DIY Flowers, where's the place to shop?

My mom is doing all of my flowers.  Where is the most economical place to purchase/order flowers?  She just visited the SF flower mart and said she actually wasn't that impressed with their prices.  We aren't looking for anything too fancy, branches, white roses (white flowers like lilies, etc), moss, amaranthus.  Things along those veins.  TIA!!!

a lot of people have mentioned Costco and Sam's for bulk flowers....

Do they order off the website I wonder?  I was just in Costco yesterday and they just have their regular bouquets?  Hmm, I'll have to look up the site and see.

I heard Costco is a great place for this. And I've browsed on there website and theres where the "wedding flowers" seem to be. Good luck!

another option is going to a florist and asking them where they get their flowers. tell them you want to practice flower arranging for a party and want to buy bulk. maybe they'll tell ya?

i know you can buy certain types in bulk from their website....let us know what you find out!

WMF- My mom is friends with a florist who was the one who told her to go to the SF Flower Mart.  I just checked Costco and I could get bulk white roses, but the thing is you don't know what they will look like until you get them and white is difficult because there are so many different shades....kwim?

ahh. yes. i know what you mean. i heard of a website before i think called fiftyflowers.com they i remember seeing various options of various shades of white.

edit: Yes www.fiftyflowers.com is a site i said i'd use if needed. Yeah too bad you're not in LA, their flower mart is awesome! Did you mom try bargaining with the florists? Some of them are open to bargaining especially if you order ahead of time and order a lot.

downtown is great but you got to get there early - I'm talking 4 or 5 am.  If you are in LA.  They have huge wearhouses that open and lots to chose from :)

p.s. for downtown you have to have a dealers lisence to get in before 8am (or is it 10am). After that its open to the public but you have to pay 4 bucks per person to get in.

My sister used www.bloomsbythebox.com for her wedding flowers. they were absolutely gorgeous. their customer service was really impressive also.