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Flowers by the Bunch

Greens

Centimeter/Inch Conversion

Flower lengths are shown in centimeters. Here is a conversion chart for the most common lengths.

Centimeters	Inches
40cm	12/13
50cm	16/18
60cm	20/22
70cm	24/26

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So you're doing it yourself

Portland Wholesale Florist — Complete how-to reference

DIY Wedding
Flower Guide

You’ve chosen your flowers. Now let’s make sure they look exactly the way you imagined. Everything you need to know about quantities, care, conditioning, arranging, and timing — written by our buyers with over 100 years of Portland flower experience.

How many stems? How to order Care & conditioning Arranging tips Wedding week timeline

Quantities How to order Care & conditioning Arranging Wedding week

Step 1

How many stems do I need?

This is the question we hear most. The answer depends on your flowers, arrangement sizes, and style. These are solid starting-point estimates — always add 10% extra as a buffer. If in doubt, ask our experts. Want quantities pre-calculated? See our kits

The 10% rule: Always add 10% more of each variety to your order. Stems break, some flowers don’t open on time, and you’ll want extras to fill any gaps. It is far better to have a few leftover stems than to run short on your wedding morning.

Stem counts by arrangement type

Bridal bouquet

Round, medium: 24–36 stems total

Example: 12 focal stems + 8 supporting + 6–8 greenery. A cascading bouquet needs 40–55 stems. A petite nosegay: 15–20.

Bridesmaid bouquet

Single-variety: 10–15 stems. Mixed: 15–20 stems

Smaller and simpler than the bridal bouquet. For 4 bridesmaids, plan 60–80 total stems.

Boutonniere

1–3 stems each

1 focal stem + 1–2 greenery sprigs. For 5 boutonnieres, plan 8–12 stems plus greenery.

Corsage

2–5 stems each

2–3 small focal blooms plus filler. For 4 corsages, plan 12–18 stems.

Low centerpiece

25–40 stems per table

Hydrangea-based designs use fewer focal stems (8–10 heads + 15–20 supporting). For 10 tables: 300–400 stems.

Tall centerpiece

35–55 stems per table

Include 3–5 tall greenery stems for height plus 30–50 mixed florals and fillers.

Ceremony arch / arbor

80–200+ stems

Light corner decoration: 80–100 stems. Fully covered arch: 200+. Hydrangea and spray roses are most efficient by volume.

Aisle arrangements

8–15 stems each

For 12 aisle markers (6 per side), plan 100–180 total stems.

Flower girl basket

30–60 loose petals or 3–5 small stems

Rose petals (available by the bag) are most popular. See our ceremony petals section.

Cake flowers

5–15 stems

Use pesticide-free flowers. Ensure stems don’t contact cake surfaces directly. Spray roses work beautifully.

Sample order: 100-guest wedding

Item	Qty	Est. stems	Notes
Bridal bouquet	1	30–40	Mix of focal, supporting, and greenery
Bridesmaid bouquets	4	60–80	15–20 stems each
Boutonnieres	6	12–18	Groom + groomsmen + fathers
Corsages	4	12–16	Mothers + grandmothers
Centerpieces (low)	10	300–400	30–40 stems per table
Ceremony arch (light)	1	80–100	Florals at corners and center
Aisle arrangements	8	80–100	10–12 stems each
Flower girl petals	1 bag	—	One bag of rose petals
Cake flowers	—	8–12	Small spray roses or similar
Total before 10% buffer		582–766 stems	Add 10% ≈ 640–840 total

This is an estimate. Your actual count depends on stem size, arrangement density, and your chosen varieties. Call us to talk through your specific needs.

Want us to do the math for you? Our Wedding Flower Kits are built around common DIY projects with quantities pre-calculated. A great starting point if you’re not sure where to begin. Browse Wedding Flower Kits

Step 2

How to order

Ordering from Portland Wholesale Florist is straightforward once you know the timing rules. The most important thing: don’t leave it too late. Flowers need to be ordered in advance so we can schedule your harvest and delivery correctly.

