Can You DIY Your Wedding Bouquet?
Okay, so has everyone seen it. The NYC influencer making their own bridal bouquet.
You haven’t? Okay, I’ll set the scene..
Beautiful content creator/ influencer is getting married (or their best friend is), they wake up early looking absolutely STUNNING, get to the flower market, peruse the enormous array of flowers the market has to offer, probably annoy quite a lot of traders/ tradees/ anyone else there, they buy the trending flower stems for three times the price florists get them at (trust me, there’s no prices on the flowers so the stands can charge what they want, and you have to buy in bulk minimum of 15 stems for each variety)- Amaranthus, liatris and probably Anthurium. They get a cab back to their apartment, set up the tripod, make their bouquet pretty badly (but whatever, it’s subjective) and then finish their statement with ‘I saved thousands on a florist and did it myself’.
‘Eloise, you bitter babe! Who cares, they’re happy and their flower suited them’.
You’re right! I am not bitter they did their own flowers, I actually think it’s such a great thing to do- what makes me feel something is that they belittle wedding floristry down to ‘I can do it myself, florists overcharge blah blah’. I know they’re not my customer ANYWAY but I do think the conversation is there to be had.
And I want to know your opinion, genuinely.
Do you think wedding flowers are necessary? Would you like to make your bouquets yourselves- maybe with a professional there to help? In London, the NCFM, isn’t just for trade- it’s completely open to the public so there’s a real gap in the market there for customers having access to this fun, twilight world, having ‘a go’ and ‘playing with flowers’.
Can you see how this ever so slightly undermines the value of a trade like wedding floristry?
images from https://www.tiktok.com/@liz.cu
Okay, so fair. This bride has done a really good job of creating a bouquet that’s in similar colours (chartreuse, creams and yellow-limes) and using very similar flowers (orchids, callas, anthirium, amaranthus).
My point, however, is if this is fast becoming a trend to make your own bouquet- which I absolutely love but as a seasonal princess I’ve popped together some ideas of how to be part of the trend without shitting on your wedding designers.
Here are some ways where you can make your own bouquet, buy seasonally and even encourage a wonderfully paid supply chain in your community.
HOMESTEAD FLOWERS/ FLOWER AND FARMER/ LITTLE PINK GARDEN
Ask your wedding florist to discuss your bridal bouquet in detail, if you want to be part of the process. For my brides, I do a trial Bridal bouquet morning and we mock up together and go through shape and size, as well as nibble on some treats, tea or fizz!
See if you can make your bridal bouquet from the same farms your florist is getting their flowers from. Ask your florist, they may give you details of the farms- most flower farms have open days, and sell DIY buckets!
Practice and play with flowers from your local nursery or florist. By all means trial out the flower market if you want to, but you’re going to have to buy in bulk which costs much more than you think. Buy a few stems locally, and make a day of it with pals!
By Lisa Jane Photography- Jules carries an all white ranunculus bouquet