Your Florist Isn’t Upcharging You — Your Wedding Date Is

A couple gets a floral quote for white peonies and ranunculus for a December wedding and is shocked at the number. The instinct is to assume the florist is overpriced. Usually, the florist is just being honest about what those specific flowers cost to import and ship in December.

What’s actually happening behind a floral quote:

Peonies, ranunculus, garden roses, and several other “Pinterest wedding flower” staples have real, narrow growing seasons. Outside of those windows, florists aren’t growing them locally — they’re importing them, often from South America or the Netherlands, at a cost that gets passed straight through. A flower that’s $3-4 a stem in its natural season can run $8-12+ a stem out of season, and that difference multiplies fast across dozens of centerpieces and a full bridal bouquet suite.

This is invisible to most couples because Pinterest and Instagram don’t note what season a photo was actually shot in. A stunning peony-heavy tablescape posted in November might have been a June wedding — but the couple planning a November wedding has no way to know that from the photo alone.

What this actually means for South Jersey couples planning around it:

• Late spring through early summer (May–July) is peak season for peonies, garden roses, ranunculus, and most of the “romantic” Pinterest staples — book those flowers then and the cost difference disappears.
• Fall (September–November) favors dahlias, chrysanthemums, and rich-toned florals that are naturally abundant and therefore more affordable in that window — leaning into what’s seasonal rather than fighting it produces a similar visual richness for less money.
• Winter weddings benefit enormously from leaning into evergreens, ranunculus alternatives, and textural greenery rather than insisting on summer-only blooms.

The conversation to have with a florist that actually saves money:

Don’t open with “I want peonies.” Open with “I love this color palette and this overall feel” and ask what’s seasonally available that achieves it. A skilled florist can recreate the look you fell in love with using whatever’s actually in season — often for 30-40% less than forcing the exact specific bloom you saw in a photo, with zero visible compromise once it’s all arranged.