Help choosing bulk flowers for my bouquets, please!

[Clairitek]

H_H''s thread got me thinking. I was going to just wing it with my wedding flowers. Actually, I found the little bit of uncertainty a little exciting! But since I will be driving up on Tuesday night (wedding is on Saturday afternoon) I am nervous about how the flowers will look come wedding time.

I am looking to spend about $150-$200 for my 6 BM bouquets, my bouquet, and 9 bouts.

Here are some options:

100 stems of irises (blue or purple)----------------- $50.58
20 stems of hydrangea (white or blue)---------------- $53.24
35 stems calas--------------------------------------- $57.28
100 stems hot pink/white roses (75 pink, 25 white)--- $74
100 stems softer pink/white roses (same as above)---- $74
125 stems white roses ------------------------------- $86.48

The BMs are all wearing blue dresses of various shades from navy to aqua.

So what combination do you PSers advise?

Irises and calas?
Irises and white hydrangea?
Just roses of various colors?
Irises, white roses, white hydrangea?
Irises, white roses, calas?
Other suggestions?

If I order flowers I would get them from Sam''s Club. If you feel up to it feel free to browse their bulk flower section.
Sam''s Club Bulk Flower Section

 

[oobiecoo]

So you'll have the flowers on tuesday and the wedding isnt until saturday? I'd go with roses in that case. If the edges start turning brown then you can just peel off the outside petals and the roses look as good a new. I've also cut a couple of hydrangea blooms off my plant and put them in a vase and they stayed nice for a while. A couple of the flowers wilted but those can be easily removed as well.
I don't know how long irises and callas last but it doesn't seem like there is much "spiffing" you could do to them in case they don't look all that fresh.

ETA: If you go with roses then I think the white roses would look really nice... my next choice would be the white and soft pink.

ETAA: Would the peach and white rose combo be an option?

 

[Clairitek]

Date: 5/29/2009 2:40:43 PM
Author: oobiecoo
So you''ll have the flowers on tuesday and the wedding isnt until saturday?

This is if I just "winged it" and purchased them from my local produce supplier (where they sell bulk cut flowers).

The combinations I listed above would be if I ordered from Sam''s Club for delivery a two days before the wedding. They would be fresh.

Sorry for not being more clear!

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

We''re using callas, orchids, and roses because we''re getting out flowers on Friday and we''re getting married on Sunday. It stinks, but that''s what happens when you get married on a sunday following a holiday! We specifically chose those flowers because they are really hardy.

 

[oobiecoo]

ohhh okay... got it.

It seems like you really like irises since they are in almost all of your options... so my vote is for the irises and white hydrangeas. If you aren''t that set on irises then what about callas with the white (or blue) hydrangeas?

 

[rainwood]

I vote for the roses too. I did bulk roses from Costco for an anniversary party, and the instructions with those were to remove the guard petals on the outside and then let them sit a day or two to open. It''s also possible to take off the guard petals and then puff on the rose to give them a jump start on opening.

Iris are beautiful and they''re in season but I think Iris is a rather short-lived flower. Every bouquet I''ve ever had with iris in it, they are the first blooms to go. Gypsy will probably weigh in and she''s much more of an expert than me, but I''d think twice about iris, particularly if it''s likely to be hot, unless they''re just accent flowers and could be left out if they don''t hold up.

 

[Clairitek]

Date: 5/29/2009 3:29:30 PM
Author: rainwood
I vote for the roses too. I did bulk roses from Costco for an anniversary party, and the instructions with those were to remove the guard petals on the outside and then let them sit a day or two to open. It''s also possible to take off the guard petals and then puff on the rose to give them a jump start on opening.

Iris are beautiful and they''re in season but I think Iris is a rather short-lived flower. Every bouquet I''ve ever had with iris in it, they are the first blooms to go. Gypsy will probably weigh in and she''s much more of an expert than me, but I''d think twice about iris, particularly if it''s likely to be hot, unless they''re just accent flowers and could be left out if they don''t hold up.

I know what you mean about the irises. I do love them! I would be worried about getting them to bloom when it matters.

I guess what I am most stumped with is what textures would look good together. I stink at that sort of thing.

 

[ilovesparkles]

I would either vote for colored calas with white roses, or white roses with blue hydrangea.

And THANK YOU for the wonderful idea!

 

[AmberGretchen]

I vote for either the irises + white roses and hydrangea, or white roses + blue hydrangea. I think white roses and blue hydrangea is a classic look that would be really tough to go wrong with

 

[jcarlylew]

Date: 5/29/2009 4:01:40 PM
Author: Clairitek


I know what you mean about the irises. I do love them! I would be worried about getting them to bloom when it matters.

I guess what I am most stumped with is what textures would look good together. I stink at that sort of thing.

random interjection - i read in the paper that if your flowers are not blooming (cut flowers) then you can zap them with a hair dryer to help. They were talking about tulips, but it might be worth giving it a test run?

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I''d do the pink and white roses. They''ll be easier to deal with including making the bouquets.

 

[diamondgirl4382]

I just met with my florist for the final time, and he mentioned that hydrangeas can be a little less hardy than other flowers when it comes to heat and lasting all day without water. Not to say don''t use them, but just be aware that they might need to be put in water a few times throughout the day.