Pros and Cons of DIY Wedding Flowers

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Cost is one of the reasons most couples opt for the DIY route for their wedding flowers.

Research done by WeddingStats.org discovered that the average cost of a U.S. wedding in 2022 stood between $29,000-$31,000. The average cost of wedding flowers is 7%-8% of your wedding budget, or about $2061.

Although the exact figure will vary by season, region, style, and day of the week, the number shows what most couples spend.

You might also be considering DIY if you want to add creativity to the wedding. If this is your first time handling a DIY project, you need to know what it entails.

Read on to learn more about the pros and cons of DIY wedding flowers. We also give you tips on handling wedding flowers without hiring a florist.

Table of Contents

Pros of DIY Wedding Flowers

Some advantages of going the DIY route with your wedding flowers include the following.

1. Save Costs

bride smelling her DIY sunflower wedding bouquet

While working with a florist to create a gorgeous bouquet and unique flower arrangements is something most couples dream of, sometimes it doesn’t fit the wedding budget.

You’ll have to pay for the sourcing costs, the labor involved, and the complexity of the design.

Choosing the DIY route might help you cut down on these costs. You can go online and learn how to create bouquets, corsages, centerpieces, and boutonnieres at a fraction of the cost.

2. Add a Personal Touch

Young woman in a light blue dress holding a DIY bouquet of flowers.

Another advantage of DIY wedding flowers is selecting the colors and varieties you want to see at your wedding. That gives you an edge, as most florists work with flower templates and might not consider what you want at your wedding.

You get to choose textures and colors that reflect your personality. It’s satisfying to watch your hard work on display on your big day.

3. Bond With Family and Friends

Bride and bridesmaids holding DIY flowers bouquet at home

Allowing your friends and family members to help you create centerpieces and other flower arrangements creates a fun project for everyone and enables you to bond with people you haven’t seen in a while.

4. Allows You to Be in Control

When you are in charge of everything to do with wedding flowers, you don’t have to worry about when they’ll get delivered or where. You also know when to be done and can plan your time around that.

Cons of DIY Wedding Flowers

Some of the disadvantages of DIY wedding flowers include the following.

1. It Can Get Expensive

Wedding bouquet of flowers holding by the beautiful bride

Most people don’t realize that it’s easy to go over your flower budget when going the DIY route.

Remember, you don’t have the experience of sourcing flowers in season, which means you might spend more without realizing it.

Florists have experience in crafting a design plan within a stipulated budget.

Additionally, florists have a relationship with wholesale flower sellers, allowing them to get a bargain. You may not have access to that when going the DIY route.

2. It’s Tedious and Time-Consuming

If you decide to do your flowers, you’ll need to practice and make a sample first.

Create a design plan and develop good combinations with the required stem count. You’ll also need to prepare all the tools and materials, which can be time-consuming.

A florist spends an average of 14 days communicating with the bride about her flower choices, the design, ordering, conditioning the flowers, planning the centerpieces, arranging bouquets, and delivery.

There’s also time spent installing and tearing down the flowers, not forgetting the receipts and paperwork involved.

When you decide to create your bouquet and centerpieces, you need to set aside ample time to ensure everything goes as planned.

It takes about an hour to make a single 8-inch bouquet once you’ve come up with a design, gathered materials, and followed instructions.

Unfortunately, time is not something you may have when planning your wedding. You may need to get friends and relatives to help with the flowers, and they may not have experience handling flowers.

3. You Need to Cater for Supplies, Transportation, and Arrangements

Organization of weddings, parties, event decoration. Female with flower arrangement

Flowers require special care and attention. They must be kept at a temperature between 34°F and 75°F.

You need to prepare materials to transport the flowers to ensure the flowers get to the venue fresh and blooming.

Must-Know Tips With DIY Wedding Flowers

Going the DIY route is not for every couple. The process can be tedious, time-consuming, and sometimes expensive.

If you’ve decided to do your flowers, there are specific tips you should know to ensure the process is successful. Here are some things to have in mind.

Work With a Budget

wedding planner in the table with piggy bank on the side

One of the most crucial steps you should never ignore is your wedding flowers’ budget.

Calculate and come up with a figure. That will help you know which flowers to choose and which you may have to forego.

Setting a budget might be easy, but you’ll need to stick to it.

Have a Checklist of all Flower Arrangements You Need

Creative wedding planning checklist with roses and rings

Once you have a budget, you can start shopping for your preferred flowers. You’ll have seasonal and local options. When choosing the type of flowers, consider the venue, your wedding theme, and colors.

You can buy wedding flowers from farmers’ markets, local florists, or flower farms.

The next step is to decide on the type of flower arrangements you might need, like corsages, bouquets, boutonnieres, arch flowers, centerpieces, and the rest.

Determine where each arrangement will go. It could be the ceremony venue, reception, or bridal party.

Sometimes it’s possible to make most of these flower arrangements with help, but it’s best to keep things simple.

Get Inspiration Online and Offline

Happy young white couple looking at laptop computer

There are plenty of tutorials online that teach you how to make different flower arrangements. Watch the tutorials as you practice; that will make your work easier.

You can also attend local workshops that teach flower arranging skills. While you may be doing this for your big day, you’ll get to keep these skills.

Have a Set Timeline for the Week Leading to Your Wedding

Allocate each task to a particular day. For example, Wednesday could be the day to pick up flowers and prepare the vases. Thursday could be the day to make the bouquets.

Having tasks for each day allows you to plan efficiently and helps you avoid procrastination.

Ask for Help

It’s tempting to try and do everything yourself, but you’ll soon realize how tedious the process can become over time.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help from friends and family. Get people who have a bit of experience handling flowers.

Understand How to Keep the Flowers Fresh

Flowers are delicate, and one simple mistake can destroy your entire arrangement.

Remove the leaves from the bottom two-thirds of the stem to keep your flowers fresh.

Use clean, sharp clippers to cut the stems at a 45-degree angle before putting them in water.

Some flower varieties need to be kept in tepid water, while others require the stems cut underwater. Ensure the stems are in the water.

Keep the flowers in a cool and dry place. Ensure the area is dark as certain flowers tend to grow towards the sun.

Consider the Storage and Transport of the Flowers

Young Woman Worker Loading Flowers in Car

Heat kills wedding flowers, so it’s essential to know how you’ll store and transport your flowers.

Avoid refrigerating the flowers as a household fridge might not have the same humidity levels as a florist’s.

Flower arrangements like centerpieces take space and require careful packing.

Create the centerpieces in floral foam and use opaque vases. Using foam will allow them to arrive in one piece as you can’t stack centerpieces.

Final Thoughts

DIY wedding flowers are a fun project, affordable, and a way to express your personality.

Nonetheless, the project can be time-consuming and tedious. You may spend much more money than when you work with a florist.

Weigh your options and decide if you want to take the DIY route. Remember to enjoy the process and make it memorable!