Flower Showdown: DIY Wedding Flowers Versus Florist-Made

So you’re planning your wedding, and you have to decide where to get the wedding flowers. The question is, should you DIY your wedding flowers or let a florist take care of it? At first, having a florist create the floral decor for you seems like the right choice. Sure, it’d be the more convenient option, but there are plenty of pros to consider if you decide to DIY your wedding flowers versus hiring a florist.

Doing Your Own Wedding Flowers Versus Having Them Done

At Flower Moxie, we want every wedding to be as special as the Moxie bride walking down the aisle. We think one of the best ways to get that picture-perfect ceremony is to have gorgeous flower arrangements. If the bride, her friends or her family lovingly make each floral aspect of the wedding, we think that’s an even more gorgeous personal touch — and it gives the DIY bride funds to spend elsewhere in the wedding.

Cost Breakdown:

Low-Cost Flower Choices: Alstomeria, Carnations, Poms, Salal, Stock, Hydrangeas

DIY Flowers Florist Bridal Bouquet $45-$55 $120 average

Bridesmaid Bouquet

$15-$20 each $40-$50 each Bouts & Corsages $1-$2 each $10 each 5-6″ Vase Centerpiece  $18-$25 each $50 each Ceremony Flowers $50-$65 each $100-$125 each

 

Combo Flowers: Roses, Ranunculus, Carnations, Alstromeria, Salal, Seeded Eucalyptus, Hydrangea

DIY Flowers Florist Bridal Bouquet $70-$80 $150-$200 average

Bridesmaid Bouquet

$25-$35 each $55-$75 each Bouts & Corsages $2-$4 each $13 each 5-6″ Vase Centerpiece  $28-$35 each $70-$85 each Ceremony Flowers $75-$90 each $150-$175each

 

Fancy Flowers: Peonies or Garden Roses, Ranunculus, Anemones, Astrantia, Spray roses, Seeded euc, Italian Ruscus, more variation with berries and texture.

DIY Flowers Florist Bridal Bouquet $110 – $130 $250-$300 average

Bridesmaid Bouquet

$40-$50 each $100-$125 each Bouts & Corsages $3-$5 each $20 each 5-6″ Vase Centerpiece  $40-$60 each $115-$135 each Ceremony Flowers $120-$150 each $300 each

 

Need some convincing before you can get crafty with a do-it-yourself project like this? Let’s break down the prices, the pros and the cons so you can get a look at DIY wedding flowers versus a florist’s arrangements.

How Much Do Popular Flowers Cost at a Florist?

We’re going to start with floral arrangement prices at your average florist. Now obviously, these prices are going to vary based on a lot of factors. The florist, the flowers, the season and the design can all play some part in the overall cost of florist flowers, so we’ve broken down the averages for three categories of flowers: 

• Low-cost flowers
• Combination of high- and low-cost flowers
• Pricey, splurge flowers

While you can choose whatever flowers you want for that special day, we’re considering these for each of the above categories to make the comparisons fair:

1. Low-cost: Alstroemeria, carnations, poms, salal, hydrangeas and stock
2. Combination: Carnations, salal, roses, ranunculus, seeded eucalyptus and alstroemeria
3. Splurge: Ranunculus, astrantia, garden roses, anemones, peonies and Italian ruscus

Now let’s break down how much you would expect to spend on average with different arrangements from a florist using these flowers.

1. Bridal bouquet: The gorgeous bunch of flowers you carry down the aisle might be one of the floral mainstays of a wedding. If you go with a florist, you can expect to pay anywhere from $120 to $300 on average for a bridal bouquet, depending, of course, on which price point of flowers you choose. The prices will also go up if the flowers you want aren’t in season or are in high demand. Maybe you think the bridal bouquet is worth the extra portion of your budget but is every floral arrangement worth spending that much?
2. Bridesmaid bouquet: Depending on the number of bridesmaids in the wedding, you can end up blowing the whole budget here or barely making a dent. With a florist, expect to spend more of your budget no matter how many bouquets you get. For only one bridesmaid bouquet created by a florist, you could pay anywhere from $40 to $125 on average. Multiply that by all the important women in your life who you want standing by your side, and there goes the flower budget.
3. Boutonnieres and corsages: Even though these are smaller pieces, the cost of these floral accessories can rack up when a florist creates them for you. For an individual bout or corsage, expect to pay an average between $10 to $20. Again, these prices get multiplied when you have a larger wedding party. You shouldn’t have to cut people out of the ceremony just because flowers from a florist are pricey!
4. Vase centerpieces: Centerpieces are going to vary a lot based on their height and the other decor you include with them. A single vase arrangement of about 5- to 6-inches high could cost between $50 to $135 on average depending on the flowers you use. Sure, you could choose centerpieces that don’t include blooms, but a special occasion deserves stunning decor, and flowers can elevate any venue into a romantic locale.
5. Ceremony flowers: Think of these as the additional floral decor along the aisle, by the altar or in the venue. Ceremony flowers differ in size depending on where you’ll be putting them, but on average, one arrangement from a florist could cost $100 or as much as $300.

