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When planning your dream wedding, flowers play a significant role in creating the perfect atmosphere. However, balancing your budget for wedding flowers can be challenging. In a YouTube video by The Wedding Experts, Jamie from Just Married Films interviewed Daryl and Hema, expert florists from Bloomen, who shared valuable insights on budgeting for wedding flowers that every Singaporean couple should know.

Here’s a step-by-step guide to making your wedding flower budget stretch without compromising on style or quality.

1. Set a Realistic Budget for Your Flowers

According to Daryl and Hema, an ideal starting point for your wedding flower budget should be about 8-10% of your overall wedding budget. This provides a comfortable range for choosing flowers and decorations. For instance, if your total wedding budget is around $100,000, plan to allocate approximately $8,000 to $10,000 for flowers.

Tip: Establishing a budget first will streamline your floral planning, enabling you to make informed decisions about flower types, arrangements, and the amount of décor needed.

2. Start with Your Bouquet

The experts recommend that brides should focus on the bridal bouquet design first, as it often sets the tone for the entire floral arrangement. The bouquet serves as a focal point and will guide other design elements, such as centrepieces, ceremony décor, and corsages for the bridal party.

To help your florist understand your vision, consider creating a mood board with inspirations, colour schemes, and textures. This gives a visual starting point for crafting a cohesive floral design.

3. Choose Your Flower Placement Wisely

Strategically deciding where your flowers will be placed is crucial for both budget and aesthetic purposes. Ask yourself:

• Who needs flowers? If you’re planning on corsages for bridesmaids, ensure the colours complement their dresses.
• Where will the flowers go? Think about ceremony backdrops, aisle decorations, and reception centrepieces.
• How big is the venue? Larger spaces may require more flowers, whereas intimate spaces can feel abundant with minimal décor.

Factoring in the venue’s size and décor needs can help you assess costs more accurately and ensure a smooth discussion with your florist about what’s feasible within your budget.

4. Consider Real vs. Artificial Flowers

One common misconception is that using artificial flowers is more affordable than real ones. Daryl and Hema clarify that high-quality artificial flowers can often be pricier than fresh blooms, especially if the designs require custom sourcing. Also, the design work and setup costs for artificial and fresh flowers are often comparable, meaning your budget would need to be higher if opting for artificial options.

Expert Insight: Artificial flowers may not be the budget-saving solution many think; speak with your florist about fresh, in-season flowers that can offer a similar aesthetic at a lower price.

5. Balance DIY and Professional Touches

When it comes to floral arrangements, Daryl and Hema advise couples to avoid relying on bridesmaids or friends for major floral décor. Weddings require dedicated preparation time, and professional florists ensure that each piece aligns perfectly with the wedding’s overall theme. Many couples find that leaving the core flower arrangements to professionals saves stress and guarantees high quality.

However, if you’re looking to reduce expenses, consider opting for DIY on simpler, non-essential decorations—a suggestion popular among Singaporeans on Reddit. Many couples on Reddit suggest DIY-ing simple décor like table signage, seating arrangements, or minimal backdrop flowers. For those prioritising savings for other expenses like a honeymoon or home furnishings, scaling back non-essentials or doing a few DIY touches yourself can help balance the budget.

Pro Tip: Choose DIY options for elements that won’t compromise the look of the main floral displays. And if you’re interested, check out our article on budget-saving wedding tips from Singaporean redditors for inspiration on creating a beautiful, memorable wedding day without overextending your budget.

6. Meet with Your Florist in Person

Face-to-face meetings with your florist are essential for building a shared vision. Daryl and Hema emphasise that they never simply replicate a design from a photo; each wedding is unique, and florists will tailor designs based on your personal style, dress, and venue. Meeting in person allows you to discuss your ideas, receive professional feedback, and adjust plans as needed.

Summary of Key Tips for Budgeting Wedding Flowers

• Set a Budget: Allocate 8-10% of your total wedding budget for flowers.
• Begin with the Bouquet: It sets the tone for other floral décor.
• Prioritise Placement: Decide where flowers are essential.
• Real vs. Artificial: High-quality artificial flowers may cost more than fresh ones.
• Balance DIY and Professional Help: Leave complex designs to florists but consider DIY for simpler, non-essential décor.
• Meet Your Florist: Build a shared vision to create a unique design.

Ultimately, budgeting for wedding flowers is a personal process, one that should align with your unique vision and financial goals. Whether you choose to invest fully in professional floral arrangements or take a DIY approach for certain elements, remember there are always ways to make your budget work for you. For further ideas on affordable, creative ways to decorate, check out our article on Singaporean Redditors’ budget-friendly wedding tips.

And to help you get started with finding the right florists, see our curated list of the top wedding floral vendors in Singapore!

Source: “Guide to Wedding Flowers in Singapore- How much to budget?” (featured on The Wedding Experts YouTube channel).