Have you ever been to a wedding and thought, Ooh I’m stealing that idea, thanks? Well, my dear friend Emily recently had that kind of wedding. Her budget, beachy, Swiss Family Robinson-esque big day involved opting for Costco pies instead of a towering cake (brilliant!), a keg of Aperol spritzes made by her bartender sister-in-law (I’ll never be the same!), and plenty of Trader Joe’s flowers interspersed with greenery and blooms we foraged from around her in-laws’ home (beautiful/gorgeous/I cry). The latter of which is absolutely number one on my to-steal list for the day I get married to Diego Luna or Pedro Pascal.
While Trader Joe’s flower deals are no secret, how many of you knew you could use the grocer’s flower services to deck out an entire wedding? And not just a few bridal bouquets and some blooms here and there — I’m talking big ol’ bulk orders. I used to work for the grocer, and still to this day I feel like this is such a little-known fact.
As a PSA to all soon-to-be married couples, I picked the brains of three Trader Joe’s floral experts (each store has one!) to find out what to keep in mind when ordering your flowers ahead of the big day.
1. Do stay flexible on the color scheme.
No matter which store you order from, one thing was true when I questioned all three of the floral experts: You can’t get too choosy with the colors. While every Trader Joe’s store gets a flower shipment every day, there’s little to no ability for them to predict what colors they’ll be and how many.
Kathy, one of the flower experts based at a North Carolina Trader Joe’s, suggests focusing on a flower variety instead, like sunflowers, roses, tulips, or lilies. While the colors may ultimately vary, the flowers themselves will be cohesive design-wise, explains Kathy. If you’re really set on a color scheme? Consider grabbing mixed bouquets with shades you’re after and rearranging them once you’ve got all your blooms on hand.
2. Don’t be afraid to go fast-and-loose a day or two before.
Short on time for your DIY wedding? Many of the brides and grooms the experts have worked with have made some game-day decisions for their flower arrangements. Amber, a flower expert and manager in California, suggests you only really need a day or two before your big day when grabbing flowers. Not only will this mean you have a lower risk of wilting, brown hydrangeas, but also you just might find a selection of seasonal flowers you like even more than what you pinned to your Pinterest mood board.
Just be sure to go in the early morning; that’s when most stores receive their flower deliveries, and you’ll have the largest selection.
3. Do keep in mind the time of year.
When I worked at Trader Joe’s, there were plenty of days where the entire flower department was completely wiped out. I’m talking customers basically tailgating outside first thing in the morning for Mother’s Day bouquets, graduation sunflowers, and Valentine’s Day roses. So, if you’re planning a wedding near known holidays or celebratory seasons, do keep this in mind and order ahead.
CT, a floral expert based in Florida, suggests thinking at least a week or two out when you’re dealing with a high-traffic time of year, and also when seasonal blooms might be most popular and sought after (like spring peonies and fall Chrysanthemums). This is not only due to customer demand — often local florists will buy up all of Trader Joe’s stock and re-do their own arrangements at a premium. You read it here first, folks.
4. Don’t skip the other plants available at Trader Joe’s.
I’ll never forget one fateful Valentine’s Day, where one guy had missed out on all the flowers. The only thing left? A money plant, which he absolutely did buy for his sweetie.
While this might seem unfortunate, it’s a great reminder to consider all of the greenery at Trader Joe’s for your space. Floral expert Amber is particularly fond of using succulents on tabletops as well as potted plants to frame the aisle. No need to stop there — you can use other grocery items like fruits (lemons, oranges, and grapes) and filler like eucalyptus to add texture and color to the table decor.
5. Do remember that store policies can vary.
Every Trader Joe’s location is modeled after a captain and mates (that’s what TJ’s calls managers) steering a ship of crew members. What does this mean? Every store runs a little differently, with some preferring customers ordering a week or two ahead for bulk cases of flowers, and others that are more comfortable accommodating a few days prior to the big day.
Either way, CT says, each store (depending on the size) always has at least one or two people who do the flower order and can tell you roughly when and how many flowers will be coming in that particular week and on which day, so you can plan accordingly.
6. Don’t forget your buckets.
No one wants a sweaty car full of parched flowers, so be sure to grab some utility buckets at your local hardware store so you can safely cart your flowers home. In some cases, stores have plenty of plastic black buckets to spare, but it’s always good to ask before filling them up yourself.
You don’t need to worry about bringing heavy buckets of water in, though, according to Amber. Each Trader Joe’s flower section has a water spigot nearby so you can fill them up on your way out.
Do you have a tip for shopping at Trader Joe’s flower section? Tell us about it in the comments below.