When Should I Order My Silk Wedding Bouquet?

— aka: How to Not Lose Your Mind (or Money) Over Fake Flowers

Let’s be brutally honest for a second. Planning a wedding is like voluntarily signing up for an Olympic-level obstacle course where everything is pretty, expensive, and wrapped in chiffon.

And somewhere between "Which shade of ivory matches my soul?" and "Is it weird to uninvite my cousin because she RSVPed with six kids?" you’ll find yourself grappling with one seemingly innocent question:

“When should I order my silk wedding bouquet?”

And no, the answer is not “whenever I feel like it.” Because if it were, I wouldn’t be writing this, and you wouldn’t be here Googling while slowly spiraling into decision paralysis.

So let’s skip the fluff, cut through the Pinterest noise, and break this down the only way we know how—real talk, cold facts, and zero tolerance for unnecessary chaos.

First Things First: Why Silk?

If you're reading this, I’m assuming you've chosen silk flowers over fresh ones. Which, frankly, means you're already smarter than the average bride.

Silk flowers don’t wilt. They don’t trigger Aunt Linda’s pollen allergy. They don’t arrive late because the Ecuadorian rose shipment got stuck in customs. And—plot twist—you can actually keep them. As in, not throw $300+ worth of petals in the trash 48 hours after you’ve said “I do.”

The people at Rinlong totally get this. Their silk wedding bouquets are designed to look like the real thing, minus the stress, the bugs, and the decay. You know, exactly what you want out of both flowers and marriage.

The 3-to-6 Month “Safe Zone”

Here’s the baseline:
If you’re ordering a pre-designed silk bouquet from an online store, the sweet spot is 3 to 6 months before your wedding.

Why? Because life is chaos and shipping delays are real. And unless you enjoy sweating bullets over whether your flowers will arrive before your big day, build in a buffer. A big, fluffy, emotionally stabilizing buffer.

Also—what if the bouquet shows up and it’s not quite right? You want time to fix it, not be rage-emailing customer service three days before your rehearsal dinner while sobbing into a tulle swatch.

But Wait, Are You a DIY Queen?

If you’re the kind of bride who looked at a glue gun and said, “Yes, this shall be my legacy,” then congratulations: you’re on the 6 to 12-month timeline.

Why so early? Because you’ll be scavenging flowers during clearance sales, hot-gluing your vision together with caffeine-fueled ambition, and probably redoing it twice because it didn’t look exactly like your mood board.

Planning this far out gives you time to practice, procrastinate, cry a little, and still nail it. Plus, silk flowers don’t go bad—so take advantage of that immortality.

Going Custom? You're in a Relationship Now.

Ordering a custom silk bouquet from an independent artist? Buckle up, you’re in a creative situationship. The kind that involves consultations, back-and-forths, deposits, and the occasional creative disagreement over whether blush pink is too “2017.”

Lead time here? Minimum 6 months. Ideally 9 to 12. Especially if you’re getting married in peak season (hi, September and October brides—you’re not special, just in a traffic jam of bookings).

Artists on Etsy and platforms like Rinlong often book out months in advance, because they’re not bouquet robots—they’re actual humans with hot glue burns and vision boards. Respect their time. Order early. Be kind.

Don't Be That Person Who Forgets About Shipping

Let me say this louder for the people in the back: Shipping is not instant.

Your bouquet will need to be packed, protected like the crown jewels, and delivered by a carrier who may or may not be having a bad week.

Build in:

• Time for shipping (especially if international).

• Time to inspect the bouquet.

• Time to store it properly (away from sun, dust, pets, or whatever chaos exists in your closet).

Pro tip: A cool, dark box with lots of padding is your best friend. Your bouquet deserves better than the backseat of your car for six weeks.

But What If I Order Too Early?

Good question. Here’s the deal: silk flowers can fade if left sitting in sunlight for months. So if you’re ordering super early (like a year in advance), don’t stick them on a windowsill like a houseplant.

Treat them like your wedding dress: safely stored, unbothered, and protected from the world’s nonsense until it’s showtime.

So… When Should You Actually Order?

Let’s summarize with some Mark Manson-grade clarity:

• Pre-designed bouquet: Order 3–6 months out

• Custom bouquet: Start the process 6–12 months out

• DIY: Start sourcing 6–12 months out, build as you go

• Peak season / destination wedding? Bump it up by 1–2 months

• Control freak with anxiety? Order early and store it like it’s made of diamonds

And if you don’t want to deal with any of that? Go to Rinlong Flower, find a bouquet that makes your heart do backflips, and let them handle the hard stuff. They’ve turned flower planning into an art—and made sure you don’t need a Xanax to enjoy it.

Silk Wedding Bouquet Ordering Timeline Based on Type

Final Thought: Your Bouquet Is Not Just a Bouquet

It’s a keepsake. A visual symbol of your day, your style, your chaos made beautiful.

So plan for it like it matters. Because you know what sucks more than overpriced roses? A late bouquet, a mismatched vibe, or a meltdown that could have been prevented with a simple calendar reminder.

Now go forth, order wisely, and may your fake flowers bring you real joy.