Ordering timeline

6–8
wks

6–8 weeks before — ideal
Place your order

Ideal lead time, especially for spring weddings, peak-season flowers (peonies, garden roses), or large orders. Enter your wedding date at checkout — we’ll schedule delivery for 3–5 days before.
2–3
wks

2–3 weeks before — standard minimum
Standard order window

Most orders are placed 2–3 weeks in advance. This gives us time to schedule harvest, shipping, and ensure your flowers arrive at their best. For popular summer and fall weekends, earlier is always better.
72
hrs

Less than 72 hours — rush fee applies
Short-notice orders

We can often accommodate short-notice orders if you’re flexible on variety. A 10% rush fee applies. Some flowers may not be at their prime due to reduced conditioning time.

Order process step by step

Browse flowers by variety or use the color filter to find flowers in your palette. Shop by color
Check each product page for seasonal availability, grade, and stems per bunch.
Add flowers, greens, and supplies to your cart.
At checkout, enter your wedding date. We use this to schedule your harvest and delivery timing.
Choose pickup at our Broadway location or local delivery.
Complete checkout. We’ll contact you directly if we have any questions about availability or substitutions.

Pickup details

Portland Wholesale Florist
1638 NE Broadway, Portland OR

Mon–Fri: 10am–4pm
Saturday: 10am–3pm

Bring clean 5-gallon buckets — flowers will be in water and need to travel standing up.

Fees to know

Low-order fee: $8.00 for orders under $50.00

Rush fee: 10% for orders with less than 72 hours notice

Local delivery: Available in the Portland area. See delivery details.

Pickup timing: Most summer weddings pick up Thursday for a Saturday event. Winter weddings may pick up Wednesday. Slow-opening varieties like peonies and ranunculus may need Tuesday pickup. Full timeline

Step 3

Flower care & conditioning

Here’s something most people don’t realize: by the time your flowers reach you, we’ve already done the hardest part. Before your order goes into our cooler, our team cuts the stems and places them in Floralife HydraFlor 100 hydrating solution to ensure they’re fully hydrated. Your flowers arrive ready to open — your job is simply to keep them happy until the wedding. Full Flower Care Guide

Buying by the bucket? Your flowers travel in water from our shop to your destination — they’re already hydrated and conditioned. Follow the simple steps below. Buying a dry box? Contact us before pickup for specific handling instructions — dry box flowers require additional hydration steps before conditioning. (503) 445-2967

Do not put wholesale flowers in a standard household refrigerator. The temperature is too cold and ethylene gas from fruit and vegetables damages blooms. A cool basement, unheated garage, or cool room (55–65°F) is ideal.

When you get home — four simple steps

Prepare clean buckets

Wash buckets with dish soap and a drop of bleach, then rinse well. Bacteria in dirty buckets is the #1 reason flowers don’t last. If you purchased buckets from us, they’re ready to use — just rinse before refilling with fresh water.
Fill with warm water & add Floralife flower food

Fill buckets with warm water and add Floralife flower food per the packet directions. Warm water helps tight buds open; flower food feeds the blooms and keeps the water clean. Available in our supplies section. Shop supplies
Unwrap & place in water

Remove all packaging — cellophane, cardboard, rubber bands. Strip any foliage that would sit below the waterline (submerged leaves rot and foul the water). Place flowers in the prepared buckets. Sort by variety if possible — this makes arrangement day much easier.
Store in a cool room & let them open

Keep flowers at 55–65°F, away from direct sunlight, heat vents, and fruit. Check water daily and top up as needed. Your flowers will open naturally over the next 1–3 days depending on variety. Flower opening times by variety →

Special care for specific flowers

Hydrangea — needs extra attention

Hydrangeas are prone to wilting if they dry out at any point. Keep them in water at all times and mist the flower heads regularly with a spray bottle. If wilting occurs, re-cut the stem at a sharp angle and place immediately in fresh warm water — they often recover within a few hours. Keep away from heat and drafts.
Peonies, roses & garden roses — timing is everything

