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There’s no sugarcoating the fact that bouquets are pricey, let alone the flowers that comprise them. A survey performed by The Knot last year found that most couples who got married in 2019 said they spent an average of $2,000 on flowers. The figure comprises the bride and bridesmaids’ bouquets, corsages for guests, and other floral arrangements.

And who can blame them? Flowers are delicate plants that require the right conditions to blossom. There aren’t many places in the world that can grow vibrant flora to go into your wedding bouquet. Keeping them fresh while being shipped halfway across the globe is also costly. These factors are more than enough reasons not to skimp on the choice of flowers.

But another way to save on wedding flowers is to use unusual substitutes—succulents, for instance. While it may not look appealing on its own, a few succulents surrounded by other flowers give off a unique vibe while reducing cost. 

Here’s a closer look into these plants and their selling points:

Water Tanks of the Desert

While not an official classification, botanists refer to succulents as plants with thick, fleshy leaves. The reason for this appearance is that they store water inside their leaves, allowing them to survive even in the driest deserts. Most succulents can rely on their internal water stores for around one to three months, all while collecting water from humidity in the air or its roots.

There’s no one succulent plant, as the term encompasses dozens of varieties, but not all succulents are ideal for bouquets. A cactus maybe a succulent, but you wouldn’t think about getting the bride or her bridesmaids pricked on the big day. Succulent bridal bouquets go for more practical varieties such as echeverias to serve as focal pieces.

Won’t Burn Your Budget

Store-bought succulents start at around $10 apiece. You can swap out one or two expensive focal flowers from your bouquet, namely roses and lilies, and keep most of the fillers. The resulting arrangement gives off a wilderness-like feel, as if you’re looking at desert flora.

One reason for their low cost is that they’ve been roughing it since the dawn of time. They’re hardy plants that require little to no resources or effort to thrive. You can leave a succulent under the sun without constant watering for a year and still be growing strong. In fact, overwatering is the worst that you can do to a succulent, as its leaves will rot and lose their form.

Succulents also grow in a wide variety of conditions, even in places most plants wouldn’t flourish. Growers even cultivate them in greenhouses, making them readily available at your neighborhood florist. You don’t need to look far as a service like this company offers bouquet-worthy succulents and other floral arrangements.

The Best Companions

You don’t have to forego flowers entirely for your wedding, as succulent-centric bouquets go well with many flowers. With the ideal floral arrangement, a bouquet can enjoy the best of both worlds: elegance for a reduced cost. 

Here are a few budget-friendly examples:

1. Alstroemeria

Also known as Peruvian lily or lily of the Incas, alstroemeria has since included North America as its natural habitat. Some succulent bouquets feature these flowers for their wide color range, bringing color to the overall presentation.

2. Carnation

A low-cost alternative to roses, carnations are also a common sight among succulent bouquets. They can complement almost any bouquet-worthy variety of succulents, particularly echeveria, aeonium, and crassula.

3. Lavender

There’s something about the color purple that makes it a natural standout on any occasion. For lavender, however, its greenish leaves also complement the pale green hue of most succulents. They’re also just as hardy, thriving in dry conditions with minimal effort.

4. Lily of the Valley

These tiny flowers make lovely fillers not only for succulent bouquets but also for corsages. A single stem can hold a handful of blooms, meaning they can quickly fill up a bouquet for fewer pieces. They’re also a favorite among weddings of nobility.

Basically, if your flowers complement the succulents in your garden, they’ll no doubt complement each other in a bridal bouquet.

Succulents may not be flowers, but they have their way of augmenting floral arrangements. So the next time you find yourself about to foot a hefty bill for flowers alone, don’t be afraid to consider less costly alternatives.

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