It's a common question I get from bride's. How much should I expect to budget for my flowers and cake? And it's a totally valid question, especially for flowers! It's not common knowledge what the price differences or even the names of common flowers are, but that's why your florist is here to help!
Photo by Pam Cooley Photography
The 2016 Knot Real Weddings Survey was recently released and the results may offer some insight. More than 13,000 couples who had planned a wedding and got married in 2016 completed the Knot's survey and they found that the average cost of a wedding is at an all-time high at $35,329. Woah, baby! Now of course, that's the national average. It may not cost you that much to have an amazing wedding here in Central Illinois. Hello, $60, 035 average in Chicago, though!
So how much should you budget for flowers?
10% of your overall budget is what I recommend.
When I look back at what my bride's typically end up spending on flowers, it usually is about 10% of their overall wedding budget that is necessary to achieve a look that fits the overall feel of their wedding. So if your overall wedding budget is $35,000 then budget at least $3,500 for your flowers. Overall budget of $15,000? Plan for $1,500 which would be enough to cover your personal flowers and possibly some small designs for your ceremony or reception.
What about desserts?
Average of $4 per guest
Desserts are a little different to budget for since they are based more on your guest count. In the Knot's survey they found the average spend to be $582 on wedding cake and the average wedding guest count at 141. That averages out to about $4 per serving. Exactly what our pricing for tiered cakes starts at. Looking to keep the costs lower? Think about cupcakes or other desserts which have a lower price per serving.
Photo by Pam Cooley Photography
Check out more of what 2016 brides spent:
See the full cost breakdown from The Knot.
If you really want to find out if your set budget is realistic for your vision, meet with your vendor! We offer a free consultation where we go over the details of your day to be able to offer you a custom price quote.