Getting Married On Valentine's Day Is Cheaper Than You'd Expect

Valentine's Day is the most romantic day of the year, so it makes sense that a lot of people would want to tie the knot on the holiday. But does that mean couples shell out extra cash to say "I do" on Feb. 14? If you're trying to figure out how much it costs to get married on Valentine's Day, then I have some good news for you: It probably costs a bit less than you think.

According to The Knot, February is one of the least popular months to get married (along with January and March). These months are considered the "off-season" months for weddings in much of the United States because, you know, snow. And since there's less demand for February weddings overall, you'll likely pay less for both your venue and your other wedding services.

However, there is one wedding-related service that's likely going to cost you more than usual for a Valentine's Day wedding, and that's flowers. I spoke to two wedding planners — Kia Martinson, owner of ESTOccasions, and Apryl D. Roberts, owner Memorable Events — and both agreed that the biggest challenge you'll face when planning a V-Day celebration is keeping the cost of flowers down.

"You usually will not see an increase in venue or catering expenses, as it is an 'off-season' wedding," Roberts explains. "However, I have noticed that usually Valentines’s Day weddings do cost a little more, especially in the floral category. Florists are still busy, due to regular bouquet and arrangement orders for the day, so these weddings now increase their floral orders and workload." It makes sense — flower bouquets are a go-to gift for plenty of people on Valentine's Day, and if floral shops have more orders than usual, they are totally justified in charging brides-to-be more money than usual. It's called supply and demand, my friends.

Martinson also notes that hair and makeup services may also spike in price "since a lot of regular people not getting married use those services as well on the holiday." Here's the good news: Floral and beauty services are two of the easiest expenses to minimize while planning a wedding. DIY hair and makeup can be done with the help of YouTube tutorials (or a talented friend), and keeping the cost of flowers down is just as simple.

Per The Knot’s 2018 Real Weddings Study, the average cost of floral services in 2018 was $2,411, and that average is likely higher on Feb. 14. If you have your heart set on a Valentine's Day wedding, here are just a few ways you can cut flower costs:

• Create or purchase paper flower arrangements
• Use silk flowers
• Buy wholesale flowers and make your own arrangements
• Avoid using popular Valentine's Day flowers, like roses
• Swap expensive blooms for less expensive flower lookalikes, like carnations or hydrangeas instead of roses
• Skip flowers all together

Valentine's Day makes for a perfectly romantic wedding day, and you should remember this: Even if you want to go all out with flowers, the off-season wedding date can still help you stay within your budget.

Sources:

Kia Martinson, owner of ESTOccasions

Apryl D. Roberts, owner Memorable Events