Retail flowers can get very expensive. For large events, the fact that you’ll need a large number of the same arrangements means that there is money to be saved by going wholesale. Flowers sold by retailers are marked up as are any other retail goods, with the price sometimes reflecting a 2x increase over the wholesale price paid by the florist. You can avoid this by using the same wholesalers used by those florists and by availing yourself of the same lower rates that the florists pay for their stock.
Wholesale flowers are exactly the same flowers you’d buy retail from your florist. The difference is that, essentially, the middleman is cut out of the equation. While this may not be practical for very small orders, it can be a huge money saver for large orders of flowers. As an example, the centerpieces at weddings or the bouquets held by the wedding party can be purchased wholesale, allowing you to, in some cases, essentially get two bouquets for the price of one. There are other products available from the wholesalers, as well.
If you buy arrangements of flowers, you’ll usually put them together yourself. This is how florists receive wholesale flowers. The arrangements are very easy to put together and they’re packaged in a way that makes it clear what flowers go with each arrangement. A florist will charge for this service, even though it’s something you could probably do on your own with little difficulty. There is the time investment, but it’s still usually far less expensive than purchasing these arrangements from a retailer. Particularly for the largest of events, this can end up saving a very impressive amount of money compared to what you’d pay if you bought them from a retailer.
Wholesale flowers are shipped fresh from the farm, just as they are when they’re shipped to a florist. Some of the flowers may even be buds, giving you some extra time before they flower and reach their prime. You can also pick up related products, such as rose petals at these wholesalers, allowing you to make the flower orders for a large event in one step. For those who have offices where fresh flowers are always a nice touch, wholesalers are also a great way to save money. The prices are not only competitive, they’re sometimes literally half compared to retail.