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What is the main reason most people decide to take the ‘Do It Yourself’ approach to their wedding decor? The cost! With the 

 for 2020 at $30,433, it’s no wonder couples try to save somewhere, and the decor is one place that typically gets cut by doing the decorating yourself. But, is this a good idea for your wedding? It depends.

In this article, we will specifically focus on DIY wedding flowers, the pros and cons of doing them yourself, and what you should know to be prepared if you are going to tackle the wedding flowers without a florist.

How much money can I really save with DIY?

The average cost of wedding flowers in 2020 is $2061 (or 7-8% of your wedding budget). It’s hard to say how much of that average comes from the actual cost of flowers vs a florist’s markup for the cost of running their business and the labor fee. Each florist charges differently. 

 reports that many in the industry do 3x markup on flowers, 2x markup on hard-goods, and 20% labor. Keep in mind that this is not your florist trying to be greedy and make a killing off your wedding, but that a lot goes into that pricing formula and it is not pure profit for them. However, that does mean that there is room for savings if you order the flowers and do the labor yourself.

That being said, if you think you have the knack, creativity, and time to do-it-yourself, let's get you prepared on the how.

The first step will be to make a plan and do your research. Here is a list of 10 ways to prepare for doing your own wedding flowers.

1. Make a list of all the arrangements you want:

Bouquets, boutonnieres, corsages, centerpieces, arch flowers, etc.

Brides.com offers a great checklist of all the arrangements you might need to plan for the bridal party, ceremony, and reception. Check it out 

If you have a lot of people with experience who are willing to help you with the flower prep, you may be able to do many of these items. However, it is generally best to keep things simple. If you have dreams of your ceremony, receptions, and loved ones being decked out in flowers, it may be time to consult with a florist.

2. Watch videos, or even go to a workshop, to learn how to make those arrangements.

There are a lot of tutorials out there to watch for each different kind of arrangement. I would recommend watching several tutorials that go over how to create the style of arrangement you like. It may also be a good idea to spend some time practicing so you do not get frustrated if you turn out not to be the budding florist you thought you were. You can always look for local workshops that teach the basics of flower arranging- these will be skills you can keep with you for life.

3. Find flower types that match your color scheme- knowing that you may not find the perfect hue.

Flowers such as roses and carnations come in almost every color. You can read 

, or take a look at a glossary of wedding flowers by color online. Simply searching Pinterest for right flowers may not be helpful as the flower types are often not labeled. Searching for a ‘bouquet breakdown’ or ‘flower recipe’ could be helpful in identifying the flowers in an arrangement. Don’t forget to do research on greenery as well.

4. There are many online wholesalers that will provide flowers in bulk for cheap. Find the best wholesaler for you.

There are many places to purchase flowers in bulk. Some common places brides order flowers from are:

There are a lot of other options out there. Many grocery stores are able to help you with ordering flowers in bulk and there are plenty of options online. Just be sure to read up on customer reviews before deciding who to go with. This will also help you know how the flowers will come in- for example, they may be in full bloom, or many need a few days to open up.

There is always the option to mix and match and get different types of flowers from different wholesalers.

5. Pick 2-5 types of flowers and greenery to order.

After determining how the scale of your arrangements, pick a few flower and greenery types to work with. It is best to keep it simple and have less variety in the flower types if you are doing it yourself. Try to keep an open mind about which flowers you will use. The most popular are not always the cheapest or easiest to work with. Be sure to research to look into hardy flowers (that will not wilt easily) and how to care for the specific flower types you are getting. Some examples of durable flowers are:

Some flowers that require a bit more attention and care:

6. Make a plan for which flowers are going where.

For example, there are 5 white roses for each centerpiece, 3 for my bouquet, and 10 for the arch focal point.

Again, this would be a good place to do some research on flower recipes for different types of arrangements and watch tutorials to get a feel for how many stems typically go in an arrangement. Centerpieces will vary depending on the look you are going for. A good rule of thumb for a bridal bouquet, according to 

This can be done prior to picking the flowers if desired. Cheap vases can be found by looking at thrift stores, a local dollar store, or borrowing from friends and family (many people have a collection under their kitchen sink). If you’re not picky about vase type and are willing to have an assortment, it is a great way to save money. Don’t forget the tools and hard-goods you will need to create your arrangements. You made need to prep the following hard-goods and tools:

8. Make a flower timeline for the week of.

An example timeline would be: Thursday- pick up flowers and prep centerpiece vases, add flowers to centerpieces if in water, Friday- make bouquets that can be kept in water, boutonnieres that can be kept cool, and flower girl crowns, Saturday- set up the ceremony flowers including arch flowers, lay out table arrangements, wrap the bouquets with ribbon and let dry, don’t forget broom to clean up last minute stems.

