Wedding flowers and decor are one of the easiest ways to save on your wedding without anyone noticing. The price of flowers these days- especially when you add the word “wedding”- can go through the roof in a blink. Once factoring in all centerpieces, bouquets, boutonnieres, ceremony arrangements, buffet table arrangements, pew pieces, and accents, you’re easily looking at $1,500. What if you could spend under $500 on your flowers, knowing it would still look fabulous?

Here are some do-it-yourself flower ideas that will help you save a lot of money on your wedding flowers:

Centerpiece: $10 each

2 stalks gladiolus
Gladioluses are beautiful, tall, majestic flowers that come in a variety of colors. They are about $4 per bunch (8 stalks) at your local grocery store. This will be able to cover 4 tables for $4 ($1 per table)!

3 Lemons
Cut the lemons into ¼ inch slices and then cut them in half (like half moons). Lemons are about 60 cents a piece.

Vase
Buy 8 inch tall, 3-4 inch diameter circular vases from a craft store or online discount store. You should be able to get these vases for $4 each.

Mirror
Buy circular mirrors from a craft store or online discount store. You should be able to get these for $1 each.

Rose Petals
Buy silk rose petals to sprinkle around the centerpiece from a craft store or online discount store. Think about whether you want to get yellow to accent the lemons or the color of the flowers. You should be able to get 500 silk petals for $8 (you will only need about 20 petals per table)

Directions
Buy the flowers no sooner than 2 days before the wedding. Assemble the centerpieces the day before the wedding. Each centerpiece will only take 5-10 minutes to put together. If you are covering 15 tables, you’re looking at 2 1/2 hours max for one person. Enlist the help of family and friends and get it done in an hour!

Snip the gladiolus stalks to the appropriate length for the centerpiece vase. Rubber band 2 gladiolus stalks together with a green rubber band (to match the stalk/ stem), so that the flowers are facing outward. Put them in the vase. Fill the vase around the flowers with lemons to hold the flowers in the center. Fill the vase with water. Put the centerpiece on top of the circular mirror, which will reflect the colors nicely and make the centerpiece appear to expand outward. Sprinkle the rose petals around the centerpiece.

If you have 15 tables, you’re looking at $150 total.

*If you have about $5 extra dollars per centerpiece, go ahead and add 3 votive candles in glass holders as accents around the centerpiece with the rose petals.

Ceremony and buffet table arrangements: $35 each

Buy large 24″ tall glass vases with footing (around $30 each online), fill each with 8 gladioluses (around $4 per arrangement). Gladioluses come with palm like grasses that you can use as an accent. Either wrap the palms around the perimeter of the vase horizontally or manipulate them so that they are sticking out with the gladioluses. With all of the palms from the centerpieces that you won’t be using, you’ll have plenty to work with. If you are using 2 ceremony arrangements and 2 buffet table pieces, you’re looking at around $140.

Bridesmaid Bouquets: $18 each (max)

3 camellias, 3 daisies, 6 cornflowers, palms from gladiolus as accents (can bend them over to be upside down tear drop shapes). Wrap in florist tape and ribbon. One person hold the bouquet together, the other person wrap in tape and ribbon.

You can add a few flowers to the maid of honor’s bouquet to make it stand out or make her flowers a different color.

*Both of these flowers are available in some color in each season- not always available in all colors. These are cheap but beautiful types of flowers.

Have a bridesmaid luncheon the day before the wedding and include bouquet making/ centerpiece assembly. Each bridesmaid will assemble her own bouquet while you are assembling your bridal bouquet (with help from a couple other people). It may sound like you’re asking for a chore from them, but it’s actually quite fun– I did this for my own wedding.

Total time: 30-45 minutes per bouquet

If you have 4 bridesmaids, you’re looking at about $75 total.

Bridal Bouquet: $35 (max)

3 large lilies (or other favorite flower), 5 camellias, 8 cornflowers, palms and/or other greenery for accents. Similar assembly as above. Don’t forget to cut the stamen out of the lilies- they will stain your dress!

You will most likely have to buy a bouquet of lilies- you probably won’t be able to just get 2 stems. Use the rest of these lilies to accent your cake and buffet table.

Boutonnieres: $5 each
Wrap a camellia and accent foliage (can be a piece of palm from gladiolus) in green florist tape and push a straight pin through it. Wiring may or may not be necessary, depending on sturdiness.