These arrive in bud stage and need 3–5 days to fully open. Use warm water and good air circulation. Warmth speeds opening; cool rooms slow it. Never refrigerate. If buds are very tight two days before the wedding, move to a warmer room and use warm water to encourage opening. Flower opening times →
Ranunculus — slower to open than expected

Ranunculus can take 4–5 days to fully open from tight bud — plan your pickup accordingly. Warm water helps. Handle gently; stems are delicate. Worth the patience: fully open ranunculus are spectacular.
Lilies — remove pollen to protect fabric

All lily types need 3–7 days to open. Use warm water and overhead light. Important: lily pollen stains fabric permanently. Remove the orange anthers with a dry tissue as soon as they become accessible — do not use water or you’ll spread the stain.
Stephanotis — refrigerate until use & needs wired stems

Keep in their original packaging in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use them. Never touch the petals directly — they brown on contact. Stephanotis require special wired stems (available in our supplies section) for use in boutonnieres and bouquets. Spray with Crowning Glory before and after arranging. Shop stephanotis stems
Tropical flowers & orchids — keep warm

Tropical flowers hate cold — keep in a warm room away from air conditioning. Place in fresh warm water with flower food. Do not refrigerate. They are already hydrated when you pick them up; just keep them warm and in water until arrangement day.
Tulips — they keep growing after cutting

Tulips continue to grow and move toward light after cutting — sometimes an inch or more per day. This is beautiful in loose, garden-style arrangements. To encourage straighter stems, wrap loosely in paper for the first 24 hours. Use cool water for tulips — they prefer it cooler than most flowers.

Not sure if a flower is ready? Call us at (503) 445-2967. We’re happy to walk you through it — that’s what we’re here for. Full Flower Care Guide

Step 4

Arranging tips for beginners

You don’t need to be a trained florist to create beautiful wedding arrangements. These are the principles professionals use — and they’re learnable in an afternoon of practice. Easy vs. difficult flowers

Four principles of a beautiful arrangement

1. Start with your mechanics

For vase arrangements, use floral foam (soak in water with Floralife until fully saturated — never force-submerge it), a flower frog, or chicken wire crumpled inside the vase. For bouquets, no mechanics needed — just a firm hand and a rubber band or stem wrap.

2. Greenery goes in first

Build your base with greenery before adding a single flower. Greenery creates the shape, volume, and frame. Ruscus and salal provide structure; eucalyptus provides movement and softness. Once your greenery is in, adding flowers becomes easy. Shop greens

3. Odd numbers look more natural

Place focal flowers in groups of 3, 5, or 7 — never 2 or 4. Two roses facing each other looks stiff; three roses in a loose triangle looks organic.

4. Vary your heights

Cut stems to different lengths before placing. Your tallest focal flower should be approximately 1.5× the height of the vase; supporting flowers slightly shorter; fillers go wherever there are gaps.

Hand-tied bouquet technique

Hold a stem of greenery loosely in your non-dominant hand.
Add stems one at a time, rotating slightly with each addition. This creates a natural spiral.
Keep all stems at roughly the same angle — don’t let them splay.
Add focal flowers (roses, peonies) evenly through the bunch.
Fill gaps with supporting flowers and airy fillers.
Secure with a rubber band near the bottom of the stems.
Trim all stems to the same length at an angle.
Place back in water until needed. Spray with Crowning Glory if outdoors.

Practice bouquet: Make a small practice bouquet 2–3 weeks before using inexpensive flowers. This single rehearsal will make the real thing dramatically less stressful.

Supplies you’ll want on hand

Floral knife or sharp scissors

Essential. Dull scissors crush stems and reduce water uptake. A sharp floral knife or bypass pruners are worth the investment.

Floral tape

Self-sealing tape for wrapping bouquet stems and securing mechanics. Stretches and sticks to itself when pulled. Available in green and white.

