With the popularity of Pinterest and the ability to Google just about anything these days, there is a lot of misleading information about wedding flowers floating around. From DIY bouquets to seasonal flower guides, it’s hard to know what is the best option for you! We talked to a couple of local floral experts to set the story straight for you as you plan the wedding of your dreams! DIY Bouquets
We see plenty of tutorials for DIY bouquets or centerpieces like the one pictured above. However, along with the possible pro of saving money by doing your own flowers, there are plenty of cons to consider as well! Jenna from Fleurtations Floral shares her thoughts and experience on DIY wedding florals:
“I have had MANY a bride call me in a panic the night before or even the day of their wedding because their “bulk” flowers they ordered from a company online didn’t arrive, or they did arrive but they weren’t the right color. OR they were panicked because they didn’t know how to care for the flowers properly in their DIY bouquets and they were wilting in the heat.
“When you pay for professional flowers, you pay for professional, artistically arranged florals that are not just the typical “grocery store” varieties arranged into a mound. You also get the professional’s expertise on the care and handling of the flowers. These things are worth the extra money and unneeded stress on the wedding day.”
What’s in Season When
While perusing the internet for wedding inspiration, you will probably also run into charts of “what flowers are in season when,” like the one pictured above. It might seem like you’ve stumbled on some magic insider secrets, but there’s actually a lot more to it. Terri from Rose & Blossom is giving you the real breakdown of how to save money on seasonal flowers.
“Seasonality of flowers can be confusing and misleading. The seasonality lists you see on Pinterest suggest that the flowers are only available during those months, or are less expensive when in season. This isn’t always true. Many flowers are grown all year round by professional flower growers. Popular flowers that used to be seasonal but are now year round include tulips, hydrangea, freesia, lisianthus, lilies, roses, sunflowers to name a few.
“Flowers grown year round are the least expensive flowers. They are in high production, therefore supply is high and price is lower. Many seasonal flowers such as a peonies are expensive. There is a low supply for a very limited time, therefore the price is higher.”
When in Doubt, Go Local!
We are all about ‘locally sourced’ here at Apple Brides! When planning your wedding, don’t forget to ask about local flower options. Not only can they be more affordable, it also adds that ‘farm to table’ personal touch that will be unique to your event. We asked Terri from Rose & Blossom to share some of the best local flowers you can incorporate into your summer wedding:
“When we talk about flowers that are “in season” and cheaper in price, we need to look at flowers that are grown locally by local flower growers. In the Inland Northwest, there is a very limited growing season. Local flowers are available starting mid-May with lilacs, peonies, and lily of the valley. Moving into mid-summer we have local Dahlias, Zinnias, Sunflowers, and a variety of garden flowers. This season only lasts until mid-to-late September. These flowers are substantially less expensive from a local grower rather than importing them. To take advantage of flowers that will be less expensive due to seasonality, it must be within the local growing season.
“Rather than ask what flowers are in season, it would be better to ask what flowers are in high supply during your wedding.”
Ultimately, your florist knows what they are talking about. When you put your trust in an expert, you can rest easy knowing that your flowers will be as beautiful as your day!
