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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think £4500 is ridiculous for wedding flowers?

126 replies

KnightlyMyMan · 04/12/2018 11:12

Got our quote through from the florist yesterday and almost fainted! I kid you not £4500 for

  • 3 bouquets- mid size and a mix of flower/foliage (they sell these in MnS for £15- I could just tie a ribbon around them)
  • 4 small button holes (1 flower and a bit of spray)
  • 4 standing plyth/urn decorations (not the largest - about hip height)
  • 6 table flowers in vases (medium size- again could buy these for £35 each in MnS)
  • Foliage garland for the top table
  • Some candles 😂🙈 (about 8 in glass jars- both of which I can get at Asda for £20 all in)

I got the quote as DM thinks a florist is very important and MIL agrees. I had expected about £1500 as know they’ll add a charge to be there for the day...etc. I understand they need to make a living and add a premium but it seems EXTORTIONATE.

Everything I’d read online suggested a budget of £1000-£2000 should be apple for what I wanted!

Is this just a randomly crazy high quote or is this normal???

I was happy to do the flowers myself and at least now DP is on board with that idea!!

OP posts:
HeffalumpsnWoozles · 04/12/2018 12:12

Ouch!!! We are getting married in 2 weeks and ended up using an Etsy shop for silk flowers/buttonholes. They are amazing and in total for 3 x table display, 3 bouquets and numerous button holes cost around £270. We are doing the deed in a lovely but v.posh stately home and had saved like buggery. Too tight to spend loads on flowers too, I'm still slack jawed at 4.5k!

Fake flowers aren't everyone's cup of tea but in all honesty who remembers them as the best part of the day?

cjt110 · 04/12/2018 12:13

We got foam artificial ones... £50.

Ihaventgottimeforthis · 04/12/2018 12:14

That was my entire wedding budget, with a free bar.

Ridiculous amount of money, for something that will rot to nothing in days.

Wonkypalmtree · 04/12/2018 12:15

Shop around, I got huge variation on quotes

Oblomov18 · 04/12/2018 12:20

Blimey. Shock
Seems a lot.
2 of my friends are florists, both specialising in weddings: one in Bath, one near Heathrow. Neither charge that kind of money. For what you've stated. Although both have done celebrity weddings for double that amount!! 💶💰💰

redastherose · 04/12/2018 12:20

Mine cost less than £150 all in (but it was 28 years ago). Ask at the Church if they have anyone who does the flowers as I paid £50 for the flowers and a lovely man did all the arrangements in the urns/end of pews etc. for a contribution of £50 for the church funds.

Eliza9917 · 04/12/2018 12:21

I'm spending about £200 for silk ribbon:

Bouquet
Groom Button hole
Best Man Button hole
Flower girl wand
MOB & MOG Corsage

Kewcumber · 04/12/2018 12:24

I think it's fine, if you are going to eat the flowers instead of having a reception meal.

MrsGollach · 04/12/2018 12:29

Obscene amount. They're taking the piss.

hottestsausage · 04/12/2018 12:34

Good grief, I did two bouquets and 10 button holes for DMs wedding in the summer, less than £30 from M&S including the florist tape and pins.

Frouby · 04/12/2018 12:35

My auntie who isnt a florist but a bit crafty did my wedding flowers.

Brides bouqet, 1 bridesmade bouqet, 2 little flower girls posies, 4 corsages, and about 20 carnation button holes.

Flowers came to £200 from a local florist, ribbon and so on was about £30 I think?

Florist would have charged us £1200. She had another wedding in that weekend and was happy enough to sell us the flowers and make a small profit on those and even delivered them for us.

As soon as you say 'wedding' at least one 0 gets added to the price!

tenbob · 04/12/2018 12:37

That's insanity

We had a high-end London florist and it was under a grand
And instead of having flowers for the tables, we did pots of herbs, which people could then take away afterwards, and the leftovers ended up in our garden as a nice reminder of our day

Mitzimaybe · 04/12/2018 12:37

The urns and the foliage garland are going to add massively to the price. Can you do without the urns?

diddl · 04/12/2018 12:40

I should imagine that it's the setting them up in the venue that has upped the price?

I'm sure fir us the decorating of the venue was in the price-either that or we didn't bother!

We didn't have anything extra for the church, but did decorate the pew ends the day before.

lalalalyra · 04/12/2018 12:41

My niece is getting married soon. We went to a florist cash and carry (Country Baskets) to have a look as someone recommended it and discovered that they do artificial flowers that are incredibly realistic. They had quite a few pre tied options and buttonholes made up. I think she ended up being about £60 for everything she wanted.

PainSnail · 04/12/2018 12:42

Florist here. That quote is very expensive for what you've described. I've done huge weddings that haven't come to that much! Only other variables would be using very out of season flowers, or some sort of seasonal issue like red roses near valentines day when florists have to pay through the nose for them too.

Or more likely, the florist is pricing you out! Giving daft quotes for things is generally how you get out of doing jobs you don't want for one reason or another. I always do it between Christmas and New year...

dinosaurcookie · 04/12/2018 12:44

We had similar without the candles and it cost about 500 quid from a flower farm...the woman there made the bouquets and we picked up the flowers for the pots. Flowers were gorgeous country flowers like stocks, cornflowers, sweet williams etc.Would def recommend buying them that way.

Blanchedupetitpois · 04/12/2018 12:46

I am not one to talk because I spent £17,000 on my wedding flowers and think it all depends on your budget and priorities (though I know some people would consider that an unjustifiable spend regardless of budget which is fair enough!). BUT, even on that understanding, it doesn’t sound like you’re getting much for your money. I think most florists would do a lot more for £4,500.

TheBabyAteMyBrain · 04/12/2018 12:46

Ha ha ha, you all make me feel very cheap. I just went down Tescos the night before and bought a load to do ourselves 😂

Original poster
KnightlyMyMan · 04/12/2018 12:47

I’m using totally in season flowers - lots of spray. I had 0 demands going in I actually asked- what’s in season? What’s reasonable? 😂

I don’t think they’re pricing us out as DP’s family are very prominent in the local community. So they seem to want to do the wedding/venue but do probably think we have a never ending budget!!

I’m literally sat outside ASDA right now- gonna see what I can do between here and MNS

OP posts:
LittleKitty1985 · 04/12/2018 12:49

Real flowers are such waste of money. We used high quality artificial ones and after the wedding they were used to decorate our flat so we continue to enjoy them every day!

IACGMOOH · 04/12/2018 12:49

Given what you're asking for no I don't think so

Imicola · 04/12/2018 12:50

Wow, that's a ridiculous price! We did our own. Had a friend of the family who is great with flowers, so she filled her car with all sorts from her garden and wild the day before then everyone pitched in to do table decorations. Paid about £100 for bouquet and button holes. Then a family member who does the flowers for her church did a couple of more formal displays for the ceremony.
Do you know anyone handy at such things who could help? In my experience people love to be asked and will happily help out.

sonandhelpneeded · 04/12/2018 12:52

@Blanchedupetitpois £17,000 on flowers!!! Bloody hell!

I've got to ask but you don't have to answer what was your total wedding budget?

MulticolourMophead · 04/12/2018 12:55

I'm guessing they didn't want the job and priced you out. Could be for any reason.