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Photo by the amazing Steph Goralnick. Starring my lovely friend and DIY consultant, Shannan (who made all the bouquets you see above. Day-um).
 
By the time most brides get around to figuring out flowers, a lot of them (myself included) are finally getting freaked out about the budget. It's a little daunting to realize how much time, money and effort go into wedding flowers, when most of your guests will undoubtedly forget what your arrangements looked like (including the girl who catches your bouquet, who will either be thrilled or totally embarrassed about the whole thing, and probably block out the flowers out of pure post-traumatic stress).

Luckily, I've got a whole slew of answers for you today, from Celebrity Wedding Planner Shawn Rabideau and my very own DIY consultant (and good friend) Shannan Coghill. Whether you want to spend $500 or $5000, here's your flowers cheat-sheet.

Click to watch my shopping trip with Shawn in New York City's flower district!

* Figure out what you LIKE and DON'T LIKE
Have no clue what you like? No problem. "Some brides don't even know what a tulip is, so its ok to say that," Shawn says. His tip: look through magazines, photos, blogs a line wedding gowns a line wedding gowns, and flower shops to get ideas. And take lots of pictures. I happened to realize on my shopping trip with Shawn that I ABSOLUTE LOVE RANUNCULUS (below). I love the name, I love the way they look, wedding dresses with long sleeves I love that they come in about a million colors. But you know what? I'm not even 100% sure these ARE ranunculus, so I'll be bringing my florist this picture.

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* Pick flowers that are in season.
Whether you're hiring a florist or doing your own flowers, this is the #1 rule to keep costs down. "If you pick a flower that has to be shipped from some exotic place, that will drive up the price of your arrangements," Shawn says. So don't fall in love with that French tulip before you find out what it will cost to have it on your tables in December.

* Ask questions
When deciding on a florist, ask to see samples of their previous work to make sure they are capable of different looks. Ask exactly what you're going to get for the rate you're quoted, instead of leaving it at, "What's it going to cost?" Have a realistic conversation about what you're going for and how much you can spend.  chiffon bridal gowns

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* Compromise

Let's say you can't stop thinking about the most expensive flower in the store, but you know it's going to break the bank. I love these fiddleferns, long sleeves wedding dresses for example, but I've been told they can really add up. "If you absolutely have to have something, talk to your florist about it," Shawn advises. You can get the most for your money by DOTTING your bouquets with those pricey flowers, instead of composing the entire thing out of expensive blooms. Prioritize on flowers and decor to figure out where you can trim."You might hate the chairs at your venue, but at the end of the day, no one's taking pictures of the chairs, they're taking pictures of you," he says.

* Spend where it counts
In other words, all eyes are going to be on you on your wedding day, so you can keep the other flowers simple. "Yours should stand out, yours should make an impact," Shawn says. As for your bridal party, "Don't make them huge. Do impactful colors, big blooms."

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Photo by Steph Goralnick.

* Decide what you need, then budget accordingly

Typically you'll be looking to put together flowers/decor for the tables at your reception, in addition to one main bouquet for the bride, elegant bridesmaid dresses smaller bouquets for your bridesmaids, boutonierres for the men, and something for the flower girl . Some brides also opt to make bouquets for the mothers of the bride & groom.

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Shannan kept things simple in her table arrangements, sticking to wildflowers in mason jars. (Photo by Steph Goralnick)

Planning to go the DIY route? Here are Shannan's special tips for success :

* Go to a flower shop and ask for help . "You can say, 'it's for my wedding, I'm trying to get an idea of what I want,' and they will just grab flowers and show you what looks good grey wedding dress ," Shannan says. "Take lots of pictures."
* Ask if they can make a sample bouquet for you based on the flowers you like. Have them show you how they put it together so you can see the steps.
* Mix flowers of different lengths and textures to liven up your bouquets.
* Do a trial run: Make your bouquets at least one time before the big day so you know what you're getting into.
* Figure out where you'll store the flower s, and make sure you have control over temperature. Find out if the venue can store your flowers at a low level of refrigeration (so they're not very cold) or if you will have room at your hotel. If you don't have refrigeration, it's probably not worth doing your own.
* If you make your bouquets earlier than the day of the wedding, pink cocktail dresses pink cocktail dresses don't cut the stems until you're ready to go.
* Try to come up with a flower or scent that means something to you and your groom . "For us it was gardenias, so I had gardenias in only his&#160 plus size wedding outfits plus size wedding outfits; boutonierre and only in my bouquet, black party dresses " Shannan said.

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Shannan's beautiful DIY bouquet featured a natural mix of colors and textures. (Photo by Steph Goralnick)

* And lastly, if you choose DIY, be aware of hidden costs . "A lot of brides who think they can do it themselves wait til the last minute and it ends up being a mess," Shawn said. "You have to ask yourself long sleeves wedding dresses long sleeves wedding dresses: How much can you take on? It's saving money vs. how stressed out you're going to be."

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