I Need 500 Artificial Flower Stems for an Event: How to Buy Without a High Minimum

The question usually arrives in this form: an event needs around 500 stems, and the suppliers you have found want a carton per colour, or a minimum order value that pushes you to buy far more than the design uses. This guide works out what 500 stems means in packs, money and time, and how to get there without buying stock you will not use.

Quick Answer

Count in packs, not stems. Most of our ready-made flowers come in packs of 25 to 100 stems, so 500 stems is roughly 5 to 20 packs. Because there is no minimum order, those packs can be 5 to 20 different flowers or colours. Check a sample first, choose US-stock items if your date is close, and leave time to reshape the stems before setup.

What 500 Stems Is in Packs

The most common pack sizes in NB8 Floral’s catalogue are 30, 100, 60, 35 and 25 stems. The pack size is listed on every product page. Check it before you count: two roses that look alike can come in packs of 24 and 90.

What 500 Stems Costs, by Pack Size

We read every price in NB8 Floral’s catalogue on 10 October 2026 and divided each pack price by its stem count. That gave 1,675 single-stem listings; bouquets and loose flower heads were left out.

Larger packs cost less per stem, and that gap is bigger than the gap between materials (see our per-stem price analysis). These figures are catalogue medians, not a quote: the flowers you choose will move the total up or down. Shipping to US addresses is free (Alaska and Hawaii excluded).

Why Minimums Get in the Way at 500 Stems

500 stems sits in an awkward place. It is too many to buy comfortably at retail prices, and often too few for factory-direct suppliers whose minimums apply per product and per colour. If a minimum applies to each colour, a five-colour design multiplies it by five. These steps help with any supplier:

• Ask what the minimum applies to. Per order, per product and per colour are very different numbers.
• Ask whether different products can be combined to reach an order minimum.
• Let greenery and filler carry the volume. They often come in larger packs at a lower price per stem, so the colour-critical focal flowers become a smaller share of the count. See filler flowers for arrangements.
• Buy colour-critical flowers in small packs and bulk flowers in large packs.
• Plan for reuse. If the arrangements will be used again, the cost per event falls with every use.

How Mixing Works With Us

There is no minimum order on our ready-made styles, so you can buy one pack each of as many products as the design needs: 17 packs can be 17 different flowers. Each pack normally contains one colour. Several colours inside a single pack can be arranged, but only with our sales team before you order. Contact us with the product, the colours and the quantities.

You do not need a trade account, business licence or resale certificate to order. Anyone can buy at the listed price. More on our approach is on the small-batch wholesale page and in the MOQ guide.

A Worked Example

An illustration, not a recommended recipe: a design built from two focal colours, one secondary flower, and filler with greenery.

At the catalogue medians above, the 300 stems in 30-stem packs come to about $750 and the 200 stems in 100-stem packs to about $340: roughly $1,090 in total. That is four different products and five line items, with no minimum to meet on any of them.

Example: 500 White Roses to California by 1 December

A request we see in exactly this form: 500 white roses, delivered to an address in California, by 1 December. Here are five real options from our white roses collection, priced on 11 October 2026. Prices change, so check the product page before ordering.

How the date changes the choice:

• US-stock options are processed in 1–3 business days and then take 2–5 business days in transit. US-stock quantities are limited, so before ordering 7 to 9 packs of one product, contact us to confirm we hold that many.
• Pre-order options are produced to order, usually in about 30 days, and we confirm the full schedule, including transit, with your order. Ordering in mid-October leaves room before 1 December; ordering in mid-November does not.
• Thanksgiving falls on 26 November 2026. Aim for delivery before that week rather than in it.
• “White” is not one colour. Two products called white can be different shades. If you split 500 stems across two products, check both side by side first.

Shipping to a California address is free.

Timing: Work Back From the Event Date

• US-stock items are processed in 1–3 business days, then take 2–5 business days in transit by UPS or FedEx. See US warehouse shipping.
• Pre-order items are produced to order. The lead time is shown on the product page, usually about 30 days, and we confirm the schedule with your order. If you have a fixed event date, contact us before ordering.
• Add your own buffer. Unpacking and reshaping 500 stems after shipping takes time. Do not plan for the delivery to arrive on the day of setup.

Check a Sample Before You Buy 500

At 500 stems, a colour that looks different under your venue lighting is an expensive surprise. Our Sample Box costs $39.90 and contains 10 stems in one colour, mixing silk, PU and real-touch materials, so you can handle the difference yourself. To check one specific product, a single pack of it works as a sample too.

If Something Arrives Damaged

Defective, damaged or wrong items can be reported within 7 days of delivery with photos, and we cover the return shipping in those cases. We do not accept returns for a change of mind, which is one more reason to sample first. The details are in our return and refund policy.

FAQ

How many packs is 500 artificial flower stems?

Between 5 and 20 packs, depending on pack size: 20 packs of 25, 17 packs of 30, 10 packs of 50 or 5 packs of 100. The pack size is listed on each product page.

How much do 500 artificial flower stems cost?

At NB8 Floral’s catalogue medians (read 10 October 2026), about $850 in packs of more than 60 stems, about $1,250 in packs of 26–60, and about $1,550 in packs of 13–25. The flowers you choose will move the total.

Can I mix colours and flowers in one order?

Yes. There is no minimum order, so every pack can be a different product or colour. Each pack normally holds one colour; mixed colours inside one pack can be arranged with our sales team before you order.

How far ahead should I order 500 stems for an event?

For US-stock items, allow 1–3 business days of processing plus 2–5 business days in transit, then time to unpack and reshape. Pre-order items are usually about 30 days in production before shipping; contact us first if your date is fixed.

Do I need a resale certificate or trade account to buy 500 stems?

Not with us. Anyone can order at the listed price, and no business documents are required.