We’re in awe of the creativity and resourcefulness of DIY brides that choose to be their own florist. We are meeting many more brides and grooms this year who are scouting out the big savings that a well planned DIY wedding flower strategy can produce.
While DIY wedding flowers projects are not for everyone - we’ve observed that the wedding teams that do this best have three things in common: they are well organized, flexible and they understand the subtleties of purchasing wholesale bulk flowers.
Organization begins with being realistic about what you can accomplish 24-48 hours before the wedding. Most types of live cut flowers need to be purchased and arranged during that time frame.
A retail florists artistry, expertise and labor is a valuable commodity that makes up a substantial portion of the wedding floral bill. The most successful DIYs we’ve met are supported by a volunteer floral team that replace the florists labor.
Designate a trusted friend or relative that you know you can count on to coordinate purchasing, arranging and delivering the flowers with the team.
Be completely realistic about what you can do on or before your wedding day when you’ll have many details on your mind - do you really want to make your own bouquet on one of the most important days of your life?
Invite your most creative friends, and family to the Los Angeles Wholesale Flower District to excite and inspire them. The six blocks of gorgeous blooms and dazzling fragrances will lift their spirits and spark enthusiasm to be a part of your DIY floral team.
The ancient proverb “many hands make light work” is wisdom to live by when undertaking DIY wedding flowers - especially when there are separate ceremony and reception sites and a large wedding party.
Based on your predetermined guidelines, your wedding floral team can purchase flowers 24-48 hours before your wedding, make bouquets and arrangements, keep them cool, transport and place them properly at the ceremony, and reception sites
One month in advance, decide what you want to purchase. See what is in season. Set a total budget range and determine who, when, where, and how wedding flowers will be made and delivered.
Visit DIY friendly flower vendors and find the one that you want to work with. Most wholesalers will source and sell bulk flower products and wish you the best. Some DIY friendly female wholesalers may go the extra mile by demonstrating how to make a simple centerpiece arrangement and bouquets. A few will even make corsages or boutonnieres to lighten your production load. Do pricing, purchase practice flowers and decide on bouquet and arrangement designs.
To pare your floral budget further consider recycling flowers from the church to decorate the reception site where your guests will have more time to see and enjoy them. After the ceremony the bridesmaid bouquets can grace the gift and guest book tables at the reception site. Many flowers on your list of those to buy and make can be repurposed at a second or third site.
There are three basic categories of flowers to buy and make. Personal flowers include the bride’s and bridesmaids’ bouquets, corsages for the mothers and boutonnieres for the men. Ceremony flowers include arrangements for the alter, or greenery and flowers for an arch or Jewish Chuppa, and aisle arrangements like ribbons, candles, pew markers. Reception flowers are needed for table centerpieces, the cake table, and the guest book table, don’t forget rehearsal dinner flowers, house party, and other pre-wedding party flowers. Details count especially when flowers will do double duty at two sites. Once you have decided what goes where and who will place it there, write down all floral specifics, and give a copy to your floral planning team. Visit DIYbride.com for a floral organizer template download that simplifies this task.
Call The California Flower Mall 213-488-1953 to reserve a meeting room to host your floral team meeting and be prepared to show them the flowers bouquets and arrangements you are considering. Invite them to use practice flowers to make a bouquet or a centerpiece arrangement and you will win them over.
