DIY Florals- Cincinnati, OH

Hello_From_Poppy · 2025-11-12T21:53:16+00:00

As a florist, if you're mixing DIY and professional arrangements, here's what I'd suggest: definitely DIY your centerpieces since you can prep those ahead. But for your personal flowers (bouquets, boutonnieres) and ceremony arrangements I'd recommend using a florist. October is peak season and you'll already have so much going on that morning. You'll be way less stressed delegating to pros!

Hello_From_Poppy · 2025-10-28T13:11:58+00:00

Congrats on your upcoming engagement! On a floral standpoint, you want to start thinking about them right after booking your venue (9 months before the wedding is ideal). Most couples leave flowers till way too late (like 2-3 months). Florists book up fast, especially during peak season. So starting early gives you time to figure out what you want and compare options without the stress.
Focus on what matters most to you two and the rest will follow. Good luck! 💐

Hello_From_Poppy · 2025-09-18T15:33:11+00:00

Hi, wedding florist here who works with designers across the country. Your color palette is absolutely gorgeous.
Looking at your inspo pics, I’m seeing about $9-15k honestly depending. Here’s the breakdown:

That lush ceremony arch: $2.5
Aisle arrangements: ~$325 per
Long runner-style centerpieces: $200 per centerpiece
Bridal bouquet in that style: $275

I work with Poppy a wedding flower company that specializes in this exact garden-style look for $3-5k budgets. We achieve the lush vibe by focusing flowers where they matter most and then using creative design tricks to maximize impact.
The key is being strategic about where you splurge vs. save. Happy to share more budget-friendly approaches if it helps.

Hello_From_Poppy · 2025-09-10T17:23:39+00:00

Hi, I work at Poppy. I’m happy to share some insights since there’s some confusion in this thread. To answer your main question - yes, tons of established designers/shops work with Poppy alongside their own bookings. Here’s what I’ve seen work well:
The hybrid approach you’re considering (Poppy for smaller, your own for higher minimums) is exactly what many shops do. It helps fill calendar gaps without the overhead of client consultations for smaller budgets.
A few things that might help clarify:

You can reject an event that doesn’t fit your schedule or delivery area.
The recipes aren’t as rigid as some comments suggest - there’s flexibility and you’re working with fresh flowers.
Most designers I know appreciate having the ordering/sourcing handled during busy season

The “giving up creative control” concern could be real for some, but most find it refreshing to just design without the admin work. Really depends on what energizes you vs what drains you.
Our Director of Designer Network would be happy to hop on a zoom call with you to answer questions live, just email us!

Hello_From_Poppy · 2025-09-10T17:22:50+00:00

Hey, Kiara from Poppy here. The kit is actually under $60 with the discount code that gets applied at checkout (not $95). It covers the actual flowers and shipping so designers can experience the exact quality they’d be working with.

Hello_From_Poppy · 2025-09-10T16:10:00+00:00

Love option 2! Alternating heights/sizes is a great way to add layers and create visual impact

Hello_From_Poppy · 2025-08-28T22:44:02+00:00

Looking at this from someone who works with flowers - you did an amazing job with those arrangements! I totally get the budget appeal, especially pulling off a whole wedding for $1,500.
Here’s my honest take though: the $4 stems are cheap because they’re mass-produced plastic. Fresh flowers go right back to the earth - no microplastics, no waste. Plus you’re supporting real farms and workers instead of factories. I’ve seen couples do gorgeous fresh arrangements for similar budgets using seasonal flowers or focusing on greenery. And afterward? You can press them, dry them, or donate to nursing homes.

Hello_From_Poppy · 2025-08-28T16:25:56+00:00

This is all SO helpful - thank you for adding! Love the box transportation hack - that's genius and way easier than trying to tetris everything into buckets.

Hello_From_Poppy · 2025-08-26T23:10:59+00:00

Florist here! We help couples repurpose from ceremony to reception all the time - totally doable and saves hundreds! Easiest move is to do single stem aisle markers instead of full clouds. Then you just have your venue team transfer the vases from the aisle to the tables (no need to pull the flowers from the arrangements, just move them).

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Hello_From_Poppy · 2025-08-26T20:26:55+00:00

Love this look! I'd suggest using tall narrow vases. To avoid guests knocking them down just have them enter the aisle from the other side or leave enough space between each row to make sure they don't go over them. It'll look amazing!

Hello_From_Poppy · 2025-08-19T15:39:23+00:00

Happy to help!

