Flowers and chuppah cost?

[Miya03]

So the florist just sent me a proposal for the cost of flowers for the reception and the ceremony, including a custom made chuppah, and I think I almost had a heart attack. For you ladies who had a florist, how much did your flowers cost? I have about 150 people coming to the wedding. Also, if anyone has had a chuppah done, how much did you spend? I have no idea if this quote is normal or as outrageous as I think it is.

 

[Haven]

Are you talking about flowers to decorate the chuppah? Or is your florist making an actual chuppah for you?

My parents made our chuppah, so it only cost whatever the materials cost. (Wood, fabric, dye.) Otherwise, most people use their synagogue''s chuppah for the ceremony. Even if you aren''t getting married in your actual synagogue, it''s highly likely that they will allow you to borrow the chuppah for your wedding. We actually donated our chuppah to our synagogue after our wedding because the one they had was pretty plain.

I know of one couple where neither the groom nor the bride were members of a synagogue, but they still wanted a chuppah anyway, so they called a couple temples and found one that let them borrow their chuppah for the day. If that''s your situation you could probably do that.

SO, I suppose the answer to your question about how much a chuppah usually costs is: not much!

 

[marlie]

My florist is designing my chuppah. I also had a heart attack when seeing the cost. It came to about $2000. it''s actually painful to type it out considering it''ll only be used for 30 minutes! But maybe I can donate it to a temple like Haven did! My chuppah will be curly willow branches with orchids scattered all around it, small orchid arrangements at the base and hanging luminaries. I''m also in NYC which does have some affect on pricing. I hope that helps!

 

[Miya03]

Thanks ladies! I wanted to have a freestanding chuppah made of white cloth with a few flowers decorating the top--but not overkill. The quote was higher than yours, Marlie! And I don''t live in New York. It makes me sick to my stomach and I''m pretty sure that when my Mom sees the quote she''s going to force me to use the family chuppah poles (which are 4 broomstick handles with yellowed paint and rusitng hooks) to create a more traditional chuppah. I don''t mind that too much, but I didn''t want to have to make people hold the thing up for the whole ceremony!

 

[JerseyGrl81]

My wedding was in bermuda and they quoted me about $850 for a chuppah. I thought was A LOT of money for just 30 minutes of use (we were just renting it) It was just going to have 4 posts and chiffon fabric with some flowers.

 

[sba771]

I am on the main line in Philly (HCOL) and mine will be either $250 if I do mostly flowers or $75 if I do something more fabric designed.

 

[Haven]

Some of those prices are outrageous! I emailed a friend who rented a chuppah (because she''s not a member of any synagogue) and she said they didn''t charge her and said they could make a donation to the rabbi''s discretionary fund if they felt compelled to do so.

$2,000! That''s crazy. I should go into the chuppah making business!

 

[ms.halo]

We provided the chuppah frame and my mom made a quilt for the top part. Our florist covered the poles with white tulle and then intertwined flowers throughout the poles and the top. It was gorgeous and it was $750 for that piece. For perspective, we had large centerpieces on 25 tables as well as flowers for the ceremony and cocktail hour and the total cost for flowers was $5,000. So the chuppah was about 15% of the total floral cost.