Bud Vases are the easiest arrangement to DIY for your wedding, bridal shower, dinner party, or other event. You don’t need to worry about expensive florists or making complicated bouquets. Just put a few stems in a vase for an adorable arrangement.

And just because they’re little, doesn’t mean they don’t have big impact!!

I made 60+ bud vase arrangements this summer for my brother’s wedding and they were my favorite arrangements out of the whole wedding!

If you’re looking to DIY your own bud vases, keep reading for the full breakdown. And if you need flowers for your own DIY bud vases, you can order Bulk Buckets of Flowers from me and pick them up at the farm!

What Vases to Use

Sure, it's easy to order on Amazon, but I highly recommend searching for used vases first!! Sooo many brides sell or donate their bud vase collections after their wedding and they're pretty easy to find for cheap.

For a bud vase, you’ll want a collection of vases in different heights and shapes for the most interest. Select vases with very narrow openings. If the opening is too wide, the flowers will flop around.

*A collection of thrifted vases, all with narrow openings that fit only a few stems of flowers*

What Flowers to Use in Bud Vases

I break it down into 3 different types of flowers:

A piece of textural foliage (oregano, mint, sweet pea stem, eucalyptus, etc)
A whimsical flower (feverfew, wild carrot, foxglove)
A focal flower (cosmos, zinnia, dahlia)

*From left to right: cosmos, didiscus lace flower, scabiosa, feverfew, starflower, oregano, foxglove*

How many flowers do you need per bud vase?

I generally use 3-5 stems per vase. The point is not to make a big huge bouquet, it’s to create an accent of loose, whimsical flowers.

If you need 10 vases, you’ll want to get 30-50 flowers (I always get extra in case some break).

Each of my Bulk Buckets of Flowers will get you 15-20 bud vases.

What flowers are best to use in bud vases for a wildflower style?

I’m obsessed with the wildflower vibe right now. So cute and airy!!

Here’s my favorite flowers to use in bud vases for a wildflower style:

Feverfew
Foxglove
Scabiosa
Zinnia
Dahlias
Sweet peas
Snapdragons
Oregano
Mint
Wild carrot
Phlox
Berries on stems like raspberries, blackberries, etc

I can absolutely help you choose flowers for your bud vases!

Put in an order for a DIY Bulk Bucket of Flowers and send me an email at info@bigoakflowerfarm.com so we can talk through the details together.

How much does it cost to make bud vases?

It’s usually cheaper & easier to DIY Bud Vases for your wedding rather than hiring a florist.

You can pick flowers from your own yard or buy them. I sell bulk buckets of flowers for $120 which include at least 60 stems of flowers, which breaks down to no more than $2 per stem.

Let’s say the vases cost $3 per vase (that’s often what I pay for secondhand), plus $2/stem x 3-5 stems = $9-13 per arrangement.

That’s still cheaper than what you’d pay at the florist. (But remember!! Florists aren’t price gouging you just because it’s a wedding. Bud vases take time to assemble, transport to the venue, and clean up, etc)

How to Get Flowers

Option 1: Harvest your own

You can pick flowers for your bud vases up to 1-2 days before your event. Using sharp snips, cut the number of flowers you need and put them all in a large vase with water. Store them in a cool place out of direct sun until you’re ready to assemble the vases.

To calculate the number of stems you need, multiply the number of bud vases by the number of stems you’ll include in each one. (I recommend 3-5 stems of flowers)

For my brother’s wedding, I needed 60 bud vases with 3 stems each, so 60 × 3 = 90 total stems.

Option 2: Buy flowers from a local flower farmer

You’ll get fresher, more unique flowers when you buy local rather than from the grocery store!! Most of the grocery store flowers are shipped in from around the world, covered in pesticides, and are honestly kinda boring 😂

Find a local flower farmer, and if you’re in the Willamette Valley in Oregon, check out my Bulk Buckets of Flowers so you can buy beautiful flowers affordably!!

Order Bulk Flowers

Bud Vases: Everything you need to know to DIY bud vase arrangements