Planning your wedding flowers can be one of the most exciting and overwhelming parts of your big day. Whether you’re eloping, having a small ceremony, or planning a full-scale wedding event, the floral arrangements you choose help set the tone for your entire celebration. And thanks to online floral delivery services, you no longer have to rely solely on local florists or large event planners. Two major players in the wedding flower space are UrbanStems and Poppy Flowers, both offering brides new, flexible ways to order flowers online. But which one is right for you?

I’ve had the chance to personally order from both UrbanStems and Poppy Flowers, and I want to share what I learned with you! Everything from bouquet size, quality, and styling to shipping timelines, customer experience, and pricing, so you can find the floral service that fits your wedding style, timeline, and budget.

The Short Answer

If you’re looking for a quick, easy, and stylish bridal bouquet with zero stress, UrbanStems is the way to go, especially for elopements, courthouse weddings, or last-minute events. Their flowers arrive fast, fully arranged, and wedding-ready. Poppy Flowers is a better fit for brides planning a full wedding who either want a complete floral package or enjoy DIY-ing their own arrangements. Their blooms are premium and gorgeous, but be ready to do some arranging (and planning ahead).

Meet the Brands: Poppy Flowers and UrbanStems

Before diving in, it’s important to note that Poppy At Home and Poppy Weddings are very different experiences. Since I wasn’t planning a large wedding, I didn’t need Poppy’s full-service wedding curation. My experience was solely with Poppy At Home, which offers a DIY approach. In contrast, Poppy Weddings provides a hands-on, personalized process where you work directly with a local florist and designer to coordinate every detail. Understanding which version of Poppy you’re interacting with makes a big difference in your expectations and overall satisfaction.

UrbanStems is a modern floral delivery service known for its chic, pre-arranged bouquets and fast, nationwide shipping. Their collection includes everything from birthday flowers to thank-you gifts, but they also offer a dedicated bridal collection, perfect for elopements, intimate weddings, or bridal portraits. UrbanStems is ideal for couples who want beautiful flowers delivered quickly and with minimal fuss.

Poppy Flowers, in contrast, offers two distinct options for brides:

• Poppy At Home provides DIY floral kits designed for customers who want to arrange their own flowers, perfect for intimate weddings or smaller-scale events.
• Poppy Weddings is their full-service offering, where you work directly with a local floral designer to curate a complete wedding floral package, including bridal bouquets, centerpieces, and ceremony arrangements.

This flexibility allows Poppy to serve both DIY brides and those seeking a full-service experience at a lower cost than traditional florists.

My Orders: What I Bought and Why

To test both services, I ordered from each brand as a bride would:

From Poppy: I ordered the large “Queen’s Crown” bouquet from Poppy’s At-Home Arranging Kit, which featured their signature Queen’s Crown garden roses and a mix of ranunculus, anemones, thistle, eucalyptus, peonies, and seasonal greenery. The flowers were high quality, though they needed a few hours to recover after their 10-day journey from Ecuador. The bouquet was very large, almost too big to carry comfortably down the aisle, and arrived in individual bunches, not pre-arranged. While the kit promoted a DIY floral experience with a QR code for video help, the link only led to Poppy’s homepage, offering no actual tutorial.

Poppy Flowers pictured: Once I found a vase big enough to handle all 55 stems (possible exaggeration, but not by much!), things got a lot less chaotic. I won’t lie—opening the box to a pile of unarranged flowers was a little overwhelming at first. But after a deep breath (and a little trial and error), I ended up pretty impressed with how it turned out!

From UrbanStems: I ordered the Double “The Sorbet” bouquet from UrbanStems’ bridal collection, and it arrived just 2 days after ordering. The bouquet included roses, veronica, carnations, solomio, eucalyptus, and greenery, and came fully arranged, requiring only a quick stem trim before placing it in a vase. While smaller than Poppy’s bouquet, it was perfectly sized for a bridal bouquet and effortless to use.

