With the rising cost of weddings, many wedding planners and brides are now looking into wholesale flowers to cut overall costs. While it’s common for many businesses to depend on this type of supplier, including florists, caterers, event planners, funerals and large corporations, now regular retail customers can get in on the bargain saving. Below are some tips and instructions on how to buy your flowers wholesale.
First, you’ll need to figure out the type of flower or flowers you’d like to purchase and how many bunches or stems you want. Often, wholesalers require minimum purchases, and the different flowers must be ordered in specific units like 10, 25, or 50. These order requirements might affect your options on arrangements and number of flower types, so it’s better to decide on those at the beginning of the process. Be sure to plan ahead and have your order submitted a minimum of two weeks before your event.
Next, research your options of wholesalers. Some wholesalers might only have one or two of the flowers you desire, but be able to offer the lowest prices on those types. Some brides want the convenience of ordering all flowers from one company, and some prefer to shop around and order from several vendors. Fortunately, most of the ordering process will be able to be completed conveniently online, so this will save you time.
After you’ve put in your order, be sure to double-check it. Review the product numbers to ensure they match up with the correct flowers, your quantities and shipping instructions. You can avoid future headaches by checking your information. No one wants to have the flowers delivered to the wrong location on the day of the wedding and have to frantically find a way to move them!
On your delivery day, make sure you’re there to receive them or have a trusted person be there. Check to make sure they are fresh and the order is correct. It’s best to store them in a cool, dark location (like a refrigerator) until they are put out at the wedding.