THE INTRO

Hey!

Valentine's Day just passed, which means half of Charlotte is either newly engaged (welcome!) or staring at a bouquet of red roses wondering how a dozen flowers cost $65. Spoiler: that sticker shock is excellent training for wedding florals.

This week we're talking wedding flowers, greenery, and decor — the stuff that transforms a rented event space into the most beautiful wedding your guests have ever seen. It's also one of the most confusing line items in your budget, because pricing is all over the map and Instagram has wrecked everyone's expectations.

Let's get into it.

THE AISLE REPORT: FLORAL EDITION
How Much Do Wedding Flowers Cost in Charlotte?

Quick Recap: Entertainment Costs

Quick entertainment recap: Last issue we broke down Charlotte wedding DJ and band pricing. DJs run $1,200–$3,500 (sweet spot: $1,500–$2,000). Live bands start at $3,000 and climb fast. If you missed Issue #4, go back and read it.

Now let's talk about the vendor category that causes the most sticker shock: wedding florals.

Wedding Flower Budget: 8–10% of Your Total

For a $40K Charlotte wedding, that's $3,200–$4,000. Sounds reasonable until you realize one floral arch can eat half of it.

Here's what nobody tells you: the cost isn't just the flowers. It's design time, sourcing, conditioning stems, arranging, transporting, on-site installation, and breakdown. Your florist is part artist, part engineer, part logistics coordinator.

Charlotte Wedding Flower Prices by Category

Personal Flowers

Insider tip: Your bridal bouquet is in nearly every photo. Premium blooms like garden roses, peonies, or orchids push toward $350–$425 — but the photos are worth it.

Ceremony Flowers

Insider tip: A greenery-heavy arch with strategic bloom clusters saves significantly versus full floral coverage. Ask your florist about repurposing your ceremony arch at the reception.

Reception Flowers

The math that matters: 15 guest tables × $200 centerpieces = $3,000 just in centerpieces. The reception — not bouquets, not the ceremony — is where most of your floral budget goes.

Charlotte Wedding Floral Budget Tiers

$1,500–$3,000 (Budget-Conscious): As we covered in Issue #2, full-service Charlotte wedding florals start around $3K. Below that, you're covering essentials only — bridal bouquet, bridesmaid bouquets, boutonnieres, simple centerpieces. Greenery-heavy designs, candles to fill space, some DIY. Perfect for intimate weddings under 75 guests.

$3,000–$6,000 (The Charlotte Sweet Spot): Personal flowers for the full wedding party, a ceremony backdrop, solid centerpieces, and room for one or two statement moments.

$6,000–$10,000 (Elevated): Statement ceremony installation, lush mixed centerpieces, garlands, and accent florals at the bar and cake table. This is where your florist really gets creative.

$10,000+ (Luxury): Floral walls, hanging installations, fully covered arches, dramatic tablescapes. Common at premium venues like The Mint Museum or Duke Mansion.

LOCAL VENDOR SPOTLIGHT
Aubrey Elizabeth Photography

This week's featured vendor

Here's something no one tells you about wedding photography: you'll spend more time with your photographer than almost anyone else on your wedding day. Getting ready, first look, ceremony, portraits, reception — they're there for all of it.

So if your photographer makes you feel awkward, you'll feel awkward in your photos. It's that simple.

Aubrey Elizabeth brings what she calls "best-friend energy" to every shoot. Natural prompts. Easy direction. The kind of vibe where even camera-shy grooms end up laughing. She honed her craft shooting destination weddings in Hawaii — earning Top 10 Wedding Photographer on the Big Island — before bringing that relaxed, editorial style to Charlotte.

Her photos feel timeless but never stiff. Emotional but never cheesy. And she shoots hybrid film and digital — so you get crisp, modern images alongside 35mm shots that feel like heirlooms.

Packages start at $2,800.

Charlotte Bride Exclusive: Book this week and get a FREE bridal or boudoir session.

