How Many Stems Do I Need?

How Many Stems Do I Need?

We get this question a lot – and we totally get it. Estimating the number of flowers you’ll need for an event is tricky. How do you make sure you have enough material to make something beautiful, but not wind up with a bunch of unused stems when you’re done?  Well, you’re in the right place, and we’re here to help you sort through the confusion.

Before we get into the numbers, there’s two important points to bear in mind:

  1. Floral designs use a lot of stems. It’s surprising how many stems it takes just to fill a pint-sized Mason jar with flowers, let alone a large vase or urn. If the numbers we recommend seem high, please keep in mind that these stem estimates are based on our own experiences.
  2. Ratio of flowers to greenery. When it comes to floral design, a good rule of thumb to follow is to use equal parts focal flowers, accent flowers, and greenery. We like this particular ratio because it allows you to easily create lush, garden-style arrangements and bouquets. You can, of course, choose whatever ratio you like.  

Without further ado, here are our go-to stem estimates:

ItemFocal FlowersAccent FlowersGreeneryTotal Number of Stems
Mason Jar Posy6-76-76-720+
Large Jug of Flowers15-1715-1715-1750+
Bride’s Bouquet15-1715-1715-1750+
Bridesmaid Posy10-1210-1210-1235+
Bud Vase10-20-31-5

We hope this helps you plan the florals for your upcoming event!

If you’d like to request locally-grown flowers for your event in Memphis, hop on over to our Request Form and tell us a bit about you and what you’re looking for.

We can’t wait to share our flowers with you!

Dorian Campbell, florist and flower farmer, holding a bucket overflowing with seasonal flowers curated for a DIY Wedding in Memphis, TN in front of a building at Wild Earth Flower Farm, a sustainable flower farm and florist located in the East Memphis neighborhood of Memphis, TN.