In recent years, more and more brides are looking for creative, budget-friendly ways to include beautiful floral elements in their weddings. Traditional wedding flowers can be expensive, and many couples don’t want to compromise on the arrangements that will set the tone for their special day. That’s where DIY wedding flowers come in. By sourcing blooms from a flower farm like ours—where we grow tens of thousands of stems—you can achieve your dream floral vision without breaking the bank.
Why Choose DIY Wedding Flowers?
DIY wedding flowers allow you to customize your arrangements, add personal touches, and let your personality shine through. Not only can this approach help you save money, but it also empowers you to be hands-on in creating the aesthetic that you’ve always imagined. With our expert guidance and flower availability, you’ll have all the resources you need to design breathtaking bouquets, centerpieces, and ceremony pieces—all on your own terms.
Planning Your DIY Wedding Flowers: A Step-by-Step Guide
1. Determine Which Pieces to Include
When starting your DIY wedding flower plan, it’s best to focus on the most common floral pieces first. Personal flowers—like the bridal bouquet, bridesmaids’ bouquets, boutonnieres, and corsages—are a great place to begin. Keep it simple! Your bridal bouquet doesn’t have to be extravagant; even a hand-tied posy of carefully chosen blooms can look stunning next to your wedding dress.
For the reception, consider DIY wedding flower centerpieces. These can be as minimalistic as a few stems in a bud vase or as elaborate as a lush compote arrangement. If you’re feeling adventurous, try adding floral elements to the ceremony space, such as a floral arch piece, pedestal arrangements, or aisle markers.
Not feeling entirely confident? Feel free to check out our seasonal a la carte menu to find just the right elements for your big day. You can mix and match what you DIY and what we create for you!
2. Choosing the Right Flowers for Your DIY Wedding Arrangements
Designers typically categorize flowers into three main groups, which work together to create a balanced arrangement:
- Focal Flowers: These “showstopper” blooms draw the eye due to their larger size or distinctive shape. You’ll need fewer focal flowers, but they’ll be the centerpiece of your design.
- Filler Flowers: Don’t underestimate the power of filler flowers! They bring texture, shape, and volume to your arrangements without overshadowing your focal blooms. Filler flowers can be line flowers (spike-shaped), spray flowers (stems with multiple smaller blooms), textural elements, or “floaty flowers” that add movement.
- Foliage/Greenery: Greenery provides the foundation and structure of your arrangements, ensuring they feel lush, natural, and balanced. It also helps your focal and filler flowers stand out, making your DIY wedding flowers look professional and polished.
Pro Tip: When designing your DIY wedding flowers, work in odd numbers to achieve a balanced look—7 focal flowers, 5 stems of filler flowers, etc. This may sound counterintuitive, but it helps create a visually pleasing arrangement.
DIY Wedding Flower Recipes and Stem Counts
Use the guidelines below to estimate how many stems you’ll need. Adjust according to how many pieces you’re creating and always add a bit extra as a cushion.
Bridal Bouquet
- 7-10 stems of focal flowers
- 15-20 stems of filler flowers
- 5-10 stems of greenery
Bridesmaid Bouquet (per bouquet)
- 3-5 stems of focal flowers
- 7-9 stems of filler flowers
- 3-5 stems of greenery
Boutonnieres & Corsages
No need to purchase specific flowers for these; simply use leftover buds from your focal and filler flowers plus a bit of greenery. Save any broken or short stems from other arrangements for these smaller pieces!
Large Centerpieces (5-6” vase opening)
- 5-7 stems of filler/volume flowers
- 3-5 stems of accent flowers (optional and as budget allows)
- A few texture flowers as desired (about a quarter of the total stems)
- ⅓-¼ bunch of greenery per centerpiece
Bud Vases
- 1-3 stems of flowers
- 1-2 stems of foliage
Tip: Each bud vase looks best when uniquely arranged, so don’t be afraid to mix it up!
Large Ceremony Pieces or Foam Cages (for ceremony arches)
- 10-15 stems of focal flowers
- 10-12 filler flowers
- 15-20 stems of greenery
Note: You may not need accent flowers here; bigger statements often come from focal blooms and lush greenery alone.
Your Day, Your Way
The beauty of DIY wedding flowers is that you have the freedom to create something truly personal and meaningful. Whether you’re keeping it simple with just a bridal bouquet and a few bud vases, or you’re going all out with arch installations and large centerpieces, remember that this is your day. Embrace the process, have fun, and infuse every arrangement with your unique style. With a bit of guidance and plenty of gorgeous blooms from our farm, you can transform your wedding into a floral experience that you and your guests will cherish forever.
