Why Florists’ Pricing Varies (and What You’re Really Paying For)

One of the most common questions couples ask when planning their wedding or event is:“Why do florist quotes vary so much?”

At first glance, florals might seem easy to compare: bouquets, centerpieces, arches, but the reality is that floral design is not a one-size-fits-all service. Pricing differences are rooted in far more than just flowers. Below is a transparent look at what actually goes into a florist’s pricing and why two quotes for “the same thing” can look wildly different.

1. Overhead Costs: The Business Behind the Blooms

Florists are running full businesses, not just buying flowers and arranging them. Pricing must account for real operating expenses, including:

• Studio or workspace rent

• Refrigeration and cold storage

• Delivery vehicles, fuel, insurance, and maintenance

• Professional tools, mechanics, vases, vessels, candles, arches, and rentals

• Website hosting, marketing, software, and admin systems

• Licenses, permits, taxes, and insurance

These costs allow a florist to operate professionally, reliably, and legally, and they vary greatly depending on location, scale, and business structure.

2. Experience & Expertise: You’re Paying for More Than Time

A seasoned florist brings years of hands-on experience, education, and problem-solving to your event. This includes:

• Deep knowledge of flower varieties, seasonality, and sourcing

• The ability to design for scale, color balance, movement, and mechanics

• Contingency planning for weather, flower substitutions, and venue limitations

• Efficient installation and breakdown with minimal disruption

You’re not just paying for the hours spent designing; you’re paying for the years it took to learn how to do it well, consistently, and under pressure.

3. Size & Scale Matter (More Than You Think)

Two centerpieces can both be called “lush,” but their scale may be completely different.

Pricing is heavily influenced by:

• Overall size and fullness of arrangements

• Height, width, and visual impact

• Whether designs are airy and intentional or dense and abundant

• Installation complexity (large-scale arches, ground installs, suspended elements)

Tip: Always reference the mood board. A single image can contain hundreds of dollars’ worth of flowers depending on scale and structure.

4. Amount of Flowers & Variety of Ingredients

Not all florals are priced equally. A design using:

• 3–4 standard flower varieties will cost significantly less than one using

• 8–12 premium blooms, specialty textures, and locally grown organic flowers

Variety increases cost because it impacts:

• Stem count

• Wholesale pricing

• Labor complexity

• Waste and sourcing logistics

A bouquet with garden roses, ranunculus, butterfly ranunculus, scabiosa, sweet pea, and specialty foliage will naturally be priced higher than one built with fewer, hardier blooms. You'll see this notably if you compare cost from a wedding florist and a shop florist as they use more standard flowers in arrangements. .

5. Labor Costs: The Largest (and Most Invisible) Investment

Labor is one of the biggest factors in floral pricing and also one of the least visible.

Your floral quote includes hours of work, often involving:

• Design planning and proposal creation

• Flower sourcing, ordering, and market coordination

• Processing and conditioning flowers (cleaning, hydrating, trimming)

• Recipe development

• Designing bouquets, centerpieces, and installations

• Packing, loading, transportation, on-site installation, and styling

• Breakdown, cleanup, and return logistics

In addition, larger-scale or more intricate designs require hiring enough qualified designers to complete the work on time, safely, and at the level of quality your event deserves. Weddings and events operate on tight, non-negotiable timelines, and proper staffing is essential to ensure everything is executed smoothly and without compromise.

Skilled floral labor ensures your vision is not only beautiful, but delivered seamlessly on the day of your event.

*One important thing to note is that florists may present labor costs differently. Most handle it in one of two ways: labor is either built into the cost of each arrangement, or it appears as a separate line item in the proposal.

If you don’t see labor listed separately, it doesn’t mean it isn’t there—it simply means it’s included within the arrangement pricing. In those cases, it can be helpful to ask how much of the arrangement cost is allocated to labor. This transparency allows you to better understand how your budget is being divided and helps set realistic expectations around the size, fullness, and quantity of flowers included in each design.

Having clarity around labor ensures you and your florist are aligned on both the creative vision and what’s achievable within your investment.

In Summary:

When comparing florist pricing, it’s important to look beyond the surface. Floral quotes reflect:

• Business overhead

• Skilled labor and logistics

• Experience and design expertise

• Scale and complexity of arrangements

• Quantity and quality of flowers used

  
  

Understanding these elements helps set realistic expectations and ensures you’re investing in a team that can thoughtfully and professionally bring your vision to life.

Our Approach to Pricing

At Le Champagne Projects, our pricing is intentionally structured to do three things well:

First, it allows us to fully bring your vision to life without cutting corners, whether that means proper scale, thoughtful flower choices, or the time required to design and install your florals beautifully.

Second, it ensures we can hire enough talented, experienced floral designers and pay them fairly for their skill, time, and physical labor. Exceptional work requires a strong, supported team, and we believe quality should never come at the expense of the people creating it.

And finally, our pricing allows our business to be profitable and sustainable. Just like any professional service, this work supports a livelihood. We wouldn’t expect anyone to work for free, or for pennies, and we approach our business with that same respect for our time, expertise, and creativity.

When you invest in Le Champagne Projects, you’re investing in thoughtful design, reliable execution, ethical labor practices, and a team fully committed to creating something meaningful and beautiful for your event. But don't just take our word for it. Read more of what our Past Clients are say!

"I was so incredibly lucky to find Kelly for my wedding in October. We had such a thorough comprehensive meeting when I first reached out to talk about exactly what I was looking for - she showed me some examples of weddings she had done in the past to gauge what kind of florals I was looking for. She kept in touch with me throughout the months in preparation for the wedding, asking for some inspiration pictures and detailed photos of our venue so we remained on the same page at all times.

-Houston, Bride"

If our approach aligns with what you’re looking for, we’d love to connect.

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Peace, love, and flowers Friends!