Trader Joe's Wedding Flowers: How to DIY a Bouquet You'll Love
Confession: ADONIA Studios started with Trader Joe's flowers.
Before this was a business, it was a woman buying an absurd number of grocery store bouquets every week, and two kittens who knocked every single vase off the table. After the third morning of tulips on the floor, I started pressing them instead. (So yes, I have strong feelings about Trader Joe's flowers.)
If you're thinking about DIY wedding flowers, the grocery store is a wonderful place to start, especially for a micro wedding, an elopement or your bridesmaids' bouquets. Here's how to do it well.
Why brides love Trader Joe's flowers
Price. Many bunches start under $10, with some as low as about $3.99. Ranunculus and hydrangea are often in the $6 to $7 range. Prices vary by store and season.
Variety. Roses, spray roses, ranunculus, tulips, hydrangea, alstroemeria, eucalyptus and seasonal surprises.
Control. You choose every stem and build exactly the bouquet you imagine.
What to buy for a DIY bridal bouquet
Build your bouquet in three layers:
1. Focal flowers: garden roses, standard roses, ranunculus, tulips or peonies in season
2. Supporting flowers: spray roses, alstroemeria, carnations, stock or wax flower
3. Greenery and texture: eucalyptus, ruscus, ferns or seasonal branches
How much do you need? A full bridal bouquet often uses about 25 to 35 stems, which is roughly 6 to 10 bunches depending on the flowers. A bridesmaid bouquet usually needs about 3 to 5 bunches. Buy one or two extra bunches for practice and mistakes.
When to shop
Buy 2 to 3 days before the wedding. Roses and ranunculus need a day or two to open. Tulips keep growing in water, so buy them closest to the day.
Go early in the morning, when the flower section is freshly stocked.
Ask about special orders. Some stores will set aside larger quantities if you ask ahead, but policies vary by location, so check with your store.
Have a backup plan. Selection changes daily. Choose a color palette rather than exact flowers so you can adapt.
How to keep your DIY flowers fresh
Condition everything right away. Remove leaves below the waterline, recut stems at an angle and place them in clean buckets of cool water.
Keep them cool and out of the sun, away from fruit, heat and drafts.
Assemble the day before or the morning of. Wrap stems with floral tape, then ribbon. Keep the bouquet in water until the ceremony.
Pull pollen from lilies so it doesn't stain petals or your dress.
Make it personal
Wrap the stems in a piece of your mom's veil or a family handkerchief
Add a small locket or photo charm for someone you miss
Include a flower that means something, like your grandmother's favorite. Here's what wedding flowers mean.
Yes, you can keep a DIY bouquet forever
A grocery store bouquet you made with your own hands, maybe with your mom or your best friends the night before, can be just as meaningful as a designer one. Often more.
Roses, ranunculus, spray roses, hydrangea and eucalyptus are some of the best flowers for preservation, which makes a Trader Joe's bouquet a lovely one to keep. At ADONIA Studios, we take your bouquet apart by hand, press each bloom and rebuild it into framed art for your home. Small bouquets fit beautifully in our Small wedding size, from $325.
Just plan the handoff: your flowers need to reach the studio within a day or two. Our day-after care guide walks through every step.
Frequently asked questions
Can you use Trader Joe's flowers for a wedding?
Yes. Many couples use Trader Joe's flowers for bridal and bridesmaid bouquets, centerpieces and micro weddings. Buy 2 to 3 days ahead and keep them cool and in water.
How many bunches do I need for a bridal bouquet?
A full bridal bouquet often uses about 25 to 35 stems, roughly 6 to 10 bunches. Buy an extra bunch or two for practice.
How far in advance should I buy DIY wedding flowers?
About 2 to 3 days before the wedding, so roses and ranunculus have time to open. Buy tulips last.
Can a DIY bouquet be preserved?
Yes. Roses, ranunculus, hydrangea and greenery press beautifully, so a DIY bouquet can become framed floral art.
ADONIA Studios is a floral preservation studio in Hull, Massachusetts, turning wedding bouquets into pressed, framed floral art for brides across Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New Hampshire. ADONIA Studios is not affiliated with Trader Joe's. See our work.
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