Why is greenery so expensive?

You just started planning your wedding so you jump on the socials and start dreaming. You are loving all the luscious greenery looks that are everywhere right now. The natural organic elegance of the greenery down the middle of the tables, draping along the arches, all over the beautiful signage. Its intoxicating I admit. The captions may even say “for the Budget Bride or DIY Bride”. You reach out to florists to get a quote and are immediately taken back with insane sticker shock! WTF! We live in the Pacific Northwest. We are surrounded by greenery. Why is this so expensive?!

Let me get real with you for a second. Yes there is a ton of misinformation on the internet that greenery is a cheaper option than flowers. I am here to tell you that is not entirely true. Yes, there are greenery options that maybe cheaper than some flowers. Unfortunately, those luxe looks that are found all over the internet are not options that are native to Oregon or the PNW. Eucalyptus, smilax (the sexy vine you keep seeing) and Italian ruscus are not cheap greenery. All of these get to be flown in overnight for these weddings. I know, I have been to PDX airport waiting for the plane to land at the wee hours of morning! Since we are so spoiled living in the Willamette Valley, we are able to buy in some varieties of seasonal flowers cheaper than we can eucalyptus.

 Also, if you look closely- you will notice that many of these tablescapes on Instagram or Pinterest are garlands. Let me tell you about garlands…they require quite a lot of labor to make, especially if you want a full look. These are not your Christmas cedar garlands you buy at Costco. Even if we mix native greenery into a garland, it takes a lot of product. It takes A LOT of perfectly grown (not gathered from the woods) product. To give you an idea, for an 8ft table, you will need at least 32ft of product, plus labor time. This will cost you at a minimum of $25/ foot. This is $200 per table for just greenery. If you want to add flowers into that garland you will be adding additional costs.  I can make 3-4 regular low wedding centerpieces in the same time it takes me to make 1 8’ garland. Plus, I will use a lot less flowers and greenery (think cheaper for you).

Still in love with the all greenery? I totally get it. I am too! Are there options of obtaining this lush look into your wedding without breaking the bank? Of course! Contact us and I will be happy to tell you all about them.