THE REAL COST OF WEDDING FLOWERS: WHAT YOU’RE ACTUALLY PAYING FOR (FROM A FLORIST WHO TELLS THE TRUTH)
- Asteria Florals
- 22 hours ago
- 5 min read
THE TRUTH FROM A REAL WEDDING FLORIST (2026 EDITION)
A brutally honest blog post by Asteria Florals
– Runcorn, Cheshire
Hello! I’m back with the updated 2026 version of “Why Are Wedding Flowers So Expensive?” This is an honest, no-nonsense blog post, written in real talk, from a florist’s point of view. If you want to understand the actual cost of flowers in 2026 — especially for weddings — this will give you clarity.
In this blog you can expect:
✨ Honesty
✨ Real-time behind the scenes
✨ The ups and downs of wedding floristry
✨ The nitty gritty that social media never shows
So grab 5 minutes (or save this for later), because we’re going deep…
🌿 THE CONFUSION IS REAL — AND YOU’RE NOT IMAGINING IT
If you’re planning a wedding in 2026 or 2027 and searching for realistic wedding flower prices in the UK, you’ve probably seen everything from:
£35 “bridal bouquets”
£2,000+ floral arches
I’m in the same Facebook groups as you. I see the:
“Does anyone know a baker/photographer/florist for X date?”
…then the comments flood in, and the prices are wildly different. Sometimes even I raise an eyebrow and go, “Woah… how!?”
No wonder couples feel confused. How can one florist charge £125 for a bridal bouquet when another proudly charges £35? And the big question that always follows:
“Am I being ripped off?”
As a professional wedding florist in Runcorn, I’m here to break it down — the real cost of wedding flowers, the stuff you never see, and what actually goes into the bouquet you hold on your wedding morning.
Whether you’re a bride, a groom, or someone knee-deep in Pinterest boards with a crying budget… this one’s for you.
🌸 WHAT YOU’RE REALLY PAYING FOR WITH WEDDING FLOWERS
Couples often ask:
“Why are wedding flowers so expensive? Are florists just adding extra zeros because it’s a wedding?”
Let me be crystal clear:
Wedding floristry is not “just flowers” — it is a full service.
I cannot stress that enough.
For someone outside the industry, it looks simple: A florist arrives on your wedding morning holding flowers, hoping you love them (and trust me — delivering that bouquet is the most nerve-wracking moment of our lives).You love them, you breathe them in, you admire them. They’re perfect.
But rewind a few days… or weeks… and here’s what actually happened:
🌼 BEHIND THE SCENES: WHAT YOU DON’T SEE
✔ Sourcing & ordering
Endless conversations with wholesalers, suppliers, and growers. What’s in season? What's available? Can I get those roses in time?
Your flowers might come from:
A local British grower
The other side of the world
All to land in my hands in Runcorn, perfect for your day.
✔ Prep & conditioning
Buckets. Buckets. And more buckets.
Scrubbed, sanitised, rinsed again — because conditioning affects EVERYTHING.
Then:
Removing thorns
Shining foliage
Cleaning petals
Hot dip, cold dip
Hydration treatments
Gently coaxing reluctant blooms to open (“Please baby, please open for me, I’ll love you forever…”)
✔ Designing & arranging
Every stem is selected. Not one filler, not one bruised petal, not one awkward rose. A bridal bouquet is curated, not thrown together.
It takes:
Skill
Colour knowledge
Shape building
Balance
Technique
✔ Packing, storing, and delivering
Your flowers are:
Hydrated
Stored at the right temperature
Wrapped
Secured
Safely transported
Personally delivered
And THEN — finally — they reach your hands.
🌿 SO, WHAT DOES YOUR WEDDING FLOWER PRICE ACTUALLY COVER?
✔ Premium stems Wedding-grade florals are more expensive than everyday shop blooms. Quality, freshness, and season all impact cost.
✔ Time & expertise A typical wedding takes 10–20 hours from start to finish. Consultations, admin, ordering, conditioning, arranging, supplier communication…even speaking with your photographer/venue/baker to coordinate timings.
