Thinking of DIYing Your Wedding Florals?
Answer these Questions First...
Do I know anything about flowers?
Flowers are pretty, and some smell lovely, but knowing the difference between a rose (standard) and a carnation is the extent of your "green thumb," you will need to read up on the flowers you will be using. Different flowers need different things. (ie. water temp, storage temp, additives, light/dark, days to open, etc.) You can research flowers by name (if you know the name); otherwise, check out an online floral source like Fiftyflowers to use their photo identifier to find the name of that flower you loved on Pinterest. Once you have that name, you can look up the flower's care process and make sure it is in season for your wedding and what the cost will be.
Do I have an extra 10-12 hours the week of my wedding to prep and build my arrangements?
Again, depending on your project's size, this could drastically change up or down. If you are doing a single bouquet and bout, then it might take an hour or two from start to finish. However, if you have several bouquets, corsages, bouts, and centerpieces, expect to take the whole day well into the night if you do this yourself. Remember that you are building arrangments and bouquets and have to “process” those blooms and greens before building your designs. This involves stripping and snipping stems, letting the flowers rehydrate and reacclimate to room temperatures. Don’t expect to pick up the materials and build the same day, nature doesn’t work that way.
Do I want to buy the special tools needed to create intricate items like corsages, bouquets, and boutonnieres?
Some of the items you need include floral snips, thorn strippers, floral glue, waterproof tape, floral tape, floral wire, ribbon, water buckets, foam/chicken wire, floral food, and pins. You can buy these at any floral store and even online from flower sellers and Amazon. It will be another investment that you most likely won't be able to recoup.
Do I want to buy all the vases and other containers for the flowers myself?
There are places where you can rent the containers and vases, but most often, you will need to purchase them. This will be expensive on the front end, but you could clean it and try to resell it at a local bridal marketplace. You do need to make sure the vessel will support the size and structure of the arrangements; you don't want them to be too heavy, or they will tip. If you are using glass vases, buy extra, just in case.
Do I have a good place to store my flowers--cool, dark, and away from pets and children?
If you have a cool, dark basement, that should work, but you will want to ensure you haven't chosen ultra-diva delicate flowers. Also, expect to fret the entire time you have them and make numerous checks to ensure they haven't died on you. You will wake up several times at night, like a new mother checking on her young. Also, expect to have the common florist nightmare that they are dead when you go to pull them out for the wedding. That is totally normal, and even experienced florists still experience this nightmare.
Do I have a specific style in mind for my flowers, and will I be frustrated or disappointed if I can’t create it at the last minute?
If this is your first time arranging, you won't be able to create the doppelganger of the Pinterest bouquet. It just won't happen! It would be like expecting to paint like Monet the first time you pick up a brush. Be realistic and gentle with yourself. If you MUST have it the way it looks in the picture, pick up the phone and call a wedding florist.
Do I have friends and family who can help me cope with the potential stress of a large DIY project that day?
Your bridesmaids have signed on to support you during the weekend of your wedding. They expect to help you with your dress, keep you hydrated and fed during the rush of the day, calm your nerves, and tell you how gorgeous you look. They likely did not sign on to schlep buckets of water around a venue and engage in rose thorns. If you tackle this project, ask your friends and family if they are willing to take on this extra duty and warn them that the additional stress might turn you into a real Bridezilla!
Can I trust a friend or family member to bring my DIY flowers to the venue and set up all the centerpieces on the wedding day?
You obviously can't do this because you will get hair and makeup and do all those fun things brides should do on their wedding day. That person is going to need a large and empty minivan or SUV. Flowers are bulky and delicate, if they tip over or are smashed together, they will look horrible. Depending on the size of the project, you might need several trips or cars. Don't wait until the wedding day to figure out your car doesn't have enough room.
Do I have a friend or family member who can clean up the flowers and take them away from the venue after the wedding is over?
The same cars needed to bring the flowers will most likely be needed to remove them from the venue unless you want to try to give them away to your guests or toss them in the trash, which would be such a sad waste.
The Lowdown on DIY flowers
The sticker shock from a floral proposal is real, and the urge to save some money for the budget is SO tempting, I get it. There are many other planning categories where you can cut costs by getting creative, but unless you have a friend or family member who has experience as a florist, this is not something you want to take on. The nightmare stories of poor brides spending hundreds on flowers and killing them or running out of time to do all the work to make bouquets are numerous. If you have your heart set on arranging your flowers, do yourself a favor and do a trial run well before your wedding day. You can understand how the ordering process and prep work, test your arranging talent and better understand the time you need during those crucial days before your wedding.
