How to Maximize Your Floral Budget Without Sacrificing Style
A moment straight out of a dream — our full floral broken arch framed their walk down the aisle and became the heart of the entire ceremony at Liberty House in Jersey City, NJ. Refined, romantic, and perfectly garden-style.
Photo credit: nicolekatherinephoto.com
If you’re a bride in the planning stages, you’re likely looking for ways to make the most of your floral budget. Fortunately, there are many strategies to create a stunning floral backdrop for your special day without overspending.
Prioritize flowers where they’ll be photographed most
The largest portion of your budget should go to the high-visibility pieces. Consider where you’ll be doing the first look, the ceremony backdrop, or the cake-cutting photos. Choose a florist who is familiar with the venue so they can advise on maximizing impact in photographs. Strategic placement can help you get the most out of your floral design. Choosing one “wow” moment rather than scattering small arrangements everywhere gives much more impact visually while keeping your budget in mind. One intentional statement piece has the power to elevate a space without needing dozens of smaller pieces.
The BTS of creating a 14-foot floral cloud suspended over the dance floor at Liberty House so their guests could dance the night away under a canopy of color. This dreamy installation became the show-stopping focal point of the night — and the perfect backdrop for every celebration moment.
The ceremony’s broken arch found its second moment — repurposed behind the sweetheart table to create a lush, romantic backdrop that carried their floral story into the reception. Nothing wasted, everything elevated.
A statement piece all its own — the cocktail-hour chandelier dripping with hundreds of white tulips and ranunculus. When a chandy like the one at Hotel Du Village in New Hope, PA is already this much of a moment, you lean in and enhance it even more. Soft, sculptural, and impossible to forget.
Repurpose
Ceremony pieces can be designed to be moved to the reception space to decorate the sweetheart table, a focal feature like a fireplace, or flanking the DJ or dance floor. The emotional connection with your design and the carefully selected colors and blooms can continue to wow guests all night, not just during the ceremony. My personal favorite was using a grounded arch to create the appearance of a garden blooming from the center of a wraparound seating arrangement. There are so many creative ways to play around and design flowers that flow seamlessly from ceremony to reception. In addition to the benefits to your budget, repurposing is also an eco-conscious choice. Every bloom that is grown, transported, and disposed of has a carbon footprint so every bloom you repurpose makes your wedding more sustainable.
A lush garden-style grounded arch at Hudson House, ready to bloom twice — first for “I do,” then repurposed for the reception.
Aisle blooms that do double duty — creating a romantic path to “I do” and later transforming into lush centerpieces for the reception tables. Beauty with purpose.
Ceremony florals repurposed to frame the sweetheart table — creating the dreamiest photo-op and letting those blooms shine twice in one perfect day.
Aisle pieces reimagined — slipped into compotes to create lush, effortless centerpieces that carry the ceremony’s beauty straight into the reception.
Pick the Right Flowers
Think seasonal! Your floral team can help you choose flowers that are in season for your wedding month to save money and ensure they are available. For example, Peonies are perfect for a spring wedding but trying to source them in December can be costly and there's even a chance your “must-have” bloom won't be available. In addition to seasonality, we have the advantage of being a farm, which allows us to offer blooms that you simply won't find anywhere else. Growing our own flowers means your design will include unique varieties, colors, and textures that can not be created with a typical florist’s selection. Instead of traditional tightly packed bouquets, we focus on airy, flowing designs that breathe. A smaller number of premium blooms can create much more visual impact when emphasis is placed on movement, negative space, and unique focal points, rather than just sheer volume.
Ethereal spring blooms for a wedding at The Farm at Glenwood Mountain in Vernon, NJ, artfully arranged with space to breathe — creating a soft, whimsical garden-style bouquet that feels as light and romantic as the season itself.
Photo credit: kkhrystphotography.com
Not Just Flowers
Flowers aren’t the only way to create impact in your design. Candles are my favorite way to give any space a romantic glow. Pillar candles, votives, tapers, or floating candles can be used to make smaller arrangements feel grander. Your guests may not remember that you had the perfect garden rose but they will remember the vibe, and candles are the simplest way to create a vibe! Colored tapers will instantly create a garden-like vibe, pillar candles add a soft glow to a modern or classical feel, and votives scattered among the flowers bring intimacy to a space. There’s no recipe, every space and every vision is different. When done well, these small details can make even the simplest arrangement feel intentional and memorable.
A winter wedding at Stonehouse at Stirling Ridge, made warm and inviting with layers of candlelight. Proof that even the coldest season feels cozy when the glow is just right.
Candles paired with unique, textural greenery created the dreamiest meadow-like feel — softening the stunning mahogany walls at Hotel Du Village and adding a romantic, whimsical glow to the entire space.
A ceremony backdrop rooted in simplicity and intention — using the iconic Ryland Inn Coach House fireplace, we created towering pillar candle clusters and let light, rambling roses and vine climb the stone naturally. No heavy installs, just soft, romantic beauty that highlighted the architecture already there.
When the real wood farm tables at The Farm at Glenwood Mountain are already this stunning, you don’t need an abundance of florals — just garden-style compotes and colored taper candles to create a warm, intimate, effortlessly beautiful tablescape.
Statement table numbers that enhance the decor rather than distract — our garden-style cloches add charm, texture, and intention to every tablescape.
Photo credit: sydneymadisonphotography.com