✔ Setup & delivery I deliver and set up personally — Runcorn, Cheshire, Widnes, Frodsham, Northwest. Nothing is left to chance. My perfectionist Virgo heart wouldn’t allow it 🤣
💬 Why does delivery cost what it does?
Here’s something I learned recently from a national floristry webinar:
Charge what a taxi would cost to deliver the flowers.
At first I thought, “No way, that’s too much” Then they explained:
If your van breaks down, a taxi can still get the flowers there.
If you’re sick, a taxi can deliver them.
Nothing should ever stop the bouquet arriving.
It protects the florist and the couple. It ensures the flowers will always arrive, no matter what And when you factor in:
Fuel
Time
Wear on the vehicle
The risk carried
…the delivery price suddenly makes perfect sense.
💐 WHY A £35 ARTIFICIAL “BRIDAL BOUQUET” IS NOT A FAIR COMPARISON
Let’s be blunt:
A £35 bridal bouquet is NOT professional wedding floristry.
It is physically impossible.
The stems alone — fresh or faux — often cost double that if using professional suppliers.
Cheap bouquets usually come from:
Hobbyists
Low-grade materials
No labour factored in
No overheads
No insurance
No guarantee
I am now in my third year of business, and I say this confidently:
Cheap doesn’t mean good value.
Cheap means corners are being cut
🌙 REALISTIC 2026 WEDDING FLOWER PRICES
for the North West & Cheshire
These are my general prices based on Runcorn — a hardworking, real-life town where I’m mindful of budgets and the cost of living.
These prices reflect the real cost of materials, skill, labour, insurance, and service:
Bridal bouquet: £120–£180
Bridesmaid bouquet: £45–£75
Buttonholes: £8–£12
Corsages: £12–£18
Table centrepieces: £35–£85+
Ceremony pieces: £180–£450
Arches & installations: £350–£1,500
These aren’t luxury prices — they’re industry standard across the Northwest.
🌸 REAL BRIDAL BOUQUET COST BREAKDOWN
If you found this blog by searching“ How much does a bridal bouquet cost UK 2026?”Here is your answer:
A typical Asteria Florals bridal bouquet includes:
Stems: £50–£90
Materials: £5–£10
Labour (2–3 hrs): included
Consultation time
Ordering/admin
Delivery/setup
Cost to me: £70–£120
Realistic selling price: £120–£180
That is what sustainable pricing looks like. "Can I feed my kids, pay my bills, fuel my car, and continue running my business?"
£35 or £45 can’t do that — not for me, not for any florist.
⭐ WHY BOOK A PROFESSIONAL RUNCORN WEDDING FLORIST?
With Asteria Florals, you get:
1:1 communication
Personalised design
Meticulous quality control
Perfect photography-friendly arrangements
Reliable delivery
A florist who genuinely cares
Zero corner-cutting
Peace of mind is part of the package.
✨ THE TRUTH ABOUT WEDDING FLOWER COSTS
I’ve spent years:
learning the craft
studying design
understanding pricing
building Asteria Florals with integrity
A Bride and Groom newly married with a soft white bridal bouquet by Asteria Florals
And now, in year three, I can confidently say:
Good wedding flowers aren’t cheap —
because they physically can’t be.
I understand budgets are hard — I have a family too. But please know this:
Your bouquet is in your hands during the biggest moments of your life. It’s in the photos you keep forever. It’s on the table when you sign your marriage certificate. It’s there when you walk back up the aisle, newly married.
They matter.
And they deserve to be done properly.
💬 PLANNING A 2026 OR 2027 WEDDING?
If you’re looking for a wedding florist in Runcorn, Cheshire, Widnes, Frodsham, or anywhere in the Northwest, I’d love to create something beautiful for your day.
No wedding is too small — I adore intimate weddings just as much as the big showstoppers. My own wedding had only 22 guests!
If you’re comparing quotes, I hope this blog helps you understand what you’re paying for and how to choose flowers that feel right for your day.
📩 To enquire, message Asteria Florals🌙 Follow for behind-the-scenes, real talk & floral magic💐 Wedding guide coming soon