No Flowers at Weddings – Is the Romance Dead in the Modern Culture?

Weddings and flowers go together like gowns and graduations. They’re an essential element of the occasion. But when it comes to cost, more American brides may be trimming their spending on floral displays so they can afford other items such as fancy venues, dinners, drinks, and professional photography.

What is romance when it comes to wedding decorations?

Flowers of course. It seems incomplete to have wedding without flowers. When people compromise on including flowers in the decoration of a wedding, it really makes you wonder, is the romance dead?

The floral budget for a large traditional wedding in the U.S. can easily blossom into the thousands … depending on how many bouquets, boutonnières, corsages, centerpieces, and altar arrangements are ordered.

Bud, quit busting our budget

Coming back to the question, ‘is the romance dead?’. Investigating modern attitudes to romance, well its’s not so much about the romance as it is about the budget and the longetivity of flowers.

Fresh flowers will end faster than the honeymoon, but a few simple tricks will keep them from busting the budget. Martha Stewart’s wedding website now lists specialty companies that provide colorful silk flowers for rent at a fraction of the cost of custom fresh cuts. Something Borrowed Blooms caters to weddings in the U.S. and Canada with a typical fee of about $500. Compare that to Carl Denton Designs in Nashville, which will create a one-of-a-kind floral environment for more like $7,000.

So, is the romance dead really in weddings? Now that people have become unwilling to spend as much as they used to on flowers. No, absolutely not, improvising and not compromising having flowers is actually romantic.

Wedding spending falls with age

A March 2019 recent survey found the amount couples spend on nuptials varies by age. On average, brides and grooms are spending $15,269, with younger couples spending well above that number. Those ages 24 and younger reported spending $22,400 on average.

At age 35, the average wedding budget drops to $12,745. Senior citizens reported spending the least amount on weddings at $7,946.

Age may have something to do with a decrease in floral purchases, and overall budget-cutting for weddings.

Is the romance dead in mature couples? Well not really, they have other expressions of romance. Besides as people grow older their focus shifts from romance to practicality.

‘Is the romance dead’ is really something to consider when flowers at a wedding are not impossible to arrange at lower costs.

Couples holding down flower costs

When Victoria Holgate’s daughter Lexie announced she and her longtime boyfriend wanted to get married in just three months with a minimal budget, they had to get creative. They set their October wedding outdoors to take advantage of the beautiful fall foliage in Buena Vista, Colo.

They bought silk flowers on sale from Michael’s and arranged them in small inexpensive, glass vials and empty wine bottles. Lexie did splurge on a simple bouquet of eucalyptus and pale pink roses from a professional florist. “I’m guessing she spent less than $100 on flowers for the ceremony and reception,” said Holgate. “And the silk flowers are now decorations in their condo.”

This November, Victoria will marry her own longtime beau at The Hudson Gardens in Littleton, Colorado. The bride and groom are in their 50s and do not plan to spend anything on flowers. “Honestly, I’d rather spend the money on live music and more personal touches,” said Holgate.

Flower-it-yourself movement

Is modern romance dead? Well, quite the opposite. People are investing time and efforts, a more personlized touch for the flower arrangements at their weddings.

Platforms such as Pinterest and Blueprint offer endless ideas and tips for DIY flower arranging for the cost-conscious and crafty. Of course, you can also find hilarious photos of DIY Wedding Flower Disasters on Pinterest for examples of what not to do. These might make you think twice about bypassing a professional service.

So as wedding season approaches, whether planning your own or attending as a guest, remember flowers are still a traditional part of the ceremony. Whether the flower girls are tossing freshly plucked or used silk rental rose petals, whether the centerpieces are professionally crafted or lovingly created by a member of the wedding party, the idea is to make sure they look good. Because photos are forever.

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