Floral wire

For wiring boutonnieres, corsages, and individual flower heads. Gauge 22 is the most versatile for wedding work.

Floral foam

For foam-based arrangements. Soak thoroughly in water with Floralife before use. Never dry-insert — it won’t re-absorb water.

Crowning Glory spray

Mist on finished arrangements to slow browning and protect petals. Essential for outdoor ceremonies and bouquets carried for hours.

Stem wrap / ribbon

For finishing bouquet handles. Satin ribbon, twine, or burlap — whatever fits your aesthetic. Secure with a pearl-head pin.

All supplies are available in our floral supplies section. Shop supplies

Step 5

Wedding week timeline

Print this out and put it on the refrigerator. This assumes a Saturday wedding — if your date is different, shift the days accordingly. All floral work happens Friday. Saturday morning is for everything else.

Thu
or Wed*

Thursday (summer) or Wednesday (winter) — Pickup day
Flowers arrive — your most important day

Collect your order Mon–Fri 10am–4pm, Sat 10am–3pm. Bring clean 5-gallon buckets. As soon as you get home: unpack everything, remove all packaging, strip lower foliage, re-cut stems at a 45° angle, and get them into water with Floralife immediately. Sort by variety into separate buckets. Store in a cool room (55–65°F) away from sunlight, heat vents, and fruit. Full conditioning guide Details
Thu
eve

Thursday evening — Quick check
10 minutes is all it takes

Check water levels and top up if needed. Remove any damaged outer petals. Check that slow-opening varieties — lilies, ranunculus, garden roses, peonies — are showing signs of progress. If still very tight, move to a slightly warmer spot. If anything is opening faster than expected, move to a cooler room to slow it down.
Fri
morn

Friday morning — Assess
Re-cut & refresh

Re-cut stems and refresh water in all buckets. Most flowers should be well on their way to opening. If anything looks off, call us now — (503) 445-2967, Mon–Fri 10am–4pm. Better to troubleshoot in the morning than scramble in the afternoon.
Fri
day

Friday — Your big work day
Make everything

Call in your team. Work in this order: centerpieces first, then ceremony flowers, then boutonnieres and corsages, then bridesmaid bouquets, then the bridal bouquet last. Keep all finished pieces in water or on wet foam. The bridal bouquet goes straight back into water after you finish — it will hold beautifully overnight. Spray all finished arrangements with Crowning Glory before storing.
Fri
eve

Friday evening — Wrap up
Final check & prep for transport

Mist all arrangements lightly. Pack centerpieces carefully in boxes. Stand bouquets in buckets of water overnight. Set out boutonnieres and corsages in a cool spot. You’re done with flowers for tonight — go enjoy your rehearsal dinner.
Sat
morn

Saturday morning — Wedding day
Transport, set up & celebrate

Re-cut the bridal bouquet stems and give it a final mist. Transport in a cool car — bouquets standing in buckets, arrangements packed flat and secured. Set up ceremony and reception flowers 3–4 hours before guests arrive. Hand out boutonnieres and corsages at least 2 hours before the ceremony. Keep the bridal bouquet in water until 20–30 minutes before it’s needed. Then put the flowers down and enjoy your wedding.

* Winter weddings pick up Wednesday to allow an extra day for slower-opening varieties. All other steps shift one day earlier accordingly.

Add two hours to Friday: Something always takes longer than expected. Build in extra time so that if something needs adjusting, you’re not scrambling. If everything goes smoothly you’ll have time to relax before the rehearsal dinner.

Ready to start shopping?

Browse over 200 varieties, or call us — a real florist picks up.

Shop flowers by the bunch Browse Wedding Flower Kits Ask the experts

(503) 445-2967 • 1638 NE Broadway, Portland OR • Mon–Fri 10am–4pm, Sat 10am–3pm

Portland Wholesale Florist 1638 NE Broadway Portland, OR 97232 503.445.2967