For consumers who want to bypass a florist, a handful of companies offer flowers directly from the grower. Firms like 2G Roses, The Grower's Box and Bridesign boast of eliminating the florist, wholesaler and broker "middlemen" by shipping directly to the customer.

"We don't carry an inventory," says Jonathan Greene, co-founder of The Grower's Box, based in Winston-Salem, N.C. "In many cases, florists are limited to what their local wholesaler has. We're not limited to that or what's in the cooler." The company works with farms in the U.S., Central America and Asia, offering wholesale flowers, "Wedding-in-a-Box" packages and custom bulk orders.

Bridesign sells flowers in bulk and also offers ready-made wedding bouquets. "We're not going to be Chelsea Clinton's choice because she doesn't need to save 30 to 40 percent," says Robin Ratzenberger, Bridesign general manager. They ship the flowers to customers from their farm near Bogota, Colombia. "We're for the bride who wants to spend an extra $5,000 on the dress or honeymoon."

Both companies contend flowers arrive at a traditional florist's shop seven to 10 days after being cut, while their blooms can arrive within 48 hours.