Timing
Timing your flower pickup correctly is the single most important thing you can do for DIY wedding flowers. The right pickup day depends on your wedding season — because summer and winter light affect how fast flowers open.
When to Pick Up: The Seasonal Rule
We schedule your harvest so flowers arrive at Broadway Floral on the right day. When you place your order, enter your wedding date and we back-calculate from there. Here’s the rule we use:
| Season | Pickup Day | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Summer (roughly May–Sep) | Thursday | Long, bright days accelerate opening. Thursday gives 2 full days of conditioning before Saturday — just right for most varieties. |
| Winter (roughly Oct–Apr) | Wednesday | Short, dark days slow opening significantly. The extra day ensures flowers are at their peak by Saturday. |
| Slow-opening varieties, any season | Tuesday or Wednesday | Ranunculus, peonies, garden roses, and lilies may need an extra day. We’ll flag this at order time if it applies to your flowers. |
We do this math for you. Enter your wedding date at checkout and we schedule your harvest accordingly. If your order includes varieties that need extra lead time, we’ll contact you to discuss timing before we confirm.
Your Wedding Week Day-by-Day
This is written for a Saturday wedding — the most common. Adjust one day forward for Sunday weddings.
| Day | Summer | Winter | What to Do |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pickup day | Thursday | Wednesday | Collect from Broadway Floral with clean 5-gallon buckets. Immediately: unpack, strip lower foliage, re-cut stems at a 45° angle, place in water with Floralife. Sort by variety. Store in a cool room (55–65°F). Not a refrigerator. |
| Day after pickup | Friday | Thursday | Check water levels. Remove guard petals on roses. Monitor opening — in summer, move ahead-of-schedule flowers to a cooler spot; in winter, move tight flowers to a warmer spot. |
| Two days after pickup | Saturday | Friday | Most flowers should be well along. Refresh water, re-cut stems. Adjust bloom timing as needed. Move gardenias and stephanotis from refrigerator to workspace — they need 24 hours to acclimate. |
| Arrangement day | Saturday — early AM | Saturday | Your big work day. Centerpieces first, then ceremony flowers, then boutonnieres and corsages. Leave the bridal bouquet until last. Keep all finished pieces in water or with a damp base. |
| Bouquet day | Friday — or Sat AM | Friday — or Sat AM | Make the bridal bouquet the night before or morning of. Keep in water until 30 minutes before needed. Re-cut stems and mist before the ceremony. |
| Wedding day | Saturday | Saturday | Set up ceremony and reception flowers 3–4 hours before guests arrive. Mist all arrangements. Deliver boutonnieres and corsages to the wedding party at least 2 hours before the ceremony. |
How Long Do Different Flowers Take to Open?
Opening time is highly seasonal. The times below assume summer conditions (longer/brighter days). Add 1–2 days for winter.
| Flower | Summer opening time | Winter opening time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roses (standard) | 2–3 days | 3–4 days | Very forgiving. Thursday pickup works reliably in summer. |
| Garden / David Austin roses | 3–4 days | 4–5 days | Slower than standard roses. May need Wednesday pickup in summer. |
| Peonies | 2–4 days | 4–6 days | Highly variable. We may advise Tuesday or Wednesday pickup in winter. |
| Ranunculus | 3–4 days | 4–6 days | Hollow stems, handle gently. Allow extra time in winter. |
| Lilies | 3–5 days | 5–7 days | Plan for Tuesday pickup in winter for full opening by Saturday. |
| Anemones | 1–2 days | 2–3 days | Open relatively quickly. Thursday pickup works in both seasons. |
| Lisianthus | 2–3 days | 3–4 days | Excellent vase life. Very flexible timing. |
| Hydrangea | 1–2 days | 2–3 days | Opens quickly but needs special conditioning. See conditioning guide. |
| Tulips | 1–2 days | 2–3 days | Continue growing after cutting. Thursday pickup is fine. |
| Eucalyptus / Greens | Ready immediately | Ready immediately | No opening time needed. Can pick up any day that week. |
Questions about timing for your specific order? Call us at (503) 445-2967 — we’ll advise you on exactly when to pick up based on your flower list and wedding date.