Weddings can be expensive, but if you want to save money, there are lots of clever hacks that can lower the price. Here's a look at some tips for saving money on your wedding flowers.

1. Hire Plants

Instead of buying expensive floral arrangements for the wedding and the reception, consider hiring plants. Some wedding hire companies offer plants for hire as well as traditional items such as marquees, tables and linens. Alternatively, you can work with a plant hire company in your community. Hired plants can be a nice supplement to bridal and attendant bouquets and are typically less expensive than flowers.

2. Make Paper Flowers

In other cases, you may just want to skip the real flowers all together and turn to your crafty side. With just a bit of cutting, folding and gluing, you can make paper flowers out of old books, which you can often find for free. If you don't mind spending a bit of money on supplies, there are also lots of fun designs for crepe paper flowers.

3. Use Seasonal Flowers

If you decide to work with a florist for all or some of your floral needs, it pays to pick flowers that are in season. Flowers that have to be shipped in from remote locations are typically more expensive, but if you choose something that's readily available in your area in the current season, you will generally save a bit of money. Your florist can make recommendations on the exact varieties to consider.

4. Fill With Greenery

It can also help to fill in bouquets and arrangements with greenery. Greenery such as lily grass, bells of Ireland, tiki tree ferns and leather leaf among others are great options to consider. These plants often cost less than flowers, but whether you're making centrepieces, bouquets and boutonnieres for the wedding party or arrangements for the wedding alter, greenery takes up extra space that you would otherwise need to fill with potentially expensive flowers.

5. Trade Services

In some cases, you may want to get creative about how you pay the florist. For example, if you've got extra time, you may want to trade services with the florist. Depending on your area of expertise, you could trade marketing services, dog walking, personal catering or whatever you do the best. Not all professionals are open to arrangements like that, but it can't hurt to ask.

For more tips on which flowers and arrangements are best for your budget, contact a wedding professional directly.