Flowers

Wholesale flowers??

Has anyone brought wholesale flowers? I'm thinking of getting them for my centerpieces but I don't know if it's worth it. Is there that much of a price difference between wholesale and getting flowers from a florist?

Re: Wholesale flowers??

  • alivesoonalivesoon member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    if you are a DYI bride or you have someone to help you doing rthe flowers you will save TONS of money buying flowers from a wholesaler!!!

    wholesalers often get the flowers to you with no intermediaries, directlky from the farm, flowers from florists have been through lot of hands and places to get to them, this is why they are more expensive!
    here are different wholesalers, you must be sure they sale top quality flowers, otherwise it will not be worth it !

    check sites like www.fiftyflowers.com (my favorite)

    or www.samsclub.com
  • Catwoman708Catwoman708 member
    First Anniversary 5 Love Its First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Yes, there is a huge difference in wholesale prices and a florist's retail prices.  There are many on-line sources for wholesale flowers, or you might have a local wholesaler or source and not realize it.

    I've found Sam's and Costco has great prices on flowers by the package, or special bulk purchases.   But they have a limited selection. 

    I get "sort of" wholesale flowers from a local flower shop sometimes for our church (they give our church a discount).  In price, they are cheaper than a florist, but more than Sam's or Costco would be.  They sell to the public at their retail prices, or sell to vendors for wholesale prices. 

    Florists get the same flowers from the same sources the flower market does, but they mark the price up quite a bit.
  • edited December 2011
    Please don't forget your local flower farmers for summer flowers. Most don't grow roses or orchids. But you wanted something special anyway, right. Hundreds of us now.

    WWW.ASCFG.org or check with the local farmers market.
  • squirrlysquirrly member
    Name Dropper First Anniversary 5 Love Its First Comment
    edited December 2011
    sggarden, vendors aren't permitted on theknot.com's message boards.
    DIY & Planning | Married 

    Married: 2010
    Mom to J: 2011
    Mom to H: 2014

    Image and video hosting by TinyPic



    Dresses may be easier to take in than let out, but guest lists are not. -- kate51485
  • edited December 2011
    Yes...  Wholesale is a huge difference in costs for buying the flowers from a local florist.  I have my Floral Design Degree from one of my Community Colleges.  And you have to have an account with the wholesalers- ID #.  It would be easier to have someone unlike myself purchase the flowers and design them for you- your wedding. 

    Most brides have to educate themselves first in flowers- example time of year, costs and what's in season that they would like for their wedding.  It's very sad to say that I do not recommend a florist to do any weddings since I have been behind the scenes for many years.  And the wedding work is saved for the very end to be made- reason, a florist has their day to day orders and funeral work that comes 1st.  Especally if it's a Wednesday wedding- good luck!

    My recommendation if you decide that you are toooo stressed in attempting to design, in your case make allll of your own wedding work- don't use a florist.  Use an event planner which I work in the summer and carries till Thanksgiving.  We do anywhere from 15-25 weddings per week.  Constintly we have brides visitng the showroom and designing rooms and come back for the next visit of a consultation with examples of the centerpieces made up (mock set-up).   It might take about 3 attempts to visit with the owners, designers, atmosphere, samples, retail equipments, etc.... but it's worth it!!!!  The amount of coolers that are used to store the wedding work is so unbelieveable. 

    And to top it off.....  I know my place where I work- the owners are not designers but they over look the wedding setups when they travel to every wedding!!!!!   Most likely every wedding setup has a designer on site to either design that day or to just touch up on any wedding work that might of been alittle out of place during traveling to the site. 

    To be honest- a florist takes small weddings because they do not specialize in weddings.... they deliver to churches and recpetions and leave!!  Back to the florist- hours of operation and close.  Where an event planners like my job- goes back the same night to breakdown the weddings- even if it's 3am in the morning. 

    Trust me- take my advice..... Laughing event planners take small or big (mostly we have big- 3 day weddings)weddings. 
This discussion has been closed.
Choose Another Board
Search Boards