Why Are Wedding Flowers So Expensive (and Are They Worth It?) | Wedding Day Podcast Ep 54

🎧 Listen to learn:

• How to budget for wedding flowers and understand true floral costs
• Sustainable options for repurposing or composting wedding flowers
• What defines luxury wedding florals beyond just price or size
• When to book your wedding florist and why timing matters
• How floral design transforms a venue and guest experience

In this episode of the Wedding Day Podcast, host Sonja Babich and co-host Sydney Stevens, Editor of Wisconsin Bride and Nebraska Wedding Day and Managing Editor of Minnesota Bride sit down with Sally Vanderwyst, founder of Milwaukee Flower Co., to talk all things wedding flowers — from budgeting and booking timelines to large-scale installations and sustainability.

The episode dives into behind-the-scenes logistics couples rarely consider, like staffing, floral preservation, donation versus composting and the growing trend toward immersive floral installations. Sally offers practical advice for couples on the fence about floral investment, explaining how flowers shape both the visual impact and emotional memory of a wedding day. Whether you’re planning a floral-forward celebration or simply want expert insight into modern wedding flower design, this episode delivers grounded, honest guidance from one of Wisconsin’s most respected floral professionals.

Sally shares her journey as a Midwest-based wedding florist with over 20 years of experience, including how her cutting garden and floral farm influence her design process. The conversation explores what truly makes florals feel “luxury,” how thoughtful curation across flowers, linens, lighting and rentals elevates an event and why full-service setup and teardown matter just as much as the blooms themselves.