Wondering about the average cost of wedding flowers? It’s an important question, especially if you’re on a budget.

While the average cost of flowers for a wedding does vary dramatically from wedding to wedding, let’s start by looking at some statistics:

• Most brides aim to spend about 8-10% of their total wedding budget on flowers
• The average cost of wedding flowers in 2011 was in the ballpark of $2,000
• The average range of wedding flower costs is anywhere from $150 to upwards of $8,000

Because weddings are so different from bride to be bride, it can be tricky to answer the questions of how much do wedding flowers cost on average. It helps to break down that 8-10% budget and consider which flowers you’ll actually need for your wedding. Here is a list of typical flower budget line items and their average costs:

• Bridal Bouquet: $75-$250
• Bridesmaid Bouquets: $30-$75 each
• Boutonnieres: $10-$20 each
• Corsages: $15-$40 each
• Ceremony Decor: $375-$950
• Reception Decor (incl. centerpieces): $700-$1200
• Flower girl flowers & petals: $100-$200

♥♥ What flowers do you need for a wedding? Get the complete 25-item checklist. ♥♥

As you can see, there’s lots of room to play around within this list of average cost of flowers for a wedding – but it’s helpful to have guidelines so if you get a quote for like $7,000 from your florist, you know she’s probably trying to snow you. Also keep in mind that you can save a ton on your wedding flowers simply by DIYing them. There are lots of services available online to save you money – or you can even pick up flowers from your local Costco or other vendor. Maybe it doesn’t sound fancy, but you CAN get beautiful flowers if you’re on a serious budget!

When it comes to the average cost of wedding flowers, a good rule of thumb is to spend a little less on your wedding flowers than you are on your wedding dress. That should help you keep in line with an amount that is realistic for the wedding budget you are working within. The good news is that you can totally get wedding flowers whether your budget is $100 or $10,000 – so there is a lot of flexibility there.

Here are some examples of how you can lower your individual average cost of flowers for a wedding:

• Centerpieces – Omit flowers (use candles, vintage books, fruit in a water-filled vase, for example) or use fewer flowers
• Choose in-season blooms (e.g. Tulips are cheap in the spring but gawd-awful expensive in the fall!)
• Opt for cheaper flowers, like carnations or pretty much anything in the mum or daisy family.
• DIY some or all of your flowers. Farm this task out to a relative so you aren’t thinking about picking up flowers on the morning of your wedding.
• Bouquets – Choose silk flowers, or have your bridesmaids carry smaller bouquets (or even a single bloom like an elegant calla lily or a big cheerful gerber daisy)
• Recycle your arrangements: Have your ceremony pew decorations double as table centerpieces and/or your altar arrangements on the head table, buffet table, or bar. Just enlist the help of someone to pick them up after the ceremony and relocate them to the reception.
• Use the bridesmaids’ bouquets for table decoration at the reception. Trust me, your girls won’t want to be carrying them around all night anyway!
• See if your florist will give you a discount or some freebies. Many florists will offer a complimentary toss bouquet, for example

♥♥ Get inspired for your unique wedding flowers in our Bridal Bouquet Photo Gallery. ♥♥

So, how much do wedding flowers cost on average, for real?

The answer to how much do wedding flowers cost on average is pretty straightforward: about $2,000. But for your own wedding, you can make choices that reflect your budget, whether it’s higher or lower than this number. Just keep these numbers in mind to help you plan your wedding budget and assess how reasonable the quotes you get from wedding florists are. In other words, it’s a jumping-off point and definitely not set in stone.

Photo Credit: ashleypalmero on Flickr