Don’t worry — we’re done killing your dreams of a flower-filled venue. And we can revive those dreams just as quick! We’ve got the solution to expensive blooms in a bit, but first let’s figure out why flowers from a florist cost more than wholesale, DIY arrangements.

Why Do Flowers From a Florist Cost That Much?

Flowers are expensive, and there are plenty of reasons why. Florists charge so much because they need to make a profit after covering high costs caused by: 

1. Maintenance: Flowers are like that one girl you know who takes hours upon hours to get ready — and if it’s you, no judgment. But because they are so lovely and delicate, flowers need extra care. From growing them to harvesting them to shipping them, flowers need a long time to get ready, too. Every person that’s involved in the process needs to get paid, which means high maintenance flowers cost quite a lot. By the time a florist gets these blooms, they have to charge a higher amount to offset that cost.
2. Perishable blooms: Flowers are living things, and, we hate to say it, they don’t last forever. When florists import flowers from wholesalers far away, including other countries, the countdown begins. Extra care ensures the flowers will last, but that comes at quicker shipping speeds and other precautions, which impact the price tag once they get to a florist.
3. Peak seasons: Holiday seasons mean spikes in demand and prices. From Valentine’s Day to Mother’s Day, we love giving flowers to the ones we love, but it means prices will go up for brides trying to buy during those times. Florists have to keep up with demand, and that means getting more flowers imported, which costs a lot. They also risk having an overstock of blooms which will go un-purchased and eventually die. RIP. If that happens, florists will increase other prices to make up for the loss.
4. Making the arrangements: After getting their flowers from a wholesaler, a florist must now take the time to create countless arrangements, especially for a wedding. Labor costs will hike up the price even if you get something small or simple.

“Great,” you’re thinking. “Flowers are expensive and arrangements cost even more.” Don’t stress, Moxie bride! We didn’t even get to the good news yet. DIY wedding flowers come at a much cheaper cost!

How Much Do Popular Flowers Cost Through an Online Wholesaler?

To DIY your wedding flowers, you’ll want to go with an online wholesale shop. Wholesale is that magic word that translates to bulk items for a lower price. After getting a great deal, you ride that buzz as you create your own beautiful bouquets and arrangements. But how much can you really save on average with wholesale DIY flowers? We’ll tell you!

1. Bridal bouquet: If you want a fabulous bouquet but the florist price bummed you out, wholesale has got your back! For a bridal bouquet using the variety of flowers we mentioned above at different price points, expect to pay between $45 to $130 on average. The prices of DIY wedding flowers are cut in half versus florist bridal bouquets! With wholesale, you can build the bouquet of your dreams without breaking the budget.
2. Bridesmaid bouquet: Your bridesmaids should carry bouquets that are almost as gorgeous as yours. Get them lovely arrangements and even consider the splurge flowers because you might only pay between $15 to $50 on average for one bouquet. Sure you could get low-cost bridesmaid bouquets from a florist for $40 to $50, but you could spend that same amount and get high-end flowers from an online wholesale seller!
3. Boutonnieres and corsages: Remember how a florist-made bout or corsage’s lowest price was $10? Take that money and buy plenty of flowers for DIY accessories instead. The average cost for one DIY bout or corsage when you go wholesale is between $1 to $5. While these price differences may seem too good to be true, think about how few blooms go into a boutonniere or corsage in comparison to a bouquet. With wholesale flowers, you can make enough floral accessories for the whole wedding party with just a few bunches of blossoms and have some to spare! You may not even have to spend extra on flowers for bouts and corsages, and instead use what remains after making other floral decor. Hooray for extra savings!
4. Vase centerpieces: If you’ve got a large venue, you would’ve dropped some serious cash on florist-made centerpieces. Go the DIY route and only spend between $18 to $60 on average for one 5- to 6-inch centerpiece. Get savings galore with DIY centerpieces! You’ll save so much that you may even add extra tables to decorate — invite your second cousins after all. You could even up the sizes of your centerpieces or use the money you save to include showstopping decor with your vibrant blooms.
5. Ceremony flowers: You’re going to want to put flowers in every corner of your ceremony when you see the average cost per arrangement. With a low-end of $50 and a high of $150, the top of DIY ceremony flowers’ price range is around the cheapest of the florist variety.

