How Much Do Wedding Flowers Cost In New York?

Most couples getting married in New York (or anywhere for that matter) are doing it for the first time. Which means they’ve probably never “shopped” for wedding flowers before, and wedding flower math can feel a little… complex to say the least.

In the same way couples are used to ordering a single meal at a restaurant and not 200 meals, most couples are used to buying a single bunch of flowers and get sticker shock when buying thousands of stems for their wedding.

This guide breaks down the actual cost of wedding flowers in New York and comparable metropolitan areas across the US. It covers what's generally included in full-service wedding floral packages, the factors that can increase or decrease prices, and tips for maximizing your flower budget without compromising on style.

Understanding Average Wedding Flower Costs in New York

The internet will tell you that in New York, floral arrangements and design usually account for 8–15% of your total wedding budget. On a $50K wedding (the state average is roughly $48,600 and the New York City average is $72,000 according to the Knot), that’s about $3,000–$7,000 in blooms. As a wedding florist, I can tell you that in 2025 you will not be getting much for $3,000. Our average full service wedding or event lands closer to $8,000-$25,000 but it is possible to spend less of course...if you order less.

What Flowers Do You Need For Your wedding?

Think of your wedding flowers as an a la carte menu with items you may have pinned on your Pinterest board such as:

• Ceremony flowers: e.g floral arch/chuppah/urn arrangements

• Ceremony aisle runners or decoration: e.g candles, "meadow" or ground arrangements, entrance arrangements

• Welcome arrangements: entrance to the venue or the dining room

• Bridal party flowers or "personals": Bridal bouquet, bridal party bouquets, boutonnieres, corsages

• More complex installations: floral wall, ceiling, art pieces suspended from the ceiling/tent etc

• Reception arrangements: table centerpieces, bar flowers, entryway installations

• Extras like a flower crown for the bride, a floral halo for the flower girl, or petals for the flower child’s walk down the aisle.

  
  

Factors That Influence Flower Costs

Why do one couple’s flowers cost $5,000 while another’s cost $25,000? Here are a few things to consider:

• Flower volume: how many focal flowers (the lush peonies, dahlias, roses etc) versus small filler flowers or greens. Try to notice the ratio of stand out star flowers to greens in the inspiration images your providing your florist.

• Flower type: Seasonal or run of the mill / filler flowers like tulips, carnations or roses cost less than premium or exotic flowers e.g orchids, antirrhinum, proteas. A peony in season is not "cheap" but it is less expensive when its in flush than when it's being Imported from Holland before or after its season.

• Chosen aesthetic: A handful of minimalist or small floral bouquets of a single or a few flower varieties can look great and cost less different from a ceiling covered in luxury flowers.

• Chosen venue: Some wedding venues require more "dressing up" or flowers to fill the space or make it look appealing. High ceilings and expansive ballrooms in particular require more decorating to feel inviting.

• Time available at the venue for load in/out and timing: where there is very minimal setup time for complex installations or breakdowns, florists need to budget more labor/people to get the job done in time.

• Labor: Florists aren’t just dropping off flowers. It takes multiple trained, creative and strong floral designers to design, source, prep, deliver, setup and breakdown an event. The average cost of hiring a freelance florist in New York is $20-$50 per hour. A large wedding can easily require 80+ hrs of labor from start to finish.

• Complexity of large scale installations: e.g the need for the florist to hire a cherry picker to reach the ceiling, pay the lighting company to rig something or use very tall ladders for extended periods of time. This is before factoring in the cost of the flowers.

BUDGET TIP: Allowing your florist the creative freedom to manage your budget within your preferred style and color scheme can be a cost-effective strategy, as opposed to requesting specific, often pricier, floral items.You are also the most likely to get the best /most creative work out of them this way.

Average Wedding Flower Costs in NYC

Here’s what most couples can expect to spend on flower arrangements in New York:

• Bridal bouquet: $250-$500

• Bridesmaid bouquets: $140–$200 each

• Boutonnieres: $30–$45 each

• Corsages: $35–$95 each

• Ceremony flowers: $750–$5,000+

• Welcome/escort/statement arrangements:  $350-$700

• Reception table centerpieces: $150–$500 each depending on the table layout

• Statement floral installations (arches, ceilings, walls): $2,000–$15,000+

• Candles: $3+ for votives, $20+ for pillar candles/taper candles etc.

To check what Flowers you need you can use our free calculator without saving or submitting your info:

FREE WEDDING FLOWER CALCULATOR

BUDGET TIP: Go without candles. Don't get florists started on the topic of candles. While they look fantastic and add so much atmosphere, clients are always surprised by the cost. They entail a lot of labor and hassle (consider cleaning melted wax, venues insisting on covers, potential glass breakage, etc.). This is time many florists would prefer to spend on "zhuzh" ing (technical florist term for glamming up) your floral arrangements.

Budget-Friendly Floral Strategies

You don’t have to blow your budget to have gorgeous florals. Here are a few ideas for you to use in conversation with your florist:

• Let's get the obvious one out the way: invite fewer guests, have fewer people in your bridal party. Simply put if you have to have all ten of your best gals as bridesmaids it will cost you ten times as much.

