Part II:Buying Wedding Flowers Buy local/wholesale
Learn where to buy your wedding flowers. The perfect option for newly engaged couples looking to DIY their wedding flowers.
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
Flowers, A love story
I started playing with floral design in 2018, but when I think about it the seed was planted more in 2011 at the Seattle Pike Place Market. Learn about a little bit about my journey with flowers and how I plan to help make floral design more accessible to all engaged couples looking to design their own wedding.
It’s been incredibly warm here in Boise this weekend. We’re talking in the 60s, which is highly unusual for February.
I feel like seeing the sun has helped reignite all my creative juices. Anytime I go for a walk lately and I see bulb sprouting or colorful crocus, I can’t help but stop and stare. I must have a dozen photos on my phone from the last week of crocus (evidence below). I just can’t resist the allure of warmer weather…spring is coming!
One of my many photos from my recent walks
It’s this kind of weather that has prompted me to reflect back on my love for flowers and where it all began. If I go waaayyyy back, I think it was 2011.
My husband and I were living in Portland at the time and decided to take the train to Seattle to celebrate our 1st wedding anniversary. It was there at the Pike Place Market that I remember seeing the most vibrant flowers.
Dozens and dozens of flowers wrapped in paper lined the aisles of the market. Flowers in every color you can imagine, all different sizes and textures - it was invigorating. I remember being so drawn to them, I had to convince myself it was not reasonable to buy flowers to put in the hotel room for our 48 hour stay.
Seattle’s Pike Place Market -
circa 2011
While my initial infatuation might have been planted in 2011, my love for floral design didn’t begin to grow until the oddest of times - the dead of winter. It was December of 2018, about 10 months after my second kiddo was born. Reflecting back on it, I think I had reached my limit of not creating and flowers were an engaging way that allowed me to create (you know, in between my very glamorous life of potty training on kid, breast feeding another, sometimes simultaneously). I had almost zero energy to create anything that I didn’t absolutely have to - all my energy I put into surviving and trying to make each day as good as I possibly could (note - some days that meant microwave dinner and multiple naps) Ironically, by not creating, I think I grew even more exhausted. Someone once told me “the days are long but the years are short”, which is one of the most true things I’ve ever heard about parenting. In 2018, those were some loooooonnnnnnggggg days.
That time in my life when I had 2 kids under 2…they’re adorable yes and I love them of course, and also it was exhausting
Cue December of 2018.
My first creation was a mini arrangement with pine and a few fill-in flowers. I gave one to a friend, who put it on her window sill above her kitchen sink. It ended up being in the background of the photos to sell her house. This tiny little happening helped breathe life back into what had been a very exhausting period of time in my life (whoever says having 2 kids under 2 is fun, I just cannot relate).
Dec. 2018 - My mini arrangement made a special appearance in the real estate photos for my friend’s home sale
That same month my neighbor had invited me to her baby shower (there were A LOT of babies around me at this time in my life). I wasn’t able to attend her shower due to a scheduling conflict and I wanted to still participate somehow, so I gifted her with multiple flower arrangements to help decorate the shower.
Arrangements for my neighbor’s baby shower
In 2019, I really dove into floral design. I planted my first flower garden, created bouquets for 2 styled shoots for a local photographer, and then held my own styled shoot with multiple florals involved. I designed a few bouquets for local businesses and grand openings, as well as centerpieces for the annual Rotary Club fundraising event.
My first ever bridal bouquet - photography by Megan Ryska
My first bridal bouquet - photography by Megan Ryska
Floral arrangements I did for different community events and give aways
2019 also the year my younger sister got married. She graciously allowed me to design her wedding flowers.
Working on my sister’s wedding flowers - circa 2019
Bouquets I did for my little sister’s wedding (loved the raw edge navy blue ribbon)
This was also the year I officially launched Gathered Here Designs. A glorious year! Creating, designing, collaborating - I was so in love with it all.
The original logo I designed from GHD circa 2019
Then 2020 came...and I’m sure you might remember what an absolute blast that year turned out to be {said in the most cynical sarcastic tone imaginable). Weddings were canceled, my business went nowhere (see previous statement about the canceled weddings), my spouse’s new job rescinded their offer because of the pandemic, and everything came to a halt. So I put the business on pause and went to find a job that would allow me to have a positive impact in the lives of others.
In 2021, I started working full time again and the time and space for creating seemed to get farther and farther away.
In 2023, I just couldn’t take it anymore. I had to get back to weddings. At this point it had been 3 years since I touched Gathered Here Designs and even though so much time had passed, I couldn’t get it out of my head. I found myself designing weddings for people and characters that weren’t even happening. My favorite combo from this time period? Elle Woods marries Avril Lavigne - mood board below (you’re welcome).
My Elle Woods + Avril wedding mood board
So I started to create again - I HAD to create again.
In 2023, I reinstated my business license, designed a new website, and jumped back into the world of design that I love so much. I began to feel like myself again. The design started spilling over into all areas of my life. Designing feature walls, making art, redoing my bedroom. This is when I’m happiest, when I’m creating - it’s my life source.
My living room feature wall - just finished this weekend!
With the “relaunch” of Gathered Here Designs, I really wanted to focus on making design accessible to others. Design brings me so much joy and I want others to not be intimidated to give it a try.
I hear a lot of people say things like “Oh I could never do that…” or “I wouldn’t even know where to start…” when it comes to wedding or floral design. My hope is to channel all my design knowledge into a step by step guide to help couples know exactly what design decisions need to be made and how to make them. Through a multi-module online course, couples will be able to learn about key decisions such as choosing colors, and flowers, and how to pull it all together into one cohesive design.
If you’re wanting to design your own wedding and need some extra guidance, this course will be PERFECT for you and your partner. Get on the waitlist here!
Until the course is live, I’m still here to support with any wedding design help you may need. Check out this page for FREE resources.
Not finding what you’re looking for? Feel welcome to email me directly at gatheredheredesigns@gmail.com.
I am THRILLED to be back in the design space and it is an absolute joy to get to share all my design musings (yes, even the silly ones like my Elle Woods/Avril wedding moment) with all of you.
I dare you to create something this week. If you’re not there yet, maybe just go enjoy a spring-is-almost-here walk and perhaps even spot a crocus or two!
~Amanda Jean
