Your DIY wedding flower guide
Everything a first-time bride needs to plan, order, condition, and arrange professional-quality wedding flowers at wholesale prices.
Step 1
Plan your wedding flowers
Before you browse a single stem, answer these six questions first. Brides who do this step first order with confidence.
| 1 | What is my wedding date?Determines what’s in season and when to order. Enter it at checkout so we can back-calculate your delivery date. |
| 2 | What is my color palette?Choose 2–4 colors. Use our color search to find flowers in each shade. |
| 3 | What is my style?Garden-romantic, architectural, or wildflower? Style determines which flower families to lean on. |
| 4 | What arrangements do I need?Bridal bouquet, bridesmaids, boutonnieres, corsages, arch, centerpieces, cake flowers. |
| 5 | What is my budget?Wholesale flowers cost 60–80% less than retail florist pricing for the same stems. |
| 6 | Do I have help?Recruit 1–2 friends for flower processing day — it becomes a lovely pre-wedding tradition. |
A note about our flowers
Every order goes through a professional buyer who personally reviews color accuracy and quality before it ships — something no automated shipper offers.
Flowers sold by the bunch (5, 10, 20, or 25 stems). Need fewer? Our retail partner Broadway Floral can supplement at pickup.
Stem lengths: 40cm ≈ 13” • 50cm ≈ 17” • 60cm ≈ 21” • 70cm ≈ 25”
Step 2
Choose your flowers
Mix focal flowers (the stars), supporting flowers (texture), and greenery (backbone). Plan at least 20–30% greenery by stem count.
Focal flowers
Roses
Year-round, every color. Garden/David Austin for a fuller romantic shape. Spray roses for multiple blooms per stem. Need 3–5 days to open from bud.
Peonies
Lush, fragrant. Peak May–July. Need 4–5 days to open. Book early.
Ranunculus
Layered petals. Best spring and fall. Need 3–5 days.
Lisianthus
The “poor man’s peony” — ruffled, year-round, great value. Multiple blooms per stem.
Hydrangea
Enormous volume per stem. Perfect for centerpieces and arches. Special conditioning needed (Step 6).
Fillers
Baby’s breath (airy, year-round) • Waxflower (fragrant, delicate) • Snapdragons (vertical height and fragrance)
Greenery
Eucalyptus (silver dollar, seeded, spiral) • Salal • Italian ruscus • Israeli ruscus • Dusty miller • Browse all greens & foliage →
Step 3
Seasonal flower guide
| Flower | Season | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Peonies | Spring (May–Jul) | Most-requested. Book early. |
| Ranunculus | Spring / Fall | Best Mar–May and Sept–Nov. |
| Anemones | Fall–Spring (Oct–Apr) | Not reliable in summer. |
| Sweet peas / Tulips | Spring | Sweet peas: Feb–May. Tulips: Oct–May. |
| Dahlias | Fall (Aug–Oct) | Spectacular for fall weddings. |
| Sunflowers | Summer (Jun–Sep) | Perfect for outdoor summer weddings. |
| Garden / David Austin roses | Best Apr–Oct | Available year-round. Peak perfume in spring. |
| Hydrangea / Standard roses / Lisianthus | Year-round | Roses spike in price around Feb 14 and Mother’s Day. |
| Baby’s breath & eucalyptus | Year-round | Always available. Very reliable. |
Call (503) 445-2967 or contact us to confirm for your specific date. More guides: Monthly availability • Year-round focals • Year-round fillers • Year-round greens
Step 4
How many stems do I need?
Bridal bouquet
24–36 stems
12 focal + 8 supporting + 6–8 greenery. Cascading: 40–55.
Bridesmaid bouquet
10–20 stems each
4 bridesmaids = 60–80 total stems.
Boutonniere
1–3 stems each
5 boutonnieres = 8–12 stems total.
Low centerpiece
25–40 stems per table
10 tables = 300–400 total stems.
Ceremony arch
80–200+ stems
Corners only: 80–100. Fully covered: 200+.
Aisle arrangements
8–15 stems each
12 markers = 100–180 total stems.
Sample 100-guest wedding: ~582–766 stems total (add 10%)
| Item | Qty | Stems |
|---|---|---|
| Bridal bouquet | 1 | 30–40 |
| Bridesmaid bouquets | 4 | 60–80 |
| Boutonnieres | 6 | 12–18 |
| Corsages | 4 | 12–16 |
| Centerpieces (low) | 10 | 300–400 |
| Ceremony arch | 1 | 80–100 |
| Aisle arrangements | 8 | 80–100 |
Step 5
How to order
Don’t leave it too late — flowers need to be ordered in advance so we can schedule your harvest and delivery correctly.
6–8 wks | 6–8 weeks beforePlace your order Ideal for spring weddings, peonies, or large orders. Enter your wedding date at checkout. |
2–3 wks | 2–3 weeks — minimum recommendedStandard order window For popular summer and fall weekends, earlier is always better. |
72 hrs | Under 72 hours — rush fee appliesShort-notice orders Often possible next-day. 10% rush fee applies. |
Pickup: Broadway Floral
1638 NE Broadway, Portland OR
Mon–Fri 10am–4pm | Sat 10am–3pm
Bring 5-gallon buckets.
