DIY Bouquets

With the economy down and lots of resources online, some brides are deciding to do their own wedding flowers. Some just love the idea of creating their own floral arrangements. I love the idea, too, but there are a few things you should think about before making the DIY decision.

Flower selection

Once you select your wedding colors, you'll start selecting the flowers. Most of the flowers you find online are available year-round and sourced from South America and New Zealand. The online selection is limited, and it's hard to judge quality – either of the service or the flowers. It's best to talk to people in your area: local florists, farmers -- there may even be flower CSAs where you live. You need to research the flowers you want to use and make sure they’ll work for you. Some flowers need extra conditioning (like freesia, lilies, and roses), which requires storage space and water buckets to hold them as they open. We did bouquet of hydrangeas and cymbidium orchids for a fall wedding. The hydrangeas were great, because the weather was cool and the wedding was indoors. They might not work so well for an outdoor wedding on a hot summer day. If you plan to use an orchid like these cymbidiums, they will need to be wired and taped, which takes some practice. They may not be the best choice if you aren’t familiar with basic floral technique.

Know the supplies you'll need

If you choose DIY arrangements to save money, planning (and good math skills) becomes critical. To the cost of the flowers, you need to add wire, tape, clippers, a knife, wire cutters, buckets, and the cost of shipping the flowers. You should order a few flowers ahead of time for a couple of practice bouquets, and, of course, you’ll need ribbon, vases, pins – you get the idea. You need to add in all your expenses and compare it to a florist's proposal. It can be shocking to see that you’re being charged $200 to $400 for your bridal bouquet, but if your bouquet has 60 stems of roses and cymbidiums, and most of those need to be wired and taped, you probably won’t save much by doing it yourself. On the other hand, by planning arrangements that require fewer supplies, you can save more money.

Create a plan

You know you'll want a bridal bouquet, but what about the other pieces you'll want? If you are doing it yourself, you'll want to keep it simple, but even the most basic wedding will require corsages, boutonnières, a centerpiece, and bouquets for attendants. Plan exactly what your floral needs are, then calculate how many flowers you will need. Do you need arrangements for the front of the church? On the pews? Who gets a corsage? How many attendants? What about table decorations? How can you save time and money there? Make a list, then check it twice.

Calculate how many flowers you’ll need

An easy way to do this is to use a photo and simply to count the number of blossoms in the picture, then double that number if the photo is from the side. Brides have told me that they underestimated the number of flowers they would need to achieve a certain look. This bouquet of red roses required more than 30 stems of conditioned roses, and it was a relatively small bouquet.

Remember flowers need special care

If ordering online, check the website to make sure you order far enough in advance. This can vary, depending on the type and number of flowers you are ordering. Even if you are ordering from a local supplier, make sure your order is placed in plenty of time. You’ll want the flowers to arrive a few days before the wedding. Make sure there is someone available to accept the delivery and that you have a cool place to store them. If you miss the delivery, the flowers can be in transit and out of water for another day. This might be OK, but again, it depends on the flowers you choose.

Know basic technique

A basic knowledge of how to wrap stems, make a boutonniere, put a corsage or bouquet together can be very helpful. For example, it’s not always feasible to put all the stems together in a bridal bouquet. If you are making one with 30 to 60 stems, you’ll want to wire at least one-third of them, or you’ll need a wheelbarrow to get your bouquet down the aisle. A little knowledge before you start can go a long way in reducing stress. Courses are often offered at community colleges, but you need to factor this into the cost of your wedding.

Practice

Now that you have your plan, make sure to practice at least once, and use the same supplier you plan to use for the wedding. If you ordered your flowers online, did they arrive in good shape? How long did it take for them to arrive? No matter where you bought your fl

owers, notice if they were fresh? How did they hold up? Were they dropping petals before the end of the day? Were the flowers wilting or losing leaves? Make one bouquet and see how it looks. If you plan on being in the sun for a couple of hours, make sure the flowers in your bride’s bouquet will hold up. Making a practice version of your bouquet and at least one corsage can help you be more relaxed when the day comes to make them for real.

I know this all sounds pretty intimidating, but creating your own wedding flowers can not only save you money, but can also be a lot of fun if you get some help – both from your friends and from a professional. Whether you seek the advice of local florists or take a class, getting help can ease the stress. At Little House Events, we offer a special DIY package to help brides save money and keep the fun of doing their flowers themselves.

We help you plan the type of flowers that are best for your location, weather, and style of wedding. We put together a flower order for what you will need – or we’ll order the flowers ourselves. We make sure you have all the tools, clippers, wire, and tape you’ll need.Whatever your budget and time commitment, we’ll organize a plan that best suits you and your wedding. For example, you might just want to get your friends together to do the personal flowers – the corsages, boutonnieres, and attendants’ bouquets – while the table decorations, bridal bouquet, and flowers for the front of the church are professionally done. If you want to have party to work on the floral arrangements, we will do the set up, training, and we’ll even bring refreshments for the crew.

The most important thing is that you are happy with the outcome. If you are an easy-going person, who is having a casual wedding, our DIY option might work very well for you. If you are planning a dramatic, formal wedding, you will probably be happier working with a professional florist.