Backyard Micro-wedding

Marilyn + Ivan’s sweet, micro-wedding was held in their very own backyard! Neutral blooms, Pampas Grass, and floral garlands adorned the space creating an intimate, magical atmosphere. If you’re on the fence about whether or not you should host a backyard wedding, hesitate no longer! The pros: More time to spend with each guest, hosting a casual affair without sacrificing elegance, and more financial freedom to invest in details that are important to you.

Photography: Julian Talib Photography

Thor + Michelle

Simply Wandering Photo

Thor and Michelle (our lovely owner) finally tied the knot! The happy couple began dating almost 4 years ago and it didn’t take them long to realize that they had a unique and wonderful bond and wanted to spend the rest of their lives together. They chose to wed last October at their church, Hope Christian Fellowship, located in the San Gabriel Valley. The reception was hosted in the bride’s parent’s beautiful, green and spacious backyard. They opted for a small, intimate gathering with a guest count of about 50 people. Vintage/romantic vibes and mauve and cream florals with berry tones created a captivating and magical big day for the bride and groom. Our team incorporated some of Michelle’s favorites into the floral arrangements and bouquets: amnesia roses, hellebores and dahlias. It was a truly gorgeous and romantic day all around! Congratulations, Thor and Michelle! Wishing you many more happy years to come.

The decor was simple, with an emphasis on the flower arrangements, of course.

Rings by Micky’s Jewelry Studio in La Verne, CA.

The wonderful bridal party in shades of mauve and grey.

Bubbles (blown by guests) were such a fun addition to the ceremony!

Vintage-inspired lace wedding dress by designer, Melissa Sweet.

Guests dined al fresco in the beautiful backyard, overlooking a luscious garden and fruit trees.

Stunning florals created by our designer, Erika.

Reception and photo wall fun!

The very beautiful (and tempting) dessert table at the reception.

Photographer: Simply Wandering Photo
Videographer: Hummingbird Global Media
Planner: Love is Sweet Events
Florals: Iris & Barry Blooms
Ribbon: Silk & Willow
Hair + make-up: My Styles
Catering: Charlie’s Trio
Dessert: Vanilla Bake Shop
DJ: Jonathan Yeh
Rentals: Arcadia Party Rentals
Photo wall: The Photo Booth Guy

WEDDING FLOWERS + COST ADD-UPS

Katie Hoss Photo

Ah yes, the dreaded budget conversation. As a wedding florist, I find that often times couples are surprised by how much flowers cost. I'm here to clear the air so you will be 100% in the know before reaching out to your florist. With Pinterest and wedding blogs that often feature styled shoots with unlimited budgets such as "Style Me Pretty," it's no wonder that couples' eyes drop when they find out how much that lush floral garland really costs.

I want to start off by saying that I respect couples' needs when it comes to staying within a certain budget. There are many factors that go into a wedding: the wardrobe, the venue, the catering, the photography, the entertainment, etc., but it's also important to allocate a reasonable amount for your flowers. Now, this is different for each couple. You have to do what makes sense for you, though it's sad to say that sometimes floral decor gets pushed to the back burner. It's easy for some to justify this by thinking "the flowers will die anyway," but, you do not want to skimp on your floral decor. After all, your florals will help create the ambiance of your event. You can still keep things simple and beautiful without going over the top. I've had the opportunity to design beautiful weddings with a floral budget that ranges anywhere from $2,000-$10k. 

Alexandria Monette Photography

Here are a couple of misconceptions I have found: A "minimalistic" style does not exactly mean inexpensive. Sure, you may be opting for a couple of bud piece centerpieces instead of a full-blown pedestal style centerpiece, but think about the flowers you're asking for. Those pretty Peonies or Anthurium you have your eye on are costly. Being open to alternatives is so important.

Another misconception: Choosing "mostly greenery" will be low-priced. Greenery isn't cheap either. For example, that 8 ft. greenery garland you're looking at for your guest tables, it's $25 per foot (26 x 8 ft long guest table.= $200). Make that 10 tables = $2,000. That's more than your standard medium-sized centerpiece! The reasoning behind this is that garlands are labor-intensive and time-consuming. Often times they are made with several types of greenery which increases the cost. For a similar look, you can opt for loose greenery styled down the table, instead of handmade garland. Pictured on left: handmade garland, and pictured on right: loose greenery.

