TFB

A PRICING PRIMER FROM A FARMER FLORIST PERSPECTIVE

THE MYTH VS REALITY

Pinterest makes it look effortless. A ceremony arch dripping with greenery. A table lined with centerpieces. A bouquet so full it could hide a toddler.

Here is the part you do not see in the photos. Flowers are expensive. Not because florists are making things up, but because stems themselves are costly and the work behind them is constant.

If you have Googled “how much do wedding flowers cost,” you have probably seen articles claiming an average of 1200 to 5000. Those numbers are incredibly misleading. They lump together grocery store stems, imported roses, and a single DIY bouquet right alongside full service weddings. In reality, most full service floral designs in Northern Virginia, DC, and Maryland land well above that range.

And remember, I am not opening a box of roses from halfway around the world. I am seeding, planting, weeding, harvesting, and then designing. Your bouquet begins months before your wedding when the first seeds hit the soil.

WHY FLOWERS COST WHAT THEY DO

The flowers. Outside of food, flowers have the highest input costs of any vendor category. Seed, soil, compost, irrigation, structures, tools, labor. Add to that the fact that many of the blooms I grow simply cannot be imported because they do not ship well. That means your flowers are fresher and more distinctive, but they are never “cheap.”

A quick side note: imported roses might be cheaper, but you will not find them here. Every stem is grown in our fields or sourced from other local farms.

The labor. Designing wedding flowers is hands-on from start to finish. We are processing, hydrating, arranging, delivering, and setting up. This is skilled work and it takes time.

And unlike a florist who can order from a catalog, we cannot pre-make recipes months in advance. We design with what is actually blooming, which keeps us creative but also means we are juggling moving parts right up to the wedding week.

The extras. Vessels, candles, mechanics, rentals, delivery, and strike. They are not the glamorous part of the photo, but they are what make the photo possible.

THE ORDER OF COSTS

Florals should be the second highest cost in your wedding budget, right after food. Most couples spend 12 to 20 percent of their total budget on flowers. That range gives you enough to cover the essentials and still create impact moments that will show up in photos for decades.

The same way a caterer is feeding hundreds, your florist is creating hundreds or even thousands of stems worth of design work.

COMMON RANGES TO EXPECT

Every wedding is different, but most couples in Northern Virginia, DC, and Maryland can expect ballpark ranges like these:

Bridal bouquet: 250 to 400

Bridesmaid bouquets: 100 to 200 each

Boutonnieres: 25 to 40 each

Centerpieces: 200 to 350

Ceremony arches: 1200 to 3000

These numbers flex with the season and the scale. Spring peonies are not priced the same as fall dahlias.

BIGGEST FACTORS THAT AFFECT COST

The biggest drivers of your floral budget are not the individual flowers you choose, but the scale of your wedding.

~ Guest count. More guests means more tables. More tables means more centerpieces, candles, and decor.

~ Wedding party size. A bouquet for one bride is very different from a bouquet plus twelve bridesmaids, boutonnieres, and corsages.

~ Ceremony florals. Large installs like arches, chuppahs, or ground meadows can quickly become the most significant line item in your floral plan. They are statement pieces, but they require a huge number of stems, time, and mechanics to pull off.

Keep these three in mind as you set your budget. They have more impact on the total than whether you choose dahlias or lisianthus.

HOW TO THINK ABOUT YOUR BUDGET

You do not need flowers in every corner. The smartest budgets focus on a few impact pieces and let everything else play support.

• A ceremony arch that frames the “I do”

• Bouquets that carry your story

• Tables that feel warm and welcoming

Repurposing is your friend. Ceremony arrangements can move to the reception. Bridesmaid bouquets can frame the cake table. Big impact does not have to mean waste.

And here is a peek behind the curtain. Every one of those pieces started in the ground months before your wedding day. They do not just show up when we place an order. They are grown, harvested, and then designed.

THE TAKEAWAY

Florals should be one of your top investments, second only to food. Plan for 12 to 20 percent of your total budget, and know that you are paying for more than flowers. You are investing in months of growing, weeks of tending, and days of design.

This primer is not meant to scare you. It is meant to give you a clear picture so you can make choices with confidence. When you understand the real costs, you can decide where you want the biggest impact and trust that what you are getting is seasonal, sustainable, and grown right here in your own region.