Post # 1
Member
7300 posts
Busy Beekeeper
I’m sorry y’all, but I am obsessed with peonies! After my disaster with afloral.com I’m a little iffy about ordering online again.
Sadly, my friends mother died last week and my other friend got her a bouquet of real touch roses from this site: http://www.flowerdepotstore.com
I have never heard of Flowerdepotstore.com and can’t find any reviews on them anywhere. There are two topics on weddingbee about them and that’s it. The roses looked amazing!
So I went to search and they have real touch peonies http://www.flowerdepotstore.com/retosipe1s.html
at $7.99 a piece. It sounds expensive, but I have been looking around the internet for average floral cost for a peony bouquet and some go all the way up to $200!
So is $7.99 a piece too much and has anyone ever dealt with this site? I might just place another trial order.
Post # 3
Member
494 posts
Helper bee
what is your budget? why don’t you get real ones?
Post # 4
Member
302 posts
Helper bee
Real peonies were outside my budget, so I bought real touch ones from Michaels. They were about $8-$9 a stem as well, so I just waited until I had coupons (or they went on sale) and bought in smaller batches. That price sounds about right even for artificial, but I was originally quoted $200 for a bouquet of 15 real peonies – no additional flowers. OMFG.
Post # 5
Member
5891 posts
Bee Keeper
that sounds incredibly high to me for faux flowers, but i am admittedly no expert.
Post # 6
Member
494 posts
Helper bee
@Miss BBQ: For mine, I got a quote $135 for 12 peonies…. I am planning to have 15… so I guess around $160. It is actually just a bit more expensive than real touch/ silk…. so I have decided to use real.
Post # 7
Member
1124 posts
Bumble bee
Considering I usually see faux peonies for upwards of 10$ a stem, it seems like a good price to me!
Post # 8
Member
7300 posts
Busy Beekeeper
@big_monchhichi: Well, I just don’t want to spend that amount on something that will die in a few days. 🙁 I’m having a hard enough time convincing myself that it’s okay to spend $400 on cupcakes and cutting cake that’s just going to be eaten, digested, and shit out. Graphic? Yes. But that’s how I feel. I want to compare cost. If I can get 15 real touch for $120 and some floral supplies while the florist might charge me $200 for real peonies that will die, I think I will go with the real touch option. I’m just hoping someone else has used this site.
ETA: Okay, so a florist FINALLY gave me a quote for 15 peonies and nothing else for a June wedding and she said $250 and that includes delivery.
Post # 9
Member
955 posts
Busy bee
yo baby – i think you can find real peonies in Pittsburgh in June. Seriously woman, you rock and I know you can figure out how to get what you want for how much you can afford 🙂 Hang in there, it is always the darkest before the peony dawn lol!
a. grocery store – talk to the lady at the desk and ask if she can get a single bucket for you in June. You could easy take 5 stems, wrap a ribbon around them, and be on your way to ceremony. Right? I can see you in your Dolly Gown w/a beautiful bouquet right now! 🙂
b. trader joes? – not sure if they are in PA yet or not.
c. craigslist? try a posting and see if a grower bites on your listing
d. local farmers market – walk the market and talk to flower people, even farmers as some might know of someone.
e. last idea, I promise. A girl that I babysat for (yes the little stinker beat me to the altar – hey i was picky what can i say?!?) went door to door in her neighborhood and asked neighbors if they would be willing to give up their peonies for her and they all did! her mom’s garage looked like a floral shop!
Finally, 2 more cents from a flower maniac. If you are going to do fake peonies, be open to possibly dried flowers instead. Dried hydraengas photograph beautifully and have a vintage look & I think would really “pop” with your dress. 
Post # 10
Member
5761 posts
Bee Keeper
http://www.bridgewatergardens.com/peony_page.html
Have you seen this site? Might be worth getting a price from them.
Post # 11
Member
1074 posts
Bumble bee
One of the blogger bees used faux peonies…. Mrs Lab?
Post # 12
Member
494 posts
Helper bee
@Miss Tattoo: how about saveoncraft? I think they also have real touch. I found a website for you… a bride used their realtouch peonies to make a bouquet. I think it looks pretty nice:
http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/forum/thread/67326/real-touch-bouquet-pink-peonies-w-pics
Post # 13
Member
1074 posts
Bumble bee
Post # 14
Member
3709 posts
Sugar bee
I know that you have had bad luck with online, but have you tried fiftyflowers? They have peonies ranging from 25 for 129.99 to 100 for 329.99. Also, you can use garden roses to get that peony look and that should be more affordable as well.
Post # 15
Member
7300 posts
Busy Beekeeper
@JeniRae: Yes! Mrs. Lab did order them from afloral.com but they no longer carry the ones she used. I ordered from the same site and they looked like tissue paper! I sent them back.
@sfchick: lol I actually thought going back to my moms old house and asking the neighbors if I could have the peonies when they bloom. Then I thought about arranging flowers the day before the wedding and I don’t want anything to do with that!
Post # 16
Member
7300 posts
Busy Beekeeper
@Miss BBQ: Do you have photos? Every time I go to Michaels, the peonies are always gone!