UrbanStems pictured: This one was a little harder to capture just how beautiful the flowers really were, so I’m sharing another angle too. All it took was a quick trim of the stems and into the vase they went—super simple!

These two experiences couldn’t have been more different— and while both companies have their own strengths, it’s clear they cater to entirely different needs. Interestingly, the cost for each was fairly comparable.

Ordering Experience: Smooth vs. Strategic

The ordering experience with each company reveals a lot about who they’re built for.

With UrbanStems, the process was seamless. Their website is intuitive and easy to navigate, especially for individuals purchasing a single bouquet. The wedding collection is clearly labeled, and placing an order took just a few clicks. You can apply a 20% first-time customer discount, and shipping is free on most orders. It’s perfect for modern brides who want a beautiful bouquet without a complicated ordering process.

By contrast, Poppy Flowers has a website geared toward couples planning full weddings. It took significantly longer to figure out how to order just one bouquet, as most of the site encourages you to book an entire floral package. For DIY brides trying to place an individual order through Poppy At Home, it might feel a bit clunky and indirect. That said, if you’re working with Poppy Weddings as a full-service floral partner, the customer support and customization options are robust.

Shipping Timelines: Fast vs. Flexible

When it comes to shipping, the difference is striking.

UrbanStems delivered their Double “The Sorbet” bouquet just two days after ordering. It arrived fresh, well-packaged, and ready to use. For brides with tight timelines or last-minute floral needs, UrbanStems is a clear winner.

Poppy Flowers, on the other hand, took 10 full days to deliver the Queen’s Crown bouquet (their shipping FAQ says 5-7 days, this was not my experience, but it was over a holiday weekend). The delay is understandable, as my flowers shipped directly from Ecuador. Still, this extended shipping time requires planning ahead and may not suit last-minute or spontaneous wedding needs.

Both companies offer free shipping, but UrbanStems has the clear edge when it comes to speed and convenience.

Styling & Presentation: DIY vs. Done-for-You

Another major distinction between the two brands is how the flowers are styled upon arrival.

UrbanStems bouquets come fully arranged. The Double “The Sorbet” bouquet featured a gorgeous mix of roses, veronica, carnations, solomio, eucalyptus, and greenery, all professionally styled and tied together. All that was required was trimming the stems and placing it in a vase. For a bride getting ready for photos or walking down the aisle, this ease is invaluable.

Poppy Flowers takes a different approach with their Poppy At Home kits. Their Queen’s Crown bouquet arrived in individual bunches, not arranged. The bouquet came with a brochure promoting a DIY experience, including a QR code for a video tutorial. However, the QR code only led back to the homepage, and no instructional content could be found. While the flowers were stunning and high-quality, the arrangement process added a layer of stress that not every bride wants to deal with. Of course, if you are ordering through Poppy Weddings, this will be a different experience.

If you love flower arranging or want to involve friends or bridesmaids in creating your bouquet, Poppy At Home’s DIY option could be a fun experience. But if you prefer a polished, ready-to-use bouquet, UrbanStems is the better option.

Bouquet Style, Size, and Quality

Let’s talk flowers— because ultimately, that’s what matters most.

Poppy Flowers:

• The bouquet was large, almost oversized. While this might appeal to some brides looking for a dramatic look, it felt overwhelming in size and slightly unbalanced for carrying down the aisle.
• The flowers were beautiful and seemed high-end, but they arrived completely unarranged, in separate bunches. This required time, tools, and floral skill to make them wedding-ready.
• Their approach is clearly DIY-focused, which may work for crafty brides or those with time to assemble their own arrangements, but could be stressful for others.

UrbanStems:

• A double of “The Sorbet” bouquet, part of their bridal collection, arrived already styled and professionally arranged. All I had to do was trim the stems and put them in a vase, no floral foam, no wire, no YouTube tutorials needed.
• While the bouquet included more affordable flowers like carnations, the final look was elegant, fresh, and full of texture. It felt romantic and bridal without being over-the-top.
• The size was smaller than Poppy’s bouquet, but that actually worked in its favor. It was easier to handle, carry, and display — a practical option for walking down the aisle or posing in photos. If you prefer a bigger bouquet, they do have triple sizes available for some arrangements.

