Brides are often surprised after they meet with a florist and discover how expensive fresh wedding flowers can be. But what's a wedding without GORGEOUS bouquets and floral arrangements? It's hard to cut back in this area.

There are simple ways to make your floral budget strech further so you don't break the bank.

1. Use and combination of balloons and flowers
Balloons far less expensive and they are equally festive! Balloons also take up a lot of space, so you get big bang for your decorating dollar. Many balloon artists are now mixing balloons with pretty white lights for evening weddings. These make for beautifully elegant arrangments.

2. Use only flowers that are in season.
If you are set on exotic flowers that either out-of-season or hard to get, use silk versions of those flowers instead. Flowers that are out of season can cost you more than double those in season.

3. Limit the size of your wedding party.
The fewer bridesmaids, groomsmen, and ushers you have, the less money you will spend on bouquets, corsages, and boutonnieres.

4. Use fewer arrangement, but opt for larger and more dramatic ones. The overall cost will likely be less, and your flowers will be more dramatic. Move your ceremony arrangements to the reception and you'll save even more.

5. Use silk flowers.
If you want to keep your bouquet, this is a great idea. If you have plenty of lead time before the wedding, watch for sales at the craft shops. You'll often see sales of up to 50% off seasonal silk flowers.

6. Use greenery and twinkling lights.
Greeneryless expensive than fresh flowers. If you use live plants, you can also keep them for years to come. Check your local nurseries to see if they rent plants - many do!

7. Have your wedding outdoors.
Use the natural beauty of the great outdoors. Some places have pretty gardens or nice atriums for your ceremony. Parks are also a nice choice!

8. Opt for less expensive flowers.
We all love exotic lilies, but high end flowers can quickly break the bank! For your center peices, cake table, gift table, and other decorative arrangements, why not choose less expensive flowers from the same color palette? Carnations are a great choice. You can still use the more expensive flowers in your bouquet.

Visit WhereBridesGo.com for reception table centerpieces, wedding favors, and reception decorations!