Here's the Average Cost of Wedding Flowers in the US

As told by couples who married in 2023.
Picture of beautiful wild flowers for weddings
Photos: Stocksy,Design: Tiana Crispino
kim forrest the knot
by
Kim Forrest
kim forrest the knot
Kim Forrest
Senior Editor
  • Kim writes and edits articles for The Knot Worldwide, specializing in etiquette and planning advice
  • Kim manages freelance writers for The Knot Worldwide
  • Prior to The Knot Worldwide, Kim was Associate Bridal Editor at Washingtonian magazine and Associate Fashion Editor at Conde Nast’s Brides Local magazines
Updated Sep 12, 2024

Whether you want roses or peonies, wedding flowers can get expensive. You'll likely have to allot a decent part of your total wedding budget to flowers if you envision them playing a significant role in your ceremony or reception decor. When it comes to the average cost of wedding flowers, factors like your venue and the time of year will affect the price, but it helps to have a general idea of what you might spend before you start finalizing the details. With the help of our budget tool, you can easily explore pricing estimates for florists in your area.

Wondering: "How much do flowers cost for a wedding?" The Knot Real Weddings Study has answers. The study polled nearly 10,000 newlyweds who were married in 2023, giving us brand-new insight on the cost of wedding flowers for many couples throughout the country. We're sharing those stats and more below to help you understand how your costs might compare. Plus, we've outlined the main factors that can impact your overall wedding flower budget. When you're ready to find a wedding florist, head to The Knot Vendor Marketplace to research top wedding vendors by location, budget and style.

In this article: Average Cost | Cost Factors | Quotes | Yearly Change

Average Cost of Wedding Flowers

According to our internal data, the average cost of wedding flowers in 2023 was $2,800. The cost of wedding flowers has been steadily increasing over the last few years as a result—at least somewhat—of inflation and the impacts on blooms from climate change. And while the situation has improved over the past couple of years, there's no overnight fix, which means that couples should prepare for higher costs and increased demand when ordering wedding flowers.

"It's important to be realistic with your floral budget so you know what that budget will give you," says floral designer Yumiko Fletcher of Hana Floral Design in Mystic, Connecticut. "The industry standard has always been that floral is roughly 10% of your overall wedding budget, so a couple having a $75,000 wedding should assume their florals are in the $7,500 range. But if you have high expectations and flowers are a priority for your big day, then perhaps you really need to allocate 15% because today's $7,500 is not the same as two years ago."

Wedding Flower Cost Factors

How much you spend on wedding flowers will fluctuate based on the types of flowers you want, your wedding season, the style of the arrangements and other factors. Here are a few elements to keep in mind as you plan out some strategies on how to save money on your wedding flowers:

Ratio of Blooms to Greenery

"Flowers are almost always more per stem than a stem of greens; however, this doesn't mean greens are cheap by any means," says Fletcher. "If you prefer a very floral heavy arrangement for your centerpieces with little to no greenery, this is naturally going to cost more. So even adding greenery will help fill in spaces and help save money."

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Fresh Flowers vs. Dried Botanicals

Some couples choose to line their ceremony aisle and reception venue with hundreds of fresh flowers. If that's the look you envision for your wedding, expect to pay well over $2,800. But if fresh blooms aren't on the top of your must-have list, there are plenty of alternatives to decorate your space without going over your wedding flower budget. Trendy options like branches or pampas grass (or even spray-painted greenery) can transform any venue, and using more greenery than expensive flowers can be a cost-saving measure, depending on the type.

Size, Scale and Number of Arrangements

High-impact floral installations are a top wedding flower trend for 2024, which means that you might be looking into larger centerpieces and additional arrangements to adorn areas like your aisle, reception entry and even the ceiling of your venue. Of course, larger florals and more elaborate arrangements (think: arches, flower clouds, etc.) will have a higher price tag. And the more arrangements you want, the higher the cost. All in all, hiring a professional floral designer will be just as important as ever, since they can help you save money (and time) by eliminating the guesswork of sourcing flowers on your own. Our survey found that 65% of couples included a florist in their lineup of wedding vendors.

Seasonality of Your Flowers

Using seasonal wedding flowers can also help to reduce some of the cost. Says Fletcher: "If flowering branches are a must for you, then those are only available in the spring months. If you love dahlias, then summer into fall weddings makes the most sense. Ask your florist what is in season for your wedding and let them go to local growers to source some pretty stems for you." Though, certain unexpected harsh weather conditions can make some seasonal blooms more scarce and therefore cost more. Your florist will flag that with you if that's the case with one of your chosen blossoms.

Level of Labor

It takes time and energy for a pro to conceptualize designs for your arrangements and bouquets, source flowers, assemble each piece and deliver them to your venue. More-elaborate designs that require additional materials will fetch a higher price, while standard shapes will be more budget friendly. If your venue is far away from the florist or otherwise difficult to access, it'll cost more to move the flowers from point A to point B. Likewise, if the florist has to spend time installing an arrangement (like a floral cloud) at the venue, their time will come into play in the final number.

Wedding Flower Quotes

When you find a florist on The Knot Vendor Marketplace, you'll see a big pink "Request a Quote" button underneath their bio. Once you click, you'll be prompted to give your number of guests and write a quick note describing the aesthetic vision for your wedding. You can also include what you're hoping to spend and ask the florist to gauge what services that sum would cover to determine if it's a reasonable amount to spend on wedding flowers. From there, the florist will message you on The Knot to give you personalized pricing and package info.

While every quote will differ in delivery from florist to florist, you can typically expect to see a price estimate for the cost of each item or type of item (one ceremony arch: $X, four bridesmaid bouquets: $X each, etc.). You'll see a total for each line item and also a total for your full flowers. Additionally, you will see a number for tax as well as any relevant delivery, set up or breakdown fees. The total of these numbers added together will be your quote.

How Have Wedding Flower Costs Changed Over the Years?

The total cost of a wedding has increased from last year, with the national average now at $35,000. Unsurprisingly, the average cost of wedding flowers has also steadily increased—last year saw a 17% increase from 2022 and a 22% increase compared to 2021, when the average cost was $2,300.

Keep in mind that $2,800 is a national average cost of wedding flowers and centerpieces, with an emphasis on both words. If you're having a smaller wedding that requires fewer flower arrangements, you may end up paying less. On the other hand, if you're having a luxury wedding or want elaborate arrangements with flowers that are in high demand, the average flower budget for a wedding of that scale will be more.

Vendor and venue packages can also influence what the average cost of flowers for a wedding is. All-inclusive wedding venues with in-house floral designers may create corresponding table centerpieces, boutonnieres, bridesmaid bouquets, corsages and floral decor as part of their price offering. While $2,800 serves as a general price, the average cost of wedding flowers can fluctuate based on volume of stems and the complexity of your order.

The bottom line: The right number for you all depends on what you and your partner consider to be most important, whether it fits with the average floral budget for a wedding or not. Though it would be an added cost to decorate with trendy or rare flowers instead of blooms that are more easily sourced, you may decide that it's worth it from a personalization aspect.

As you work with your florist during the wedding planning process, flexibility and trust are key these days. "Couples need to think of their needs versus their wants," Fletcher says. "Make sure you communicate with your florist what these items are and prioritize the needs first, the wants second if budget allows. Be flexible with the types of flowers. Tell your florist your color palette and overall wedding style and let them buy accordingly."

Additional reporting by Cathryn Haight.

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