How to Buy Trader Joe's Flowers for Your Wedding

Most couples consider wedding flowers one of the most important (and pricey!) components of their big-day décor. While some duos prefer to hire a florist and let them take the reigns with the floral design, other pairs want to be more involved with the process, specifying what types of flowers they'd like to see in bouquets and arrangements. And then there's the category of couples who decide to assume full control and take the DIY route, creating all their floral arrangements and décor themselves. If you're currently planning a wedding and fall into that last group, you've probably already run into the most common issue: where (and when) to source the flowers. While you have a few options, including working with local growers and flower farms, there's another one that might be a little closer to home—the grocery store. And Trader Joe's in particular just might have everything you need when it comes to wedding flowers.

While this popular line of grocery stores (with locations all over the United States) doesn't offer wedding flower services, they do have a very impressive floral department that gets a refresh every single day. That's right—Trader Joe's restocks its floral section daily, with fresh, straight-from-the-source blooms. So whether you're handling all the flower arranging for your wedding or you ask your florist to source flowers from this store, Trader Joe's flowers can be a wonderful resource for those planning their wedding flower designs. Below, discover what you need to know when using Trader Joe's flowers for your wedding day, from the cost and when to shop to what to look for in grocery store wedding blooms.

What to Know About the Trader Joe's Floral Department

Every Trader Joe's store across the U.S. (use this tool to find the location nearest to you) has a floral section. This section—and the selection—will definitely vary depending on your local store, but each store restocks its flowers, greenery, and plants every single day. If you're hoping to use seasonal flowers, just ask a member of the Trader Joe's team who works in the floral department and they can point you in the right direction—and let you know what varieties might be available over the next few weeks (you'll want to make a few pre-wedding trips to scope out the selection). Keep in mind that the store's floral department does not make bespoke arrangements for customers, so you'll need to come up with your own game plan.

Once you're at the store, you'll notice that there are a lot of options in terms of arrangements—most store locations will have seasonal bouquets, bouquets consisting of all one type of flower, bunches of filler flowers, bunches of greenery, and individual stems.

The Cost of Trader Joe's Flowers

There are a few things that make Trader Joe's flowers really appealing—and one of those things is the wallet-friendly cost. Because the brand purchases flowers in bulk directly from growers, the prices are much lower than what you would find in boutique flower shops and other major grocery stores. You can find bunches of flowers for as low as $3.99. That's pretty hard to beat! Couples who use Trader Joe's flowers for their weddings can spend as little as $200 to $300 if they're putting together a small amount of bouquets or arrangements with basic blooms.

The varieties of available Trader Joe's flowers changes with the seasons, but there are some common blooms and bouquet types you can expect to find year round. Here's a breakdown of their prices, per the flower section of the Trader Joe's website:

• Seasonal bouquet (medium): $6.99 each
• Seasonal bouquet (large): $9.99 each
• Eucalyptus: $3.99 per bunch
• Baby's breath: $3.99 per bunch
• Hydrangeas: $5.99 for three stems
• Roses: $9.99 for a dozen

How to Order Trader Joe's Flowers for Your Wedding

Because Trader Joe's doesn't have a dedicated wedding flower service, you can't order flowers in bulk in the store. That doesn't mean, however, that you should show up the day before your wedding on a whim. Pop into your local Trader Joe's about a week before the wedding and ask to speak with someone in the floral department; they should be able to tell you which flowers are expected to arrive over the next few days, and also speak to quantities. If you're having a 100-person wedding, for example, you'll want to make sure the store will have enough blooms in stock to accommodate your centerpiece or bouquet vision.

Ordering Trader Joe's Flowers for Weddings Online

At the time of publishing this article, you cannot order Trader Joe's flowers online. You are, however, able to see some of the most popular types of flowers and plants available in stores (and then you can add that to your digital shopping list to print)—but you cannot order the flowers online for pickup or delivery.

When to Buy Trader Joe's Flowers for Weddings

To ensure your Trader Joe's flowers don't wilt before the big day arrives, it's best to buy them a day or two before the wedding—so if you're tying the knot on a Saturday, aim for Thursday or Friday morning. Be sure to consider the time you'll need to actually arrange the flowers into vases (make sure this task is built into your week-of wedding checklist), too, as you determine the best window for purchasing.

Since most Trader Joe's locations stock new flowers every single day, it's also best to arrive right when your local store opens. This way, you'll have the best chance of getting as many flowers as possible at peak freshness. Also feel free to ask someone in the floral department about when certain types of flowers will be come in; they might be able to give you advance-notice about what blooms they'll have that week.

What to Look for When Buying Trader Joe's Flowers for Weddings

You'll need to put your florist hat on if you're planning on purchasing Trader Joe's flowers for your wedding. Consider the event's venue (is it indoor and climate controlled or complete outside?), time of year (will it be super hot?), and seasonality (you'll need to be completely open to the varieties and colors Trader Joe's has available at that time) before you shop to ensure you purchase the best-possible buds for your celebration. If you're tying the knot in the hot summer months, for example, it's best to look for seasonal options that are heat resistant (like sunflowers, carnations, and lisianthus!) and skip varieties that easily wilt under the sun (like hydrangeas and tulips).

You'll also need to consider flower types. If you're hoping to arrange traditional wedding centerpieces and bouquets, you'll need a mix of greenery, focal flowers, and supporting blooms. And don't forget to think about your color palette—when shopping for Trader Joe's flowers for your wedding, stick to a simple color scheme (think white and blush or pink)—and proper floral care. Store blooms in water in a cool, dry place, like a garage, until you are ready to arrange or transport them to your venue.