A La Carte Wedding Flowers vs. Full Service Floral Design: Which is Better?
As you plan your big day and save oodles of design inspiration, you’ll undoubtedly notice that flowers play a significant role in how a celebration looks and feels. From moody burgundy to romantic blush blooms, the types and colors you choose will set the tone for your overall wedding design. Unless you intend to follow the DIY path, couples have two sourcing options: a la carte wedding flowers and full-service floral design.
As a wedding florist based in Brooklyn, Grace and Grit Flowers offers both of these options to couples planning a wedding in New York City. While both approaches offer beautiful blooms, they cater to different needs, budgets, and levels of involvement.
A la carte wedding flowers are a budget-friendly option that allows you to choose from a curated menu of professionally designed floral arrangements. You handle the pickup and setup yourself, making it a cost-effective and flexible choice. Since this service requires less customization, design consultations, and on-site labor, it is significantly more affordable than full-service floral design.
On the other hand, full-service floral design is a collaborative, highly customized process where you work closely with a floral designer over several months to create a cohesive floral vision. This includes consultations, inspiration boards, and mockups to ensure every detail aligns with your wedding aesthetic. On the wedding day, the floral team handles delivery, setup, installations, and breakdown to ensure a seamless experience. Due to the extensive planning, custom floral sourcing, and hands-on execution, full-service floral design costs significantly more than a la carte wedding flowers.
While full-service floral design can be the right choice for large-scale weddings with elaborate decor needs, a la carte flowers offer an ideal solution for couples seeking high-quality floral arrangements with more flexibility and cost savings. If you love stunning blooms but don’t need extravagant installations or extensive on-site service, a la carte wedding flowers are an excellent choice for your NYC wedding.
Let’s dive into each of these options so you can determine the best fit for your wedding day flowers.
A La Carte Wedding Flowers: Pros & Cons
A la carte wedding flowers offer a perfect balance of convenience, quality, and affordability. Unlike full-service floral design, which involves extensive planning, design consultations, and on-site installation, choosing a la carte flowers for your NYC wedding is a pretty hands-off process.
You can select beautifully crafted floral arrangements from a curated menu, saving time and eliminating the stress of back-and-forth decision-making while ensuring you have professionally designed blooms that elevate your wedding aesthetic. For couples who appreciate exquisite florals but don’t want the extra work (or price tag), this option delivers the best of both worlds.
One of the biggest advantages of a la carte wedding flowers is cost savings. Since this service eliminates labor-intensive elements like on-site setup and teardown, couples can incorporate high-end floral arrangements at a fraction of the cost of full-service designs. This makes it an excellent option for those who can’t imagine their big day without gorgeous wedding flowers but don’t want to stretch their budget.
At Grace and Grit Flowers, our a la carte wedding flowers are based on availability as we design them with seasonal blooms. As such, they may not be the best choice for couples with specific floral visions or large-scale installations in mind. However, for those who desire flexibility and ease, our selection of made-for-you bouquets, centerpieces, and statement arrangements are the perfect way to fill your wedding with beautiful blooms without committing to an extensive floral package.
Who should consider a la carte wedding flowers?
A la carte wedding flowers are ideal for couples who value beautiful, professionally arranged blooms but don’t require elaborate installations or custom designs for their big day. This option is perfect for intimate weddings, elopements, or celebrations at venues that don’t call for extensive floral styling.
If you’re a couple who loves high-quality flowers and wants an elegant touch without the added logistics of full-service floral design in New York City, a la carte wedding flowers may be the perfect fit for your special celebration.
Note: Just because these arrangements are based on availability doesn’t mean you don’t get a say on color or flower types! For a la carte wedding flowers in NYC, we ask couples to place their orders 3 weeks in advance if they have specific preferences. Then, our Event Coordinator will reach out to confirm the order and discuss details. We welcome up to 5 color inspiration photos so we know what you’re envisioning!
Full Service Wedding Floral Design: Pros & Cons
For the ultimate luxury experience, full-service wedding floral design offers fully customized floral arrangements, high-end installations, and a hands-on design team to bring your floral vision to life.
With this option, couples work closely with a florist to curate every detail — from selecting blooms to the overall styling of each arrangement. From there, the florist handles everything from the design process to day-of delivery, setup, and teardown. This allows for a highly personalized, stress-free experience on the wedding day.
One of the key benefits of full-service floral design is the ability to create large-scale, highly customized installations that transform a venue. Think dramatic floral arches, hanging ceiling arrangements, and lush tablescapes designed with precision. This level of service ensures that every floral element complements the wedding’s overall aesthetic for a cohesive, luxurious feel.
However, this customization comes at a premium. Full-service floral design is a significant investment, both in cost and time. Expect a much higher price tag for these services, as well as more planning time and collaboration. While it offers a high-end, tailored experience, it may not be the best fit for couples who prefer a simpler approach.
Who should consider full service wedding floral design?
At Grace and Grit Flowers, our full-service clients are those who appreciate the artistry of floral design and are comfortable with a more involved planning process, as well as the higher price tag that comes with expert design and installation. This option is ideal for couples planning large, elaborate weddings who want their wedding flowers to make a bold statement and be central to the overall design.
If you’re looking for a fully customized floral experience and a professional team to handle every detail from start to finish, full-service wedding floral design is likely the best choice for you.
The Final Verdict: Which is the better option?
When it comes to choosing between a la carte wedding flowers and full-service floral design, there is no right or wrong answer—only what’s best for you, your budget, and your overall vision.
If you dream of grand floral installations and want a team to handle every detail, full-service floral design may be the perfect fit.
A La Carte Statement Arrangement
On the other hand, if you prefer a more flexible, budget-friendly approach that still delivers stunning, high-quality blooms, a la carte wedding flowers offer an excellent alternative. For many couples, a la carte flowers strike the perfect balance between elegance and practicality. They allow you to enjoy beautifully crafted floral arrangements without the added cost and complexity.
Looking for a la carte wedding flowers in NYC?
Whether you’re planning a small, intimate wedding or simply want gorgeous flowers without the logistical hassle, Grace and Grit’s a la carte wedding flowers provide an easy, stress-free solution for New York City weddings.
If this sounds like the right fit for your big day, explore our selection of NYC a la carte wedding flowers and bring your floral vision to life — on your terms.