Cait Bourgault Photography + Koman Photography

Since I'm on the topic of guest table garlands, let's talk more about centerpieces. Guess where the majority of your budget usually goes to? That's right, the centerpieces. The more guests you have, the more tables you will have- which ultimately means more centerpieces. Let's say you are requesting medium, low centerpieces (@$95 each) and you have 15 guest tables. 15 x 95= $1,425. Maybe reconsidering those 10-20 guests mom is pressuring you to invite would be a good idea! If you can't say no to mom, you can opt for something more simple such as large mason jar centerpieces as seen below (@$69 each). 

Cait Bourgault Photography

Now that we've covered centerpieces, can you guess what the runner up is? It's bouquets. For example, say you have 9 bridesmaids. 9 bridesmaids mean 9 bouquets (@$75 each). 9 x $75= $675. Having a large wedding party can be tons of fun, but you may want to consider a smaller wedding party if you're looking to save here. 

Lastly, I'm going to do a cost break down of a real inquiry I received not too long ago. The client had a budget of $2,000-$2,500 total for their wedding flowers. The request was for the following (*Please note none of pieces below are created by Iris & Barry Blooms, but are inspiration photos the client sent from Pinterest):

Ceremony

1 Cascading bridal bouquet- $170

1 Maid of honor bouquet- $80
3 Bridesmaid bouquets- $225 (@$75 each)
1 Groom boutonniere- $17
2 Best man boutonniere- $15
2 Groomsmen boutonnieres- $30 (@$15 each)
2 Flower girl baskets and petals- $120 (@$60 each)
6 Flower combs- $210 (@$35 each)
1 Ring bearer boutonniere- $15
2 Mothers corsages- $54 (@$27 each)
2 Fathers boutonnieres- $30 (@$15 each)
1 arch floral decor for a 16 ft. arch covered completely- $2,900

3 large altar arrangements w/rental pillars- $695
8 Chair floral swags- $280 (@$35 each)
12 Dozen aisle petals- $360
2 medium welcome table arrangements- $140 (@$70 each)
1 welcome sign swag- $60

Reception

1 seating chart floral swag- $60
2 full 6 ft. long bar floral garlands- $720 (@$360 each)

10 tall centerpieces- $1,500 (@$165 each)

1 sweetheart table arrangement- $125
2 medium dessert table arrangements- $140 (@$70 each)
cake flowers- $30
1 toss bouquet- $30
3 full 8 ft. long floral garlands for the fireplace mantle, DJ booth, and large back window- $1,080 (@$360 each)

Delivery + Labor/set-up: $295

Total amount w/out tax: $9,532
Amount of tax (9.5%): $905.54
Total amount w/tax: $10,4137.54

Don't get me wrong, I will try really hard to work within a client's budget, but it's not always possible. Now, if we were to remove some of the requested pieces above, and scale back to primarily the bouquets, boutonnieres, corsages, flower girl petals, medium-sized centerpieces, and simpler arch floral decor, a budget of $2,000-$2,500 is much more doable.

So, as a newly engaged couple how do you know what a reasonable floral budget is? In general, it is a good idea to allocate 12% to 15% of your overall wedding budget to flowers. If flowers are super important to you, and you're looking for something lavish like the weddings you see featured online, it's more realistic to allocate about 20%. Of course, there is no right or wrong amount, as each wedding and couple is unique. 

However, keep in mind that you're paying for expensive products as well as a service. Flowers are the icing on the cake, and they have the ability to transform your space. Ask your florist to use seasonal flowers- maybe incorporate just a few of those Peonies that you can't resist in your bouquet and welcome table arrangement only. Focus on color/overall style and let your florist help you decide on what flowers will work best.

I hope this helps some newly engaged couples gain insight on the cost of flowers and working within a budget. If you're interested in learning more about the cost of wedding flowers and the reason that they are priced the way they are, you can read more at irisbarryblooms.com/FAQs.