When it comes to wedding planning, one of the most tempting DIY projects is the floral arrangements. I completely understand why flowers are one of the biggest wedding expenses because honestly, while DIY wedding flowers can save money, there is a huge amount of stress, preparation, logistical challenges and hidden costs.
One of the biggest surprises for couples is the sheer quantity of flowers needed for a wedding. Most people think about the bridal bouquet, bridesmaids’ bouquets, and maybe the dinner tables but there’s so much more involved. You’ve also got:
Cocktail table arrangements
Bar flowers
Signage such as welcome signs or table plans
Bathroom flowers
Ceremony displays
Staircase or entrance installations
Cake table decor
General candles and styling details to accompany the florals
In France, sourcing flowers isn’t always straightforward. Flower markets aren’t generally open to the public and if you do want access to wholesale markets, you may find yourself waking up at 3 a.m. the morning before your wedding to buy flowers. Realistically, that’s probably not how you want to spend the lead-up to one of the biggest days of your life.
Don’t forget that you and your family not only need to source the flowers but prepare them and store them correctly. That’s a major issue in the South of France, especially during summer. Many venues don’t have walk-in fridges or cool storage areas large enough for wedding florals. Flowers are delicate, especially in heatwaves and the last thing you want is wilted bouquets or drooping centrepieces on your wedding day.
Another thing couples often overlook is the setup itself. Wedding planners co-ordinate the day and manage logistics, suppliers and timings but they are not florists and don’t even have the time. So you need to ask yourself: who is physically setting everything up and who is disposing of all the packaging and boxes, because there will be a lot of boxes!
One of the least glamorous parts of DIY wedding flowers is what happens afterwards. If you’ve purchased all the vases, candle holders, candles, and styling pieces yourself, they don’t magically disappear at the end of the night. Someone has to pack everything away, remove the melted candles from the stands, dispose of the flowers, clean the vases and transport it home.
A professional florist doesn’t just provide flowers. They are floral experts, they design, they relieve stress, set-up, take away and find backup solutions when necessary. Most importantly, they allow you to actually enjoy your wedding experience.
Sometimes, investing in a florist is less about luxury and more about protecting your time, your energy and your peace of mind on one of the most important weekends of your life.
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