 At this point, you see the trend — more prices cut in half thanks to DIY wedding flowers. So go wholesale and treat yourself to blooms a bit more extravagant than the low-cost options. Before you fill your venue to the top with petals and greenery, let’s see why wholesale is a cheaper alternative to florists.

Why Are Online Wholesalers Cheaper Versus a Florist?

So flowers are still expensive because of the time and resources that go into growing them — we can’t change that. But a DIY bouquet comes at a cheaper cost than a florist’s mostly because you’re putting in the work.

A florist can spend up to two hours making a bridal bouquet. When you total up the cost of labor and the other components of a bouquet, you get the higher price tags from earlier. Florists also have a lot of overhead to deal with, which you won’t have to pay for if you go wholesale. DIY your flowers and you won’t have to worry about price hikes as a result of: 

• Storage
• Labor
• Prep
• Production
• Supplies
• Transportation

Florists have to offset all of those costs above and then some. To make money, they have to up-charge, which leaves your pockets empty. Wholesale suppliers cut out one of the middlemen, in this case, the florist. That makes wholesale flowers cheaper and fresher, too. Better blooms for less? Yes, please!

You also inadvertently pay for the shipping between wholesaler and florist when you go that route. Cut costs by picking up your flowers directly with the wholesaler — at Flower Moxie, we offer that option along with other shipping choices. Picking up the flowers yourself means that delivery is free and the flowers are fresher!

If you still need a bit more convincing, we’ll give you some more pros of going with wholesale flowers versus choosing a florist.

DIY Wedding Flowers Versus a Florist: Why Should You Be a DIY Bride

Maybe you’re still a bit intimidated by the idea of making your floral arrangements rather than paying a florist to do them, and we get it. It will be a bit daunting at first, but with all of these benefits to buying wholesale flowers and making DIY arrangements, hopefully, we’ll convince you to make your own floral decor. Consider these pros of choosing to DIY your wedding flowers versus going to a florist:

1. Save money: Based on the comparisons above, this one is pretty much a no-brainer. The flowers are cheaper, and the arrangements will be, too, since you aren’t paying anyone to do them — unless you slip the flower girl $20 to lend a hand.
2. Give it a personal touch: When someone inevitably compliments your bouquet or a centerpiece at your wedding, wouldn’t it feel great to boast, “I made it myself!” Creating your own wedding floral arrangements shows just how much time and work you put into planning your wedding, right down to the blossoms. And if no one says anything, walk around and brag about it anyway — it’s your day, isn’t it?
3. Make unique creations: Florist-made arrangements can feel a bit like something you’ve seen before. Unleash your creativity by designing your bouquets in ways that you may have never seen! Use Pinterest for inspiration then make it yours with personal flair.
4. Get total control: If you ever feel like your wedding plans are spiraling, grab some stems and take control! You can arrange your wedding flowers to look exactly how you want them to when you’re doing it yourself.
5. Have help: From us! We love to help a Moxie bride’s vision come to life for her special day. Order your wholesale flowers from us at Flower Moxie, and we’ll provide you with recipes for arrangements so you know exactly what to put in each bouquet. We even have tutorials for you to follow, so it’s like we’re right there walking you through it!

If you’re worried about tackling these projects yourself, use creating your flower arrangements as a bonding opportunity for you and your bridesmaids. Everyone can have a hand in the wedding and then you can all brag about what an awesome job you did creating one-of-a-kind floral bouquets, arrangements and accessories! No matter who’s joining you in a flower crafting session, you’re sure to have a fun time.

Overall, you should be happy with how your wedding looks, and flowers play a big part in that. Get the most blooms for your money with the great value of wholesale flowers and create your stunning wedding bouquets.

Get DIY Wedding Flowers With Flower Moxie

On average, you can save between 50 and 60% with making your wedding flowers versus having them done. Are you geared up to DIY your wedding flowers? We’re just as eager to help! If you have high-end dreams for your wedding flowers but don’t want to spend the high-end budget, our wholesale flowers are your solution.

Browse our selection of bulk flowers today and get brainstorming for those classic, rustic, wild or uniquely-you bouquets!