Using a florist vs. using an online wholesale flower company

thatherl

I keep going back and forth on which one I want to use.  I'm only interesting in white and blush peonies but the florist cost are outrageous! Even though my budget can cover it, I'm just not interested in spending $1000 on flowers.  If I order wholesale they cost will only be $600 for 200 white and blush peonies which is ideal.  However, I'm worried about the freshness of them.  Does anyone have experience on getting wholesale flowers?  Even if it's bad, I'd love to hear your thoughts!!! 

Maggie0829

First, is your wedding falling during the months of late April and early June?  If not you will be hard pressed to find peonies and if you did you will pay out of the butt for them.

Do you have any knowledge on how to take care of cut flowers so they stay fresh and last more then a day or two?  Do you know how to arrange them and transport them properly?  Do you have the adequate space and time to process them, arrange them, store them and transport them?  Do you really want to have to deal with lugging them around on  your wedding day?

What many people don't realize when going through a florist is that the cost you are paying is not only for the flowers.  The price helps to pay the florists overhead costs (electric, rent, etc), payroll, cost of the flowers, delivery costs from the wholesaler to the florist, etc.  You are also paying for their knowledge and skill at arranging flowers and for their ideas.

I know a lot of people would rather save their money and DIY wedding flowers but (and I hate to get all political) I feel like DIYing things is a part (a small part) of the reason our economy is bad.  People stop spending money at small businesses (like florists and stationary stores and bakeries) and those businesses close because they aren't able to make ends meet which in turn ups the unemployment rate.

I am also tired of people bashing the cost of going through a florist.  Yes flowers are a luxury but a good florist can work within any price range.

Sue-n-Kevin

Maggie's advice above is good. Peonies are "in season" for the northern climates (I see you are in the Detroit area) pretty much between early April, the month of May, and sometimes June. It always depends on the winter/spring we have had.

I live in suburban Detroit. I have 2 very large peony bushes. This year they bloomed at a different time because the winter was mild, and we had some really warm days in March (which killed 90% of the cherry crop up north, because after that string of ten 80 degree days, we went back to having frost).

If you have found a florist to supply peonies for $1000, but found an online floral website to get the same flowers for $600, did you check with the website to see if that price is good for the month you are getting married? That's really important to know. 

I have a serious garden, with 6 lilac bushes, a ton of lilly of the valley, and roses. I would never plan my wedding around my garden because 2 of the past 3 years the flowers bloomed 2 weeks earlier than the other 14 years I've lived here.

Double check the availability of the online source for your wedding month. No one can give you any guarantees, but if they can supply it for $400 less, and you believe it's worth the risk, then go for it. If it were me, and having peonies was the only flower I could ever consider having at my wedding, I'd probably pay the florist price and cut back on something else.

Good luck.

thatherl

Thanks for the feedback! The wedding is in May 31, 2013.  The reason I don't want to spend a large amount is b/c they're flowers, they die quickly.  Also, yes, I want my flowers to be beautiful but they're not something I'm really focusing on. 

The reason so many people are doing the DYI is b/c of the economy.  Not everyone thinks spending tens of thousands of dollars on one day is a smart move in the recession we're in and I'm one of those people!  

Sharpschruter22

They will also forever be alive in your photos. I've learned a lot through my planning experience. While there are certain things I am enjoying DIY, and while I adore arranging flowers, and being creative, I'm absolutely going to pay a florist to handle all of that for me. As Maggie stated above, it's not just the flowers you are paying for. Peace of mind and as stress free of a day is worth so much to me. Are you sure you want to deal with all that right before your wedding?

Anorden

I am actually a floral designer, so you can probably guess my vote! I have heard of brides having no problems with ordering wholesale, but I have also had desperate calls the day of a wedding. Peonies can be very temperamental, sometimes you may only get half of what you order in useable form. I might suggest at least ordering your bouquet from a florist, that way if you do have problems with the wholesale flowers at least your bouquet will be stunning, given that your bouquet will be the most important floral item.