How to Create a DIY Flower Bar on a Budget

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I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again– Galentine’s Day is one of the best days of the year. It’s a ton of fun, and it’s all about ladies celebratin’ ladies. Last year was the absolute worst (had one too many family health scares), so I wanted to do something special this year– and I landed on a DIY flower bar! I’ve been wanting to create one for so long, but I always assumed it’d be insanely expensive. It was surprisingly affordable, though, and it’s such a fun activity for parties, bridal showers, and even weddings. Keep reading for tips on how to create your own budget-friendly, build-your-own-bouquet bar. You can also press play on my Instagram Reel (below) for a before and after shot of the whole shebang!

How to Create a DIY Flower Bar

Creating a DIY flower bar can be as simple or complex (ie. affordable or extravagant) as you want it to be. It really just comes down to budget. As long as you have the right supplies, though (listing everything you need below!), the quantity of flowers really doesn’t matter. It’s all about getting creative.

In all honesty, I was working within a pretty modest budget for this flower bar cart, so I got real creative with all the extra touches. If you’re similarly strapped, keep reading for some simple tips for staying within your budget!

Bouquet Bar Supplies

One of the great things about creating your own DIY bars is that you can go as crazy as you want options-wise. I created this one for a Galentine’s Day brunch, so I kept it pretty simple. Here’s everything I used to create my budget-friendly DIY flower bar–

• “Flower Bar” sign– I used my Cricut and the backside of an art print (what can I say? I’m cheap crafty) to create this flower bar sign! You can grab the design here. 
• Instruction card– A build-your-own-bouquet bar is pretty self explanatory, but it’s nice to provide some instruction. You can see a close-up of mine below (linking the design here, too)!
• Garden roses– If you’re out to save money, order your flowers from Sam’s Club. A girlfriend tipped me off about Sam’s Club’s florals a few months back, and (assuming you’re wanting to buy in bulk) you will not find a better value anywhere else. I got this variety of pink garden roses for under $60! FYI- the price changes based on season/demand, so they may be more or less expensive at different points throughout the year. 
• Filler flowers– I didn’t want to buy filler flowers in bulk, so I went to the grocery store and grabbed some stock, spray roses, carnations, and baby’s breath. Other great budget-friendly filler flowers are al

  stroemeria

  , waxflower, statice, daisies, and button poms. 
• Greenery– Greenery is another great thing to buy in bulk! I ordered 50 stems of Nagi greenery from Sam’s, and it was more than enough. 
• Pink ribbon– I set out some pink ribbon (I figured it was only fitting for Galentine’s Day) for guests to wrap their bouquets with. Having scissors handy is a good idea, too!
• Vases– I love saving old glass bottles (particularly liquor bottles– some of them are so pretty!), so I set out a variety of vases for guests to choose from. If you aren’t a hoarder like me, you can grab a dozen mason jars from Walmart for under $10.  
• Floral spray– Floral spray helps keep flowers hydrated throughout the day. If you don’t have any on hand (I ordered mine off Amazon), mist them with water every few hours to keep them fresh. 

Also, they’re not visible in the frame, but it’s a good idea to have these items on-hand, too–

• Floral shears– I absolutely love my floral shears. Farmgirl Flowers uses them, and they cut stems at the perfect angle to maximize water intake. They’e a bit pricey, though, so regular scissors are a great alternative. 
• Water tubes– If any of your guests choose to make a bouquet with ribbon, they’re going to need water tubes to keep their flowers hydrated. You can find an 100-pack on Amazon!
• Floral wire– Just like water tubes, floral wire is essential for bouquet wrapping. If you don’t have floral wire on hand, floral tape works well, too. It’s just a little harder to use (at least in my opinion). 
• Flower food– It’s not at all necessary to hand out flower food, but it’s a nice touch– and it’ll help elongate the life of your guests’ arrangements!

Seriously, though– how beautiful are these white and pink garden roses?! They’re even more gorgeous after they’ve fully bloomed, too!

Tips for Creating a Budget-Friendly Flower Bar

One of the reasons I held off creating a DIY flower bar for so long was because I assumed it’d be insanely expensive. I mean, a single hydrangea stem is $5 at some florist shops. Fortunately, though, it wasn’t too bad at all. I think I spent under $150 on the whole shebang (it could’ve been much less, too, if I didn’t have my heart set on garden roses), and it had everything we needed and more.

Here are five tips for keeping your make-your-own-bouquet bar budget under control–

Tip #1: Buy your flowers in bulk.

I’m telling y’all– Sam’s Club is a game-changer if you need large quantities of flowers. The problem is, though, that buying in bulk typically involves 50+ stems. So, for secondary and filler flowers, I recommend going and buying a few stems of what’s in season or on sale at the grocery store. 

