Everything You Need to Know About DIY Wedding Bouquets
DIYing my wedding flowers was hands-down one of the best decisions I made throughout the entire planning process. It saved us money, gave me complete creative control, and ended up being one of the most fun, memorable parts of my wedding weekend.
I actually took a two-part approach: I used artificial flowers to design our wedding arch and centerpieces months ahead of time, and sourced fresh flowers for the bridal and bridesmaid bouquets (and a few extra arrangements) just days before the wedding. It took me months to research everything from floral arrangement styles to bulk flower sourcing—and now I’m here to pass along what I learned.
If you’re considering skipping the florist and making your own wedding bouquets, here’s exactly what you need to know.
Why I Chose to DIY My Wedding Flowers
There are a few reasons I decided to go the DIY route. For the full backstory, check out Why I DIYed My Wedding Bouquets (And How You Can Too!). But in short:
- Budget: I wanted beautiful, full arrangements—without spending thousands.
- Creative Control: I had a specific vision and wanted the freedom to make design choices myself.
- Flexibility: Doing part faux, part fresh gave me time to prep in advance, while still having fresh florals for photos.
P.S. Curious how I made our floral wedding arch? Check out How To Make Your Own Wedding Floral Arch.
What Bouquets I Made
Our wedding party included six bridesmaids—though one was my brother, so I made five bridesmaid bouquets and one bridal bouquet. I skipped corsages and boutonnieres to keep things simple and streamlined.
Since I knew I’d have leftover flowers, I grabbed a pack of bud vases from Amazon and used the extras to create mini cocktail table arrangements. It was an easy way to add polish to the space without a ton of extra work.
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Where to Buy DIY Wedding Flowers
Sourcing flowers was honestly the hardest part to figure out. I wanted high-quality stems in the exact colors and flower types I envisioned—but I also needed a reliable delivery schedule.
Here’s what I learned:
- Trader Joe’s: Great for affordable extras like greenery or last-minute filler. You can’t pre-order, though—so you’ll need to be flexible.
- Costco/Sam’s Club: Popular options, but limited flower variety and color choices depending on season.
- Local grocery stores (like Kroger or Harris Teeter): Can work in a pinch, especially for filler flowers.
Ultimately, I ordered the bulk of my flowers from Flower Moxie, a company that specializes in DIY wedding flowers. I chose one of their DIY packages and added a few extra bunches to customize it to my color palette.
Tip: Order your flowers to arrive 2–3 days before your wedding and follow the prep instructions closely. Most of mine came straight from Ecuador!
Other DIY-friendly flower sources include:
How to Prep and Assemble Your Bouquets
Once the flowers arrive, the clock starts ticking—but don’t panic! Here’s the process I followed:
1. Prep Buckets in Advance
Make sure you have enough large buckets (you’ll need more than you think). Clean them well and fill them with water. I found that a mix of 1.5-gallon and 2.5-gallon buckets was helpful for shorter and longer stems, respectively. For more delicate flowers, like ranunculus, I used even smaller vases.
2. Unpack & Rehydrate
Cut the flower stems at an angle (I used these flower shears!) and immediately place them in water. Keep them in their plastic sleeves for several hours to allow them to perk up after shipping.
3. Strip & Clean Stems
Once rehydrated, remove all packaging and rubber bands. Strip off lower leaves and guard petals. I did this prep the night before bouquet assembly.
Note: some types of flowers require extra care. I used ranunculus, which are known to be particularly delicate. The Flower Moxie website was great in preparing me that 22-gauge straight floral wire would most likely be needed to support the stems.
4. Organize by Type
Separate flowers by type and color into different buckets—this makes it so much easier to build balanced bouquets.
5. Build Your Bouquets
The next day, with everything clean and sorted, it was time to assemble! I created the bouquets with help from my mom, mother-in-law, and aunt—honestly, one of my favorite memories from the wedding weekend.
I loosely followed the spiral method (Google it if you’re not familiar!), starting with greenery and layering in focal flowers and filler blooms. Finally, I used zip ties to secure the stems, then covered them in satin ribbon for a more finished look.
Final Thoughts: What I’d Do Differently
Overall, if I could go back, I’d worry less about “messing up” and trust my instincts more. The bouquets turned out beautiful, and the process was surprisingly fun and low-stress once everything was prepped.
Here’s what I recommend:
- Give yourself more time than you think you’ll need.
- Ask for help—turn it into a bonding activity.
- Order extras in case of damage or breakage.
- Focus on colors and textures you love, not what’s “trending.”
And most importantly—enjoy it! Your flowers don’t need to be perfect to be beautiful.
Photos by Shot by Shante Photography | shotbyshante.com
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