Part II:Buying Wedding Flowers Buy local/wholesale
If you are considering DIY-ing your wedding flowers, you have come to the right place!
I know it can feel overwhelming when you’re first considering doing your own wedding flowers, but stick with me and I will help guide you along your way. As a self-taught designer (more on that journey here), I have learned a few things along the way and I want to share the tips and tricks of the trade with you, starting with where to buy your wedding flowers.
Recently, I talked about how to purchase wedding flowers in bulk online. I have used that approach multiple times in my own designs and have had overall good experiences with this option. Read more on how to buy in bulk online here.
As we continue exploring options of where to buy wedding flowers, today we’re going to look at how to buy flowers locally. Now when I talk about buying local flowers, I do not mean going down to the grocery store and picking up flowers (that will get expensive real quick). By buying locally, we’re going to look at farms, wholesalers, and farmer's markets.
Most flower farms allow you to buy flowers by the gallon or bucket
Buy local/wholesale
Farmer’s market
Local flower farms
Wholesale supplier
Farmer’s Market
I have a heart for farmer’s market flowers. You can read more on that here. One of my first “aha” moments with flowers was back in 2011 at the Pike Place Market in Seattle. The colors, the textures, the smells…I was instantly inspired. And those textured vibrant green beauties in the photo below? The Bells of Ireland. I planted some of these in my own garden years later (very pokey) but worth it!
Buying wedding flowers at the farmers market is a great option if you’re willing to be flexible with what florals you have on your big day. Like everything, there are pros and cons to this option - to help you decide, I’ve listed some below.
Pros of the Farmer’s Market:
Supports local business owners
Provides vibrant colors
Allows you to purchase flowers that are in season
Often bouquets are pre-arranged for you, so you can just buy a bunch of bouquets and though them in vases for centerpieces or wrap them with twine/ribbon for bouquets
Cons of the Farmer’s Market:
Most places only have farmer’s markets in the summer and often only on Saturdays, so if you’re getting married in the winter or on Saturday, this option might not be the best for you
There is no way to select the type of flowers that are going to be available, this means being flexible with styles and colors is a must with this option
Pike Place Market - Seattle 2011
Flower Farms
My husband and I have a dream of someday owning a wedding farm. In our dream farm (called Gather Farms), we have a wedding barn, a Christmas tree lot, a pumpkin patch, and flower fields. A lot of my flower farm inspiration comes from Floret Farms. If you’re looking for flower inspiration, it’s worth exploring their website, reading their books, and watching their show. Dreaming aside, flower farms can be a great option to purchase wedding flowers.
Depending on where you live, the flower farms in your area likely have limited operating hours and seasons. Be sure to check online to see what options are available. Usually late summer/early spring is what you’ll see most often. You can often buy from a flower farm by the gallon, which is relatively inexpensive compared to traditional options like a florist.
Some flower farms carry multiple types of flowers, while others specialize in certain flowers only. Do a quick google search to find options near you!
Some great flower farm options in the Treasure Valley:
If you’re down for getting your hands a little dirty, this can be a great way to support local business, get really creative with your design, and have something specific to your area.
Local Wholesale
This is one of the most unique local options. With some planning, this can be a great option for buying wedding flowers. In order to purchase from a local wholesaler, you usually have to have a business or agriculture license. You can secure one of these for around $100 (depending on where you live) through your Secretary of State office/website.
At first you might think $100 seems steep, but once you look at the cost of hiring a florist, you’ll realize $100 for a license, plus the ability to buy flowers wholesale you’ll experience a HUGE savings. With local wholesaler companies, you can get the flowers at wholesale price (similar to online options like this one). The benefit of buying in person though is you get to see exactly what you’re purchasing, how different flowers can go together, and what you might enjoy having at your wedding.
The one we have here in Boise is called DWF (this is a franchised company with locations around the country). Again, look online to see what’s available in your area.
Wax Flower in Orange
To wrap it all up, there are a lot of ways to buy flowers locally. With some planning around time of the year, looking at available options in your area, and exploring potential license ended - buying locally can be a great approach!
Whether it’s the farmer’s market, a flower farm, or a local wholesales - all of these are great options to support local business and have fresh seasonal flowers at your wedding.
Now if you’re thinking this option may not be for you and buying online also doesn’t feel quite right, I have one final option I would love to share with you in the coming week - stay tuned!
Keep Blooming,
Amanda Jean
My own floral creation - designed for a baby shower