Tip #2: Stock up on greenery.

After creating Grocery Blooms, I realized just how handy greenery actually is. Not only is it beautiful, it takes up A LOT of space. It adds gorgeous dimension and color to arrangements, too. 

I do want to mention, though, that certain types of greenery are way more expensive than others. If you’re on a strict budget, you probably need to stay away from fresh Italian Ruscus and eucalyptus. Even in bulk, those can be $2+ per stem. Some more affordable options are typically lemon leaves, huckleberry, and Nagi greenery. I’d actually never heard of Nagi before now, but I love it– and it’s incredibly affordable. 

Tip #3: Use what you have.

Unless you’re going to Dollar Tree (which isn’t a bad idea), supplying 10+ vases can be expensive. So, get creative and use what you already have. I set out pink ribbon (which I got on clearance at Michael’s), some really cool old liquor bottles, and a few extra mason jars we had lying around. Everyone loved the variety!

The same goes for decor, too, by the way. I used my Cricut to make both my flower bar sign and instructions card. 

Tip #4: Avoid trendy flowers. 

I know… peonies and ranunculus are drop-dead gorgeous. Florists and growers know it, too,  and they charge accordingly. So, one easy way to save money is to only buy flowers that are easy to source and always in season. For example, roses are readily available year-round, as are carnations, and you can almost always get them for less than $1 per stem. 

Tip #5: Don’t go overboard. 

It’s extremely difficult for me to reign in my love for flowers (just ask Kyle), so I get it. It’s hard to not go overboard sometimes. Plus, full disclosure– I use an insane amount of flowers in my arrangements. So, I did some research and learned that the average small-sized mixed bouquet is around ten stems. Then, I took my guest list and multiplied it by 4 to determine how many statement flowers to buy. I did the same for secondary/filler flowers (x3) and greenery (x3), give or take a dozen. It was literally the perfect amount!

If you’re still not sure how many stems to order, I found this post particularly helpful. 

More Fun Galentine’s Day Ideas

Bouquet bars aren’t for everyone, and I know that. So, if you need some other fun Galentine’s Day activities (or bridal shower activities– the two literally go hand-in-hand), here are a few more ideas–

• Heart-Shaped Waffle Bar– Ladies love brunch, so create a fun little make-your-own-waffle bar! I created one for Galentine’s Day, and I used this mini iron to create little heart-shaped waffles. It all turned out so cute!
• Fondue Dessert Bar– Melted chocolate and fresh fruit?! Yes, please!
• Mimosa Bar– Regardless of the time/place/agenda, a colorful mimosa station never hurts! Whether it’s a full-on mimosa bar or just a designated corner with some champagne and fruit juice, it’ll get used. Trust me. 
• Candy Buffet Bar– A candy bar is an equally fun albeit much easier version of a DIY flower bar. You don’t have to worry about the flowers dying, and candy is significantly cheaper than fresh flowers!

 
What do y’all think?! Would you rather have a food/drink bar or a flower bar? It’s tough, but I literally can’t wait until I have an excuse to create another build-your-own-bouquet bar, so it’s safe to say I’d choose the latter. 

PS- For even more Galentine’s Day party inspiration, check out some fun Galentine’s Day bar cart ideas here. Also, if you need gift ideas for your BFF or mom/sister/whoever, check out 14 super cute Valentine’s gifts for her under $50. Thanks for reading, y’all!

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There are several different ways to press flowers, however, some of these techniques take a few weeks to do. For those that are not so patient, or get the urge to craft right that minute, I’m going to show you how to press flowers in just five minutes or less. Once you have your bouquet of pressed flowers you can craft the day away making cards, decoupage projects, and more.

You can also check out our other Flower Friday projects: Yarn Bombing Flowers | The Second Life of Fresh Flowers | DIY Dried Flower Bouquet | Dried Flower Soaps | Rose and Eucalyptus Body Scrub

Learn how to press flowers in just five minutes after the jump…

Start by picking out a handful of flowers. This technique works best with flowers that are pretty flat already, instead of bulky flowers like large roses.

You need the flowers to be as dry as possible before you get started. Pat them down on a paper towel if there is dew on the leaves. Then, place the flowers on a piece of parchment paper. Place another piece of parchment paper on top. Now, sandwich that between two paper towels or pieces of cloth.

Turn off the steam function on your iron and set it to medium-high heat. Iron the flowers by pressing the iron on them for about ten seconds. Continue to iron them at ten to fifteen second intervals for about three minutes. You don’t want to iron these flowers like you would a t-shirt, instead you want to lift and press. The amount of time depends on each flower.

Iron the flowers until they are completely dry. Let cool and then you are ready to craft!

by Pretty Prudent

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