Floral design is something that has to be done last minute (unless you opt for fake flowers) and you will likely not be able to do it on your own. Make sure you have people willing to help in the days and hours leading up to the wedding, and that they also know what they are doing. You’ll also want to make sure you have someone reliable to transport the flowers. Keep the car they ride in cool, drive slow and cautiously, and take the time to pad the arrangements so they don’t slide around or tip while driving.

10. Research how to prep flowers when they arrive and how to keep them fresh. Some general rules of thumb are:

Doing your wedding flowers yourself can be rewarding for sure. However, it is a big undertaking and many are not up to the amount of work that can be required for it. If this is sounding like it is not for you, know that there are other ways to trim your wedding budget. If you decide to go with a florist, know that they are very capable of working within a budget and can take a lot of stress off your shoulders if you are willing to trust them with your big day.

Why do we need flowers at weddings in the first place?

Of course there are alternatives to having flowers at your wedding, and some people simply choose to go without.

Flowers help create the mood of a wedding. It can turn a room into something classy, elegant, and beautiful, modern, fun, eccentric, whatever your style happens to be. When people walk into your ceremony they will be wow-ed by the atmosphere created by fragrance and enjoy the experience of being around one of the simple joys of nature.

Flowers can be expensive. Here we go over everything you need to know about DIY wedding flowers so you can decide if it is for you. 

How To Know If DIY Wedding Flowers Are For You

Much of the inspiration behind starting Bronte’s Florals came from working with flowers as more than just centerpieces. My first moment when I realized what impact flowers could have was at age 17 --‘faking it til I made it’-- designing someone’s landscape. I spent the summer weeding, walking the aisles of nurseries, planting petunias, pruning lilacs, and driving past the house to water and fertilize those plants any time they might need it. In the moment, I probably didn’t like it as much as I remember, but at one point, the woman whose yard I had taken care of all summer told me that at the end of the day, she would sit in her garden and weep, because she at least had one beautiful thing in her life that she could sit with and feel at peace.

After that, I couldn’t imagine a career that would hold as much purpose for me in any other field. I dedicated my degree, every internship and summer job, and my career path to it.

Working at the Conservation Garden Park one summer, I found myself surrounded by a group of women who showed me how big life is. One taught yoga, one had worked on an organic vegetable farm where she learned to tell time by her shadow, one was a scientist, and one hiked from one border of the US to the other in a summer. Being around that diverse group made me feel that I could and should do anything I could dream up.

The greatest turning point was being taken on as a partner at Linnaea Farm Design. I lived on a one-acre flower farm in the Durango, Colorado valley. We grew flowers from seed, harvested them, and used them to create arrangements for destination weddings. Being part of every process of the flower business- creating a website, talking over pricing, consulting with brides, protecting the flowers from hail and voles, learning harvesting techniques, and, finally, designing the arrangements gave me a huge confidence that I could be a main player in the flower business.

Straight-from-the-farm designing taught me to use quirky things like raspberry buds in corsages, taught me that poppies last longest in a bouquet if you sear the ends, and taught me the secrets to sticking to a bride’s budget while still being able to make her flower vision come to life. After learning the ins and outs of being a farmer-florist I knew that I could go on to have my own business.

Eventually, I tried for a position at a larger company that I had had my eye on for a long time. I would be able to do marketing and inventory under a big brand name. Except for one question, I might have passed the interview: “Would I be willing to give up doing weddings under my own name?” I knew I couldn’t. I had grown to love too much being in each part of the process. It would have been a dreamy job indeed, but I couldn’t give up on my own dream that I’d started to realize in having my own wedding flower business.

The last hurdle was not without help from fellow florists and even the customer service team over Utah taxes. They pushed me to finally go through the process of getting my own business license, tax ID number, and wholesale account. Then, during the first weddings, and even still, they are quick to help answer questions like ‘how many bunches of douglas fir would you order for a wreath?’ and ‘do you know what type of garden rose would get me this exact color?’ and ‘can I have a price list of every flower so I can get the right combination to fit this look and budget?’ You get the hang of it eventually, but it’s far from a one-man show.

Though I’m no longer growing my own flowers for weddings, I take with me the confidence and skill from all my teachers along the way. Whether it’s a bouquet for a first look, or (my dream wedding) an extravagant event with a suspended floral installation and tall centerpieces, I am here to make your flower dreams come true.

Specific thanks to Orem Floral, Nannette York Floral, Linnaea Farm Design, Red Mountain, Conservation Garden Park and Central Utah Gardens, Wasatch Shadows, Freshly Bloomed, and my friends, family, and flower helpers who have trained, challenged, and encouraged me along the way.

The story behind the beginnings of Bronte's Florals

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