Church and ceremony flowers for weddings in Italy

Permissions first, then flowers

A church is not like any other venue: the parish priest or rector has the final word. Some churches ask you not to touch the altar, others do not want flowers fixed to the pews, and many ban rice and petals on the church steps or inside the nave. Often there are several weddings on the same day, so the flowers are either agreed with the other couples or set up and cleared in a tight window. Before you ask for a quote, ask the parish what is allowed and what time you can get in.

A florist who has already worked in that church saves you time: they know the rules, the access, the dimensions and what actually works in the space. The guide to church wedding flowers explains what is usually allowed and what is not.

What gets decorated

• Altar: usually two arrangements at the sides, or a low one in front. They must not cover the altar table or get in the way of the service.
• Pews: small posies, ribbons or arrangements with trailing greenery on the front rows or all along the aisle.
• Entrance and doorway: floor vases, garlands, sometimes an arch. This is the spot that appears in every photo as you walk out.
• Aisle: low vases, lanterns or petals on the floor where allowed.
• The couple's chairs or kneelers: small arrangements or garlands.

For simple church flowers, the altar, the front pews and the entrance are enough. A fuller design adds the aisle, the doorway and an aisle runner.

Civil and symbolic ceremonies

In Italy a civil wedding is performed by the Comune, the local town council. Town hall rooms are smaller and the gap between ceremonies is often short: ask the civil registry office what you can bring and for how long. Many Comuni also hold weddings in historic halls, villas or gardens they have agreements with, each with its own rules. The guide to flowers for a civil wedding at the town hall helps you get it right.

Outdoors, for a civil ceremony at a venue or a symbolic one, the focus becomes the arch or backdrop behind the couple, with the aisle between the chairs. Wind, sun and a plan B matter here. Read the guide to the ceremony flower arch and see the page on symbolic ceremonies.

How much church flowers cost

Industry guides put church flowers at an indicative 500 to 2,500 € and more. Altar arrangements are often between 200 and 700 €, pew decorations between 15 and 60 € each, a substantial entrance between 300 and 1,500 € and more. The bill grows with the size of the church, the number of pews, the height of the arrangements, hired vases and runner, and the need to clear everything straight after the service.

One way to spend better is to make the flowers work twice: altar arrangements and aisle vases can be taken to the reception. Someone has to do it, with a vehicle, so it must be planned in the quote. Item-by-item figures are in the guide on how much church flowers cost.

What to ask the florist

• Have you worked in this church or room before? Do you know the rules?
• What time do you set up and how long do you need? Who clears up, and when?
• If there are other weddings on the same day, how do you coordinate?
• What can be reused at the reception, and at what cost?
• Are the vases and runner hired? Are they included?
• For an outdoor ceremony, what happens if there is wind or rain?

If you are looking for a florist for the whole wedding, not just the ceremony, start from the page on wedding florists. Once you have a date and a church, ask for up to 3 quotes with a single request.