Flowers aren't normally the first thing a bride thinks of for her big day, but we believe florals should absolutely be in your top 5 for vendor selection. Choosing a florist and budgeting for that expense is often overlooked, but with the right amount of planning, they can quickly become a highlight and truly improve your wedding day all around!

Take into consideration the season of your flowers. Winter wedding but wanting tropical florals like lilies and hibiscus? The cost to just import those from a tropical climate as well as arrange, store, transport, etc will at least triple the cost of in-season florals.

Seasonal florals will also last longer on your wedding day. Flowers like sweet peas and camellias which grow best in the colder weather, won't last very long on a hot summer day for a beach wedding.

Local flowers have far less time and distance to travel on wedding days. This means blooms can be cut closer to your date and thus will be as fresh as growing in a garden for photos!

If you want to not only stay within your floral budget, which stats say should be about 10% of your overall budget but keep it eco-friendly consider fresh floral alternatives.

Brides are drawn to dried flowers as it allows for out-of-season wedding blooms without the high cost. Wildflowers are also a great way if you are open to what is available and want that touch of boho on your day.

Succulents, fabric flowers, or even paper florals are all ways to reduce your footprint with your floral needs on your wedding day but also allow for lots of long planning.

Lastly, faux flowers. What was considered low-budget years ago has come so far. You may not even be able to tell a lot of the newer varieties of faux are just that! They've fooled in the best of photographers.

The Main Event by Emily photographed by Sharon Hundley

Looking for a great list to start with? Check out our preferred vendors on our website!

~"Love is the flower you've got to let grow."~