In terms of ease, UrbanStems wins. For brides who want their bouquet to arrive wedding-ready, it’s the clear choice. Poppy’s bouquet may appeal to those wanting full creative control or a grander size, but it requires more effort and floral know-how.

This side-by-side is just to show the size difference—keep in mind, the UrbanStems bouquet on the left was already 9 days old here… and still looking pretty great if you ask me!

Pricing and Value

Interestingly, both bouquets were priced similarly when you factor in shipping (which is free for both). However, what you get for that price varies.

Poppy offers a more luxury-scale product in terms of flower type and size, but with the caveat that it requires assembly. You also have to plan far in advance. On the other hand, UrbanStems delivers value through its styling, convenience, and speed. Their arrangements are perfect for smaller-scale weddings, elopements, or brides who want something beautiful without going all-in on a full wedding floral package.

Poppy shines in full wedding floral packages through Poppy Weddings, starting at $1,750, including bridal bouquets, centerpieces, and more. With low-cost deposits and consistent communication, they’re a great budget-friendly alternative to traditional florists.

Who Should Choose UrbanStems?

UrbanStems is ideal for:

• Brides planning elopements, courthouse weddings, or intimate ceremonies
• Those needing just one or two bouquets
• Anyone working on a tight timeline
• Brides who don’t want to arrange flowers themselves
• Customers looking for modern styling and fast, free shipping

Who Should Choose Poppy Flowers?

Poppy is best for:

• Brides planning larger weddings with multiple floral needs
• Those wanting premium flower varieties
• Couples looking for an affordable full-service alternative to traditional florists through Poppy Weddings
• Brides who enjoy or are comfortable with DIY arrangements through Poppy At Home
• Weddings with plenty of planning time

Which Service Is Right for You?

To help you decide, here’s a quick breakdown based on bridal needs:

UrbanStems if you want a quick, easy, and beautiful bridal bouquet for an elopement, courthouse wedding, photo shoot, or micro-wedding. You value convenience, affordability, and modern styling.

Poppy Flowers if you are planning an entire wedding and want a full-service floral package. You’re comfortable assembling arrangements yourself or working with a team to do it. You have time to wait for international shipping.

Final Verdict: Poppy Flowers or UrbanStems?

Choosing between Poppy Flowers and UrbanStems really comes down to your wedding needs.

If you’re looking for a full-scale floral partner to handle all your wedding florals at a competitive price, Poppy Flowers is a great choice. Their premium blooms and event expertise are hard to beat if you’re planning well in advance and are okay with some hands-on involvement.

But if you’re a modern bride who needs just a few elegant arrangements, wants a stress-free experience, and appreciates the ease of ready-to-use, beautifully styled bouquets delivered in just a couple of days, UrbanStems is the winner.

Both companies bring beauty and convenience to the table in their own ways, it just depends on what kind of floral experience you want to have.

Poppy definitely has its strengths, especially when it comes to full wedding floral coordination or larger-scale events. Compared to hiring an individual florist for an entire wedding, Poppy’s starting packages at $1,750, low deposit, and ongoing support offer impressive value. However, if you’re a modern bride looking for just a few beautiful bouquets or small-scale arrangements with fast shipping, minimal stress, and elegant design, UrbanStems is the more fitting choice.

They made it easy, affordable, and enjoyable, and 12 days later, my UrbanStems bouquet still looked fresh and lovely. That kind of staying power (both in quality and experience) is hard to beat.

Love You Tomorrow Tip: Order early, read the fine print, and always track shipping dates carefully. When it comes to your wedding flowers, a little preparation goes a long way, and knowing which service matches your vision can make all the difference.