’s more info here and the services we offer. We are located in New Plymouth, however we do travel New Zealand wide. Let’s see if your date is available. We get super excited to start to conversation about what we can design for our couples.
Image Abi Hackling
* A florist will often charge labour. This may be built in your prices or as a separate itemised item. Labour is charged to cover the time spent quoting, researching, designing, communicating with you as a client, communicating with growers, travel to and sourcing flowers and materials, flower delivery costs, unpacking, prepping and conditioning flowers, liaising with and staff wages and other vendors, subcontractor fee's or staff wages, loading and unloading vans, clean up of site, dumping waste costs etc
