While hiring a great florist can be worth the expense, engaged couples on a budget do have other options for wedding flowers.
My couple J+A created all the DIY floral arrangements for their backyard glam garden love celebration with fresh flowers from Whole Foods Market (and a little help from their friends!). And they are not alone: the internet abounds with Reddit threads and how-to articles about doing your own flowers.
How to Steal this DIY Whole Foods Wedding Floral Hack:
Start washing, saving, and collecting pretty bottles.
(Many of the arrangements shown above were made using old liquor bottles).
Alternatively, hit thrift stores for vases and containers (I recommend your local Savers!).
HINT: Start this process early, visit many different stores, and keep checking back. Thrifting repeatedly over time will allow you to curate a more cohesive collection of containers, instead of just grabbing whatever you can find a week before your wedding!
For freshest flowers, wait until the day before your wedding to visit Whole Foods (or send a friend) to purchase your flowers.
Without getting deeply into the principles of floral design, you basically want a good mix of large "statement flowers" (like the pink peony heads above), as well as smaller "filler" flowers (like the Baby's Breath). Grab some tall lean elements for height, even combine your WF flowers with native flower cuttings or small branches from your backyard.
Caution: Do NOT try to arrange your own flowers yourself on the morning of your wedding!
As I tell all my couples, especially those with DIY elements to their day: DELEGATE, DELEGATE, DELEGATE. You and your partner do NOT want to be frantically assembling flowers on the day of your event. J+A's flowers were so successful because they delegated the entire project to their close friends who were more than excited to help! A big crew of several friends assembled floral arrangements in the backyard, while J+A had a leisurely morning coffee inside the house. (Yet another benefit of backyard weddings: you're on your home turf!)
J+A's "sweetheart table" was a lovely and simple focal point, featuring vintage cast iron outdoor furniture (already in A's mom's yard), vintage white lace tablecloths, vintage green glassware and cloth napkins from Savers thrift, and Whole Foods florals in a found Ball canning jar.
Does this sound like too much work?
For best results: HIRE A PRO.
(A talented floral artist is always WORTH the investment!)
