What would be a good substitute for calla lilies in a wedding?

by Greg Johnson · View Comments

Many brides who are planning their wedding draw inspiration for wedding flowers from the internet. One of the downsides is that some of the advice given is often misguided or outdated.

I believe that in today’s tight economy, it’s important to seek the advice of wedding professionals. For instance, one of the most-requested flowers in our shop is calla lilies, but brides usually get sticker shock when they hear the price. So they ask what they can substitute.

My answer is not to focus on specific flowers, but work with their overall color scheme. But if you still have your heart set on a specific flower, there are a couple things you should do to help save money on wedding flowers:

You should be working with a professional florist, someone you can trust. They know your local market conditions, and where the best bargains are. Even if you plan on doing the flowers yourself, a knowledgeable florist’s advice can save you time and money. If you don’t know a good local florist, ask family and friends for some recommendations.
Involve your florist in your planning process at an early stage. Since flowers are used in almost every facet of a wedding, early involvement with your florist can also result in bottom-line savings.

In the current economy, the floral industry is seeing slower sales. So we all adjust our inventories to try and compensate. This translates into firmer prices from the grower on up to the retailer. It doesnâ€™t mean you wonâ€™t be able to find the specific flowers you want, but donâ€™t expect to find many bargains out there, either. But a good local florist will know where the best deals are.