📍 aubreyelizabeth.com | 📸 @aubreyelizabeth.photography 

CHARLOTTE INSIDER
The Wedding Floral Budget Cheat Sheet

The Wedding Floral Budget Cheat Sheet

Statement Pieces (40% of floral budget): Bridal bouquet, ceremony backdrop, one reception "wow" moment. These are in every photo — spend here first.

The Table Game (35%): Guest table centerpieces, head table florals, garlands. This is the math problem. Mix floral centerpieces with candle-and-greenery tables to cut costs — no one will notice and photos look intentionally designed.

Personal Touches (15%): Bridesmaid bouquets, boutonnieres, corsages, cake and bar flowers. Simplify bridesmaid bouquets (single-variety bunches look modern and land at the lower end of the $95–$160 range) and limit corsages to mothers only.

Buffer (10%): Delivery, setup fees, last-minute additions, repurposing logistics.

Seasonal Wedding Flowers in North Carolina

Choosing in-season blooms saves 20–40%. Here's what grows in our climate:

Spring (March–May): Ranunculus, anemones, tulips, peonies (late spring), snapdragons, magnolias

Summer (June–August): Garden roses, dahlias, sunflowers, zinnias, lisianthus, hydrangeas

Fall (September–November): Dahlias (peak!), chrysanthemums, marigolds, celosia, cosmos, amaranth

Winter (December–February): Roses, carnations, anemones, ranunculus, evergreens, berries

Pro tip: Love peonies but getting married in October? Ask about garden roses or dahlias — similar lush look at a fraction of the out-of-season price.

Charlotte Wedding Florists Worth Knowing

Heatherly Event & Floral Design — No floral minimums, eco-friendly methods, and locally sourced blooms. They also offer event planning and coordination from their Mint Hill studio.

LiviLove — A floral designer with over 17 years of experience. They offer tiered all-inclusive wedding packages covering everything from bouquets and boutonnieres to arch decor and centerpieces.

The Money Moves
Where to Splurge vs Save on Charlotte Wedding Flowers

Splurge On:

Your bridal bouquet. It's in nearly every photo. $300–$425 with premium blooms is one of the best investments in your entire wedding.

One ceremony statement piece. A lush arch or altar arrangement frames your vows, dominates ceremony photos, and can be repurposed at the reception. Double duty = double value.

A florist who listens. The difference between a $3K floral job that looks like $3K and one that looks like $6K is the designer. A great Charlotte wedding florist will stretch your budget further than you thought possible. Ask for full portfolios — not just highlights — and pay attention to whether they listen to your vision or push their own.

Save On:

Guest table centerpieces. Biggest budget trap in wedding florals. Alternate between floral arrangements and candle clusters with greenery — candlescapes run $60–$140 per section versus $150–$275 for floral centerpieces. Looks intentional and photographs beautifully.

Bridesmaids' bouquets. Single-variety bunches (all roses, all eucalyptus) can bring you to the lower end of that $95–$160 range. Your bridesmaids hold them for 20 minutes.

Ceremony aisle florals. Guests see them for 15 minutes during the processional. Scattered petals or simple greenery markers work beautifully at a fraction of the cost of full pew arrangements.

THE CHECK LIST 

Ask your florist before booking: What's included in your proposal (delivery, setup, breakdown)? Do you have a minimum? Can you repurpose ceremony florals at the reception? What flowers are in season for my date? Have you worked at my venue before?

Build a focused mood board. Pull 10–15 photos of arrangements you love, but pay attention to what you're drawn to — is it the color palette, the specific flowers, or the scale? Knowing what matters helps your florist prioritize your budget.

Consider your venue's built-in beauty. Venues like McGill Rose Garden or Duke Mansion already have stunning backdrops. Skip the $2,200–$5,500 floral arch and redirect that budget to your reception or bouquet.

Get quotes from at least 3 Charlotte florists. Send the same inspiration photos and budget to each. You'll quickly see who's creative with your money and who isn't.

Before you Go

Got a Charlotte wedding florist you love? A centerpiece hack that saved you thousands? Opinions on peonies vs. garden roses?

Hit reply — we read everything.

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