Step 6
Flower care & conditioning
Standard conditioning steps
| 1 | Prepare clean containers Wash buckets with dish soap and a drop of bleach. Use 5-gallon buckets for bulk stems. |
| 2 | Remove all packaging Strip off cellophane, cardboard, twist ties, and rubber bands. |
| 3 | Strip foliage below the waterline Remove all leaves below the water level. A rose stripper speeds this up for large orders. |
| 4 | Recut stems at an angle Cut ½–1 inch off at 45° with a sharp floral knife. Re-cut every time you transfer stems. |
| 5 | Place in water immediately Into water within 30 seconds. Lukewarm for tight buds, cold for already-open flowers. |
| 6 | Add floral preservative Floralife Flower Food (feeds and balances pH) • HydraQuik (dip for hydrangeas) • Crowning Glory (spray on finished arrangements). All in our supplies section. |
| 7 | Store in a cool place, check daily 55–65°F, away from sunlight, heat vents, and fruit. Refresh water daily. Re-cut if water becomes cloudy. |
Special care by flower type
| Flower | Instructions |
|---|---|
| Hydrangea | Dip cut stems in HydraQuik for 2–3 sec, then water. Mist heads regularly. Dip bouquet stems again before ceremony. |
| Peonies & roses | Arrive in bud, need 3–5 days to open. Pickup 4–5 days before. Lukewarm water speeds opening. Never refrigerate. |
| Lilies | Pollen stains fabric permanently. Remove orange anthers with a dry tissue as soon as accessible — never use water. |
| Gardenias & stephanotis | Exception: refrigerate in original packaging until needed. Handle petals as little as possible. |
| Ranunculus | Allow 4–5 days. Warm water. Hollow stems — handle gently. |
| Tulips | Keep growing after cutting — beautiful in loose designs. Wrap in paper 24 hrs for straighter stems. Cool water. |
| Rose petals | Sealed bag in fridge. Bring to room temp 1 hour before the ceremony. |
Step 7
Arranging tips for beginners
Four principles
For vase arrangements: floral foam (soak in Floralife water), flower frog, or chicken wire. For bouquets: firm hand and rubber band.
Build your base with greenery before adding a single flower. Once greenery is in, adding flowers is easy.
Place focal flowers in groups of 3, 5, or 7 — never 2 or 4.
Cut stems to different lengths. Tallest focal ≈ 1.5× vessel height. Fillers fill the gaps.
Bouquet technique
- Hold a stem of greenery loosely in your non-dominant hand.
- Add stems one at a time, rotating the bunch slightly to create a natural spiral.
- Add focal flowers spaced evenly through the bunch.
- Fill gaps with supporting flowers and airy fillers.
- Secure with a rubber band near the bottom.
- Trim all stems to the same length at an angle.
- Place back in water. Spray with Crowning Glory if outdoors.
Supplies: Floral knife • Floral tape • Floral wire (gauge 22) • Floral foam • Crowning Glory • Stem wrap or ribbon. All in our supplies section.
Step 8
Wedding week timeline
Most brides pick up on Thursday for a Saturday wedding — that’s enough time for the majority of flowers. The exception is slow-opening varieties like garden roses, lilies, and gladiolus, which need more lead time, especially in winter. See the Flower Opening Times guide to check your specific flowers.
Thursday pickup (most brides): Your order is standard roses, lisianthus, hydrangea, fillers, and greens.
Tuesday–Wednesday pickup: Your order includes garden roses, peonies, oriental/LA lilies, gladiolus, ranunculus, or a winter wedding with any slower flower.
| Day | Standard flowers (most brides — Thursday pickup) | Slow-opening flowers garden roses, lilies, glads, peonies |
|---|---|---|
| Monday–Tuesday | Not needed | Pickup day for slow flowers. Unpack, strip lower foliage, recut stems, place immediately in cool water with Floralife. Sort by variety into separate buckets. Store in a cool room (55–65°F). In winter, move slow flowers to a slightly warmer spot to encourage opening. |
| Wednesday | Not needed | Monitor daily. Check opening progress. Remove guard petals on roses as they loosen. If still very tight, move to a warmer room. If opening ahead of schedule in summer heat, move somewhere cooler. |
| Thursday | Pickup day for most brides. Broadway Floral, Mon–Fri 10am–4pm, Sat 10am–3pm. Bring clean 5-gallon buckets. Unpack, strip, recut, Floralife water. Cool room. Your most important day — get this right and everything else follows. | Flowers should be showing good progress. Refresh water, re-cut stems if cloudy. Remove any damaged outer petals. Assess if anything still needs warmth to catch up. |
| Friday | Arrangement day. Make centerpieces first, then ceremony flowers, then boutonnieres and corsages. Bridal and bridesmaid bouquets last. Spray outdoor arrangements with Crowning Glory. Keep all finished arrangements in water or in containers with a damp base. | Arrangement day. Flowers should be at or near peak. Same order: centerpieces → ceremony → boutonnieres → bouquets. If anything still slightly tight, that’s fine — they’ll continue opening overnight. |
| Saturday Wedding day | Set up ceremony and reception flowers 3–4 hours before guests arrive. Mist all arrangements with Crowning Glory or a light water spray. Give boutonnieres and corsages out at least 2 hours before the ceremony. Keep the bridal bouquet in water until 30 minutes before it’s needed. | |
Ready to start shopping?
Browse over 200 varieties, or call us — a real florist picks up.
Shop flowers by the bunch Browse DIY bundles Ask the experts(503) 445-2967 • 1638 NE Broadway, Portland OR • Mon–Fri 10am–4pm, Sat 10am–3pm