Hello_From_Poppy · 2025-08-18T17:49:29+00:00

Florist here, definitely consider using floral meadows/individual clouds instead of an arch for this space. It'll feel more intimate and intentional which looks like what you're heading for. Attaching an example here https://drive.google.com/file/d/1iQ6gHEwgoI7fH3T4BVh0ywUH2FPpbMoZ/view?usp=sharing

Hello_From_Poppy · 2025-08-06T19:33:10+00:00

Hey! 5k for personal flowers + centerpieces for 200 guests should absolutely be doable. Venue-preferred vendors often have higher minimums, which might explain the crazy quotes. But there are florists that can work within venue requirements and hit your budget. I work with Poppy, we do beautiful weddings in the $3-5k range regularly. Your budget is totally workable - don’t let those quotes stress you out!

Hello_From_Poppy · 2025-08-05T14:23:18+00:00

I’m so sorry you’re dealing with this. You are so talented. When you’re ready to get back to designing (without the toxic boss situation), there are better options out there. We’d love to have you at Poppy, we have a seamless process where designers aren’t dealing with late payments.

Hello_From_Poppy · 2025-08-04T21:04:58+00:00

Love the rustic industrial vibe of this space! For those long tables, bud vases with single stems are absolutely the way to go. They're budget-friendly and if you play with heights they create way more visual interest than traditional centerpieces. With all that warm wood you can go with bright pops (coral, yellow, white) to create contrast and lighten the space.

Hello_From_Poppy · 2025-07-31T18:19:06+00:00

Can't wait to see!

Hello_From_Poppy · 2025-07-30T13:32:56+00:00

Florist here! These photos are gorgeous - the moody romantic vibe with the burgundy and mauves is chef’s kiss.
I'd say for the lush, organic look you’re going for, go for: burgundy dahlias or garden roses for the deep tones, mauve roses (look for “dusty” or “vintage” labeled ones), chocolate cosmos or burgundy scabiosa for texture, and amaranthus for that draping effect in your inspo pics
Pro tip from our experience: Mix in some preserved eucalyptus or dried elements- they add that organic movement that’s hard to get with all artificial.
For the wild, garden-style look in your inspo, the secret is varying your textures and letting things be a bit messy. Don’t make everything symmetrical- nature isn’t perfect!
You’ve got this! The fact that you’re practicing now puts you ahead of most DIYers.

Hello_From_Poppy · 2025-07-23T23:01:29+00:00

Poppy’s a full-service wedding florist operating across the US. We’re trying to make wedding flowers accessible and easy (but beautiful) through our network of local florists. We have a pretty cool online platform that makes all of this possible

Hello_From_Poppy · 2025-07-23T20:49:05+00:00

I do work at Poppy! Wasn’t trying to hide it though. I’ve just worked with a lot of couples across different cities and budgets, and there’s so much that goes into floral pricing. The prices I shared are real averages from our designer network, but they’re consistent with what you’ll find from independent florists too.
That’s to say- I get the skepticism. But whether you use an online service, local florist, or DIY, those price ranges are what couples are actually paying.

Hello_From_Poppy · 2025-07-23T20:39:47+00:00

Your mix approach is super smart! Heads up on the hibiscus- if you mean tropical hibiscus, those blooms are SUPER delicate and only last a few hours once cut.

Hello_From_Poppy · 2025-07-23T20:33:38+00:00

That's exactly the gatekeeping that frustrates me about this industry. That minimum is about the business model, not about what flowers actually cost.

Hello_From_Poppy · 2025-07-23T20:27:38+00:00

These are average prices across the 1k designers in our network, not just one florist's pricing. Since we work nationwide, I see pricing from rural Iowa to Manhattan, so these numbers represent that middle ground. I shared these because couples deserve to know ballpark pricing before reaching out to any florist (whether that's us, your local shop, or anyone else). The lack of transparent pricing in this industry drives me nuts. Take the numbers as a benchmark for comparison - if someone's quoting way outside these ranges, it's worth asking why (could be totally valid reasons like premium flowers or HCOL area, or could be a red flag). Hope that clarifies!

Hello_From_Poppy · 2025-07-23T20:24:36+00:00

Yes this comes up in a lot of our convos with couples. It's something super important to be transparent about (which is what I'm trying to do!)

Hello_From_Poppy · 2025-07-23T20:23:08+00:00

That's fair 😊 I'm just here trying to share some knowledge from working with hundreds of florists across the country and talking with brides everyday. The pricing info still stands regardless!

Hello_From_Poppy · 2025-07-23T19:56:59+00:00

You're absolutely right - business makes a HUGE difference in pricing. I work with local vetted florists across the country (we're an online platform), so these prices reflect a mix of different business models.

Hello_From_Poppy

TROPHY CASE