What Impacts Floral Costs and How Guest Count Affects Your Budget

If you’re planning a wedding in Reno, Lake Tahoe, or Northern California, you may be noticing that wedding pricing across all vendors feels higher than expected. Florals are no exception.

We believe in transparency, so we want to share what’s impacting wedding flower pricing in the Reno–Tahoe area, and how we work collaboratively with our couples to design florals that feel intentional, elevated, and aligned with their priorities.

Why wedding flower pricing is higher right now

Over the past few years, the cost of flowers has increased significantly. Many wedding flowers used in Reno and Lake Tahoe weddings are imported, and recent tariffs, shipping delays, and rising fuel costs have caused wholesale prices to increase, sometimes by 50% to 150% for certain blooms.

Because florists in the Tahoe region often source premium, seasonal flowers to match mountain and destination weddings, these changes directly affect floral budgets.

Labor costs in Reno and Tahoe weddings

Wedding floral design includes far more than just flowers. It involves planning, recipe development, sourcing, processing, designing, transporting, installing, and striking florals after the event.

In the Reno and Lake Tahoe wedding market, labor can be more intensive due to:

• Remote venues and long drive times
• Mountain access and limited load-in windows
• Large guest counts and multi-day events
• Full installation and teardown requirements

Fair and experienced labor is essential to creating a seamless wedding day experience, especially in destination wedding locations like Lake Tahoe.

How guest count affects your floral budget

One of the biggest factors in wedding flower pricing is guest count.

As a general planning guideline, we often suggest allocating around $100 per guest invited toward your floral budget. This helps couples planning weddings in Reno or Lake Tahoe create balanced designs without stretching their budget too thin.

Why guest count matters:

• Each guest table typically requires a centerpiece or floral element
• Larger guest counts mean more candles, vessels, and styling pieces
• More tables increase setup, delivery, and strike time
• Even minimal designs scale quickly as guest count increases

For example, a 150-guest wedding in Tahoe requires significantly more florals and labor than a 100-guest wedding, even if the overall design style stays the same.

Why sharing your priorities matters

Every wedding we design is custom. One of the most helpful things couples planning Reno or Lake Tahoe weddings can do is tell us what matters most to them.

Do you envision a statement ceremony overlooking the mountains?
A flower-forward reception?
Lush guest tables paired with candlelight?

When we understand your priorities, we can allocate your floral budget intentionally. This may mean:

• Investing more in one focal area and simplifying others
• Choosing seasonal blooms that perform beautifully in the Tahoe climate
• Designing florals that create impact without unnecessary repetition

This collaborative approach allows us to meet your budget while maintaining a cohesive, elevated design.

Designing wedding florals together

Our goal is never to upsell. It’s to guide you through what different investment levels realistically allow for in the Reno–Tahoe wedding market.

Open conversations about guest count, priorities, and expectations help us design florals that feel thoughtful, intentional, and aligned with your overall wedding vision.

If you’re planning a wedding in Reno, Lake Tahoe, or Northern California and want guidance on how florals fit into your budget, we’re always happy to walk through options together.