• Use seasonal blooms and support local growers: your florist can make the most of supporting local flower farmers if they have a color palette to work with and free reign to take advantage of what looks great the week of your event. Local flowers have the added benefit of looking fresh because they don't have to travel so far and will always have something interesting that your guests haven't seen before.

• Eco-friendly flowers. Ask for foam-free installs, sustainable blooms, or dried flowers that can be reused.

• Prioritize impact. A single floral installation at the bar or entrance can have more impact than flowers scattered everywhere.

• Think of your table layout and Size: Size or shape of the tables: e.g round tables that seat 8-10 people require few arrangements than rounds that seat 6 guests.

• DIY wedding flowers: If you are that couple who absolutely want to do it yourself or have a passion for flowers then absolutely, go ahead, just be realistic about the time and stress involved (see the 80+ hrs mentioned above) For the DIY bride we recommend U-pick style options from local flowers farmers where you can specify a palette e.g (insert links to Starts of the Meadow, shoving leopard farm in NY).

Hidden Costs Couples Forget

If you love a good spreadsheet and a budget don't forget to factor these in if relevant:lovers might these:

• Setup + breakdown labor. Often after midnight and within a limited window. Vendors may be fined if they have not completed load out in time

• Rentals (vases, urns, floral arches)

• Re-purpose arrangements. While you might save by moving the Ceremony flowers to double as reception décor there will usually be a labor charge associated with it. Unless its something very minimal and you've prearranged for the venue staff to assist

• Miscellaneous fees like additional venue-required insurance

• Delivery + shipping flowers (for the DIY couple)

• Gratuity: This is not required but for smaller budgets under 10K, some planners recommend 10-20%. For larger budgets (over 20K) planner Ashley from A. Merisier Events suggests $500-$1000 for lead florist and $75-$100 for assistants

• Travel and overnight fees: If you are hiring a florist from out of town or if setup or breakdown timing requires the floral team to stay overnight it will incur additional charges

• Tax: Florists are required to charge state tax on their services. Make sure to factor this into your budget if its not called out in the initial quote

• Labor charge: some florists include this in each line item e.g the bouquet, while others show it as a separate line ite, usually a percentage of the total cost. Which brings us to...

How Do Florists Charge for Their Work?

To better understand how florists charge I'll explain the most common models:

Pricing Labor + Materials Separately

• Florist calculates the wholesale cost of flowers and supplies per the vision quoted to client.

• Florist adds a markup (often 3–7X on flowers, 2X on hard goods like vases, ribbon, wire) to cover Cost of Goods Sold, overhead, and profit.

• At a minimum florists should be using a multiplier of 3 and in New York it is likely to be 4 or 5X. Some large, sought after brands may go up to 7X or higher. At Cape Lily we aim for 3-4X.

  • Example: $100 worth of wholesale flowers → $300–$400 charged to the client.

• Florist adds additional line item for labor costs (typically 20-30% in New York). This often just covers their transport and labor costs.

This model is common among wedding/event florists that often do large-scale weddings with installations (arches, floral ceilings) or in markets where the labor costs are high

Pricing Labor + Material Combined

Same as above except Florist includes labor costs in each line item so it is not specifically called out:

• Florist separates flower cost from labor/design fee.

• Example: Flowers billed at 3X wholesale cost + a flat percentage labor charge, depending on wedding scale.

This model is more common among retail florists.

Working with NYC Wedding Florists

The right wedding florist is part creative genius, part logistics. The process of working with them should feel stress free and seamless. When vetting:

• Ask if they’ve worked at your venue before and anything they would recommend specifically for the venue

• Check if their philosophy aligns with yours e.g if you're interested in sustainability you can ask if they are using foam free alternatives, supporting locally grown flowers, composting and paying fair wages?

• Clarify what the process of working with them will look like? How many meetings/budget revisions etc are included

• Clarify if they have a minimum spend or let them know your budget so you can be aligned from the outset

• Ask for suggestions on how to reduce the budget while still achieving the vision.

• Ask to see a quote with detailed line items so you can make informed choices

• Ask if they have recommendations for the rest of the decor or will work with your planner to design the look? It's in your florists interest for everything from the napkins, linens, candles, lighting to look great.

So… Is $4,000 Enough? What About $8,000?

Every event is different so this is a hard one to answer without detailing out "what" you're buying. To help with this we've created a FREE and easy wedding flower calculator which you can play with without submitting your info:

FREE WEDDING FLOWER CALCULATOR

Wedding flowers are a big investment, but are the most effective way to transform the atmosphere of your event and impact the lasting memories you create there.

You can also rest assured that florists did not go into this business to get rich. We are motivated by seeing the joy on our clients faces when they see their flowers for the first time. Every florist I know is far more inclined to sacrifice profit for that rare autumn clematis they find at 5am the flower market, to add the finishing touch on your bouquet, rather than overly inflate costs for their clients. This is a labor of love, a calling, a floral obsession we cannot quit even when we feel burnt out from our last event.

The best way to get the most beautiful flowers and the best value for your hard earned money is to give your florist total creative license (said every florist everywhere), sit back, relax and enjoy the artistry they create for you.

Happy wedding /event flower shopping!