But alas, these elusive flowers are difficult to get.  They are only truly in season 4-6 weeks in the year.  And when those 4-6 weeks will be?  No one knows except for mother nature.  Peonies are considered to be in season late spring or early summer which technically is mid-April to late May or early June.  That’s really not a long time.  You can get them a few weeks sooner or later, but you would be paying a pretty penny for them.

A lot of time I feel like peonies are another form of torture.

I am often the bearer of bad news.  I have to tell these hopeful brides that the chances of getting peonies will be unlikely (though not impossible).  The good news, though, is that I can offer up some other deliciously fluffy flowers that nature has graced us with.

Ranuncula (Spring flower available from March to April or May).  Comes in a variety of colors including white, pink, hot pink, red, burgundy, orange,  and yellow.

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Garden Tea Rose (Mostly in season during the summer months including June, July and August).  These come in a lot of colors also including white, pink, red, burgundy, peach, yellow and orange.

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Dahlia (Summer Flowers available late May to October).  These come in a variety of colors, and the later in the season, the more colors there are.  Most popular ones are orange, red, pink, yellow, white and burgundy (dark red).

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Gardenia (available year round).  Comes in white.

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Hydrangea (available in the spring and fall).  Colors include pink, green, blue, lavender and white.

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Lisianthus (in season during the spring and summer months). Colors include white, pink, and lavender).

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So if the in-season of peonies doesn’t happen to fall under the 6 weeks you happened to be getting married,  hopefully one of these flowers can take its place!

I can see how you might be tempted to dismiss the humble carnation as little more than a cheap and tacky filler for all those pre-made arrangements you know well enough to avoid.  Ugh. “How awful,” you think. “I don’t do carnations. Ever.” After all, it is unlikely that you envision your centerpieces to look like this for your wedding:

I’m here to convince you to give carnations another chance.  If you group these beauties together in a tight cluster you get something stunning. The ruffled edges give a wonderful texture that appears to be lush and rich.

They make beautiful bouquets.

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They are great in pomanders.  You can hang these up for the ceremony and then reuse them for the reception.

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If you like the lush look of flowers and want to avoid greens, carnations are a great flower to use to add texture and fullness without breaking the bank.  Here you see a centerpiece with dahlias and carnations mixed together.  You can barely tell the difference between the two flowers.

If you like cake (like me!), here’s another fun way to use carnations.  Eddie Ross, a very talented and creative designer, shares how to make these arrangements here.

And another huge plus about carnations?  They are ALWAYS in season and come in every color you can imagine–and everything in between.

Then you go dress shopping, but you are surprised by the price tag.  Really?!  It’s a dress you’re wearing only once!

Then you meet with some caterers and you are shocked by the quote they give you.  Will it really cost $100 per person?  What if we just feed them hot dogs?!

So then you move onto flowers.  You meet with a few florists and your draw drops from their proposals.  What?!  Are you serious?  Reality hits and you realize that your ideal wedding isn’t quite in tune with your pocket book.

You walk away feeling dismayed and upset from the whole wedding planning thing.  You begin to wonder if it’s all worth it.  And, after some thought, you realize that it is. Let’s face it: not everyone can have the wedding of their dreams, and there are going to be places where you need to compromise and cut corners to make sure you get the most out of your money.

There are some obvious ways to cut the costs: cutting your guest list is the easiest way, and choosing a wedding date that falls on a Friday or Sunday can save a lot of money.  I have ideas of how to cut costs with your dress and catering–but I’m not an expert there. I am, however, an expert when it comes to flowers!  So, my Zellas, here are some ideas to help you stay within your floral budget.

Do some research. Find out what flowers are in season for your wedding date.  Then go one step beyond that: find out what flowers are in season that also come in your wedding colors.  Many flowers are available (meaning they can be imported from another country) but this is not the same as being in season. “In season” means that they are locally grown in the area (and hopefully in abundance).  You can click here to find out more about in-season flowers.

Recycle your flowers. To get the most for your money, you want to be able to use your flowers in more than one place.  For example, plan something simple for your ceremony, and use them again in the reception area.  Bouquets tied on chairs can be moved to the wedding party chairs in the reception or placed on the Guestbook table.  The bride’s bouquet and bridesmaid bouquet can be used on the head table. Place your toss bouquet on the cake table.

Here are some bouquets lined up on the head table.

Bouquets placed on the cake table.

Cut back on the ceremony flowers. People will notice your personal flowers and reception flowers, but the ceremony is truly about the couple.  Most guests will not notice the ceremony flowers because they are focused on the vows, the natural beauty of the church or are enjoying the fresh air of the outdoors.  Something very simple and understated can make a huge impact.  A colored aisle runner, scattered rose petals, hanging satin ribbons, tissue pomanders, some greenery or petal cones are all wonderful ways to dress your ceremony up without the use of flowers.

Petal Cones and rose petals

Simple bear grass tied to chairs

Do some of you own shopping.  See if your florist allows you to provide your own vases and candles.  As a bit of warning, the vases part can get a little tricky–the size and shape of the vase can change the amount of flowers needed.  But if you have a good idea of what vase or container your florist intends to use, do some research and see if you can find some on your own.  Ikea always has great vase options, and candles are almost always on sale.

Pare down.  Instead of corsages and boutonnières for extended family members. give them a single long stem rose.  Corsages and boutonnières take a lot of time to make, so giving them a single rose can cut back the labor time.  Less labor = less money for you.  If you order 5 corsages, you’ll spend around $100-$125.  A dozen long stem roses, on the other hand, costs $10-$15.

Every little bit adds up–so if you take a little here and there and get a little creative, you can definitely stretch your budget!