We went straight to the source to find the best blooms for your buck—Denise Porcaro of Flower Girl NYC helped us select the most affordable options available in different seasons, colors and sizes. Whether you’re looking to create a lush, romantic arrangement or a festive, unstructured bouquet, your florist can help you achieve the look you want without compromising your finances.
1. Alstroemeria
Also known as Peruvian lily, this patterned flower comes in more than 150 different color and marking combinations, ranging from white and golden yellow to red, pink and purple.
Blooming season: late spring or early summer
2. Baby’s Breath
“Baby’s breath has made a major comeback,” Porcaro says. “Lots of brides like baby’s breath in or on its own in big arrangements. It looks gorgeous with long, trailing pastel-colored ribbons for a more ethereal bride, and it’s nice to make flower crowns that are delicate and airy.”
Blooming season: summer
3. Carnation
Carnations typically make an appearance at weddings because of their lengthy, sturdy set, ideal for tall arrangements, and their reputation as one of the longest-lasting blooms after being cut (hello, wrist corsage). They also have unique serrated petals that add lovely texture to a bouquet.
Blooming season: late spring
4. Chrysanthemum
Otherwise known as mums, these pom-pom-like blooms boast lush, exotic blossoms in multiple colors—without the extravagant price tag. Just specify which type of stem you prefer: Florist mums are the big, spidery blossoms, while garden mums are smaller, more compact flowers.
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Blooming season: late summer and fall
5. Daisy
For a cheery springtime bouquet, white daisies are a classic (but never boring) go-to—whether they’re helping out as a filler flower or making up the entire arrangement. They naturally grow white blossoms, but thanks to food coloring they can be tinted purple, blue, neon green—almost any color of the rainbow.
Blooming season: late spring
6. Freesia
For a long-lasting floral, consider this fragrant stem—freesia can last up to three weeks in a vase. As many as eight blooms grow on one stalk, and they come in multiple colors like white, yellow, red, purple and pink.
Blooming season: spring
7. Gladiolus
If centerpieces with height speak to you, this towering, ornate blossom fits the bill. It can grow between two and six feet tall, comes in a variety of hues and looks striking enough to stand on its own (so you don’t need as many!).
Blooming season: summer
8. Queen Anne’s Lace
“Queen Anne’s lace adds beautiful texture when mixed with other blooms in a bouquet and can be the ‘green’ for the bride who doesn’t want a lot of greenery in her bouquet,” Porcaro says. It’s easily mistaken for baby’s breath because of its small white blossoms, but its flat-topped clusters set them apart.
Blooming season: late spring
9. Sunflower
There’s something about sunflowers that just makes you feel happy. Big, bright petals add a burst of color to any arrangement. Or take advantage of their strong stalks and place them in unexpected locations around your venue.
Blooming season: summer
10. Waxflower
With so many blooms on each stem, this little Lily of the Valley look-alike makes a fabulous filler for bouquets, corsages, bouts or centerpieces, and come in a range of two-tone colors.
Blooming season: spring, summer and fall
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