WR: Growers Choice? (XP)

lennonkdc · March 2014

A friend referred me to local florist that she is using for her wedding. I have a really small flower budget and was going to do them myself, but on her recommendation I checked them out. They said they can do it for the price I wanted. The catch is that while I can pick the color (white) I won't get a say on the flowers, to keep costs down they will be 'growers choice'. I was assured they won't be chintzy or full of daisies, and I saw some of their work while I was there and it was really pretty. Still, I'm kind of nervous. Has anyone here done 'growers choice' (esp for a Sept wedding)? If so would you do it again?

FWIW I need 1 Bridal bouquet, 5 BM bouquets, 1 groom boutonniere, 2 GM bout's, 2 bouts for Dad's and 2 corsages for Moms. No center pieces.

bethsmiles · March 2014

Do you get any say? Have you looked at reviews on them online?

labro · March 2014

I'd check reviews. Better yet, ask the florist if she can give you phone numbers or email addresses of former clients who went with the "grower's choice" option. Or see if she can share client photographers from a "grower's choice" wedding.

I think it has the potential to probably be ok. I'd research what white flowers are seasonal for September and readily available in your local area. Maybe talk to someone at a local wholesale nursery? They might be able to give you an opinion on 1. What's cheap that time of year and 2. In easily accessible quantities.

audrewuh · March 2014

I did "growers choice" with some specific recommendations (understanding they might not be possible) for my own bouquet and it turned out lovely. I dictated a desire for my bm's and she was able to make it happen within my budget. The bout flowers were chosen by me and came out well.

I like what @lmhollister said about looking at photographs of previous "growers choice" weddings.

I also know Elle did her own flowers and they turned out beautifully. But they did stay up till 3 am putting them together and the fridge at the venue made them smell faintly of fish for the first hour or two they were out.

Peaseblossom55 · March 2014

If you don't mind not knowing what you are getting I say go for it, it sound easier than trying to DIY. I had a very specific vision for flowers and am far too uptight to know know what kind of flowers I would be getting.

ETA: Yes I just insulted myself and said I am uptight not about all things.. I really wanted roses and peonies.

buddysmom80 · April 2014

I'd be open to that option. As long as they don't go way out of what your vision, color scheme, etc is then you should be fine. If my florist offered this, I'd be on board for it. I didn't bother asking her since I was like "I want X for my bouquet and Y for the BMs bouquets" so maybe she thought I was a control freak...

Blue & White · April 2014

I made mine using hobby lobby flowers for like $90 in all. But growers choice wouldn't be an issue for me because I don't really have a specific flower lover, sooo as long as they stayed without the color scheme it would be good to go

[Deleted User] · April 2014

I did growers' choice, but I did give them some of my top flower choices and "looks". I was perfectly happy. I was not very particular when it came to the flowers, as long as they gave a certain look. I only knew I wanted hydrangeas, because they were sort of a motif for the invites and programs and other stationery.

honestly, the florist ended up doing a much better job than if I had tried to tell them what to do. if you aren't the type-A bride (and I don't mean that in a horrible way! it's just some brides are very particular and know EXACTLY what they want... I had really no idea and was content to let the florist come up with something similar to my favorite photos) then let the florist work their magic and just trust they know what they're doing.

blabla89 · April 2014

Can you work with the florist to pick out specific flowers that will be in season and inexpensive? The florist should be able to give you some options. It may not be quite as inexpensive as grower's choice, but it's worth asking.

[Deleted User] · April 2014

I think "grower's choice" is a wonderful option, and like @CocoBellaF said, sometimes florists do a better job when they are allowed to be creative.

I had a co-worker do my flowers (bouquets, bouts and aisle flowers). I'd ordered baby's breath from Costco and it was accirentally delivered to another bride! the day before the wedding my mom and I went to 2 local grocery stores and got anything we liked (probably spent around $50 total). There are some pics below of what my co-worker designed with what we bought. I'd already had the bronze floral buckets...and this actually saved a ton of moolah. Great way to go if you want to save money and I think they turned out more beautiful that what I had planned.

Bouts The pink were for mothers/grandmothers. The white were for fathers/grandfathers. The wedding party guys had fishing flies attached to the bottom since H is an avid fisherman.

BM Bouquets

Aisle Arrangements

Swazzle · April 2014

I didn't do grower's choice so take this with a grain of salt but I was very uninterested in flowers for the most part. I knew pictures of bouquets that I thought were pretty so I forwarded them to her and told her to do whatever she wanted as long as it was in my budget. I absolutely LOVED the bouquets in my wedding and I really don't think it could have turned out better even if I had known exactly what I wanted.

blabla89 · April 2014

@allusive007 I love how pretty and simple your flowers are!

lennonkdc · April 2014

Thanks ladies. For no reason whatsoever this was the hardest part of wedding planning, which is odd b/c I'm not really THAT worried about the flowers. (I'm just not a fan of 'the unknown') I'm going to follow what a few of you suggested and run back up there today to see if I can at least have a 'would prefer if possible' list of flowers (hydrangea and roses/garden roses) or see if they can give me an idea what type of flowers are in season in that time. Either way I'm going to go for it, esp after 3 people have expressed relief that I wouldn't be roping them into the bouquet making

Dignity100 · April 2014

Flowers are not a huge deal to me, so if it was saving me $$, I'd probably say 'go ahead' with the growers choice - especially if they could guarantee me the size bouquets I wanted for the price I wanted.

phira · April 2014

I totally get what you mean, where it's not that big a deal, but it feels like such a wild card. If I were on a flower budget, I'd go with grower's choice. Most of my preferences would be more "shape" preferences than exact flower types (e.g. give the florist examples and say, "I like the shape of these bouquets").

Swazzle · April 2014

FWIW, this was my bouquet when I told my florist to "go crazy" as long as she stayed within my budget:

I really think if the florist has good reviews and you can ask her to follow some of your inspiration pics then the grower's choice is a good way to go.

lennonkdc · April 2014

I dropped off the deposit today! I had a chance to talk to them and they put my mind at ease about the types of flowers we might expect, I was able to ask that my bouquet have roses and all flowers will be white and cream

Thanks for all the advice and the pretty pictures of your bouquets! While I had been looking forward to doing the flowers, I am relieved that I don't have to worry about messing them up and my Mom is excited about not having to up to her elbows in flowers with me 2 days before the wedding.

buddysmom80 · April 2014

Yay!!!! I'm glad it worked out!!! Can't wait to see how it looks!

WR: Growers Choice? (XP)

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