Bowerbird Flowers & Apothecary

Nestled in a whimsical storefront in Durham’s hip new University Hill district is Bowerbird Flowers & Apothecary. Led by a mother-daughter team, this is our pick for the best wedding florist in Durham. They offer full-service floral design team for weddings and events, with a minimum of $4,500 for weddings.

Our Heart of NC team has worked with Bowerbird Flowers on several styled shoots. Take a peek at one of our favorites, a styled shoot in a lavender field. The design credit on these editorials is all credited to this amazing florist!

The Bowerbird Flowers Wedding Team

Diane Joyal and her daughter Lily Joyal have been serving North Carolina couples incredible floral design together since 2016. After previously working at UNC Children’s hospital, Diane decided to try a new career, one that would bring more joy to herself and others. And what could be better than bringing flowers to someone’s door or helping bring a bride’s wedding flower dreams a reality? Like her mother, Lily shares a background in art and found floral design to be the perfect creative outlet.

“My mom does all the buying for flowers, and she does an amazing job of creating gradients and color palettes for clients,” Lily says. “For weddings, we’ll do arbors or [flowers] hanging from the ceiling or have a tree on the wall. They’re almost like giant sculptures that are temporary. We probably spend three hours on-site building something, and it’s only going to last for a day, but it’s very fun to do.”

Bowerbird uses the best blooms the season has to offer, sourcing from North Carolina farmers as conditions allow. “We start local, then we go out regionally, and then we go out to American grown,” Diane says.

Working with a smaller wedding flower budget? Don’t worry. Bowerbird Flowers also offers floral essentials for your intimate wedding or elopement. All you have to do is order online and choose from one of their color palettes/styles (at least one week in advance). Their team also does smaller events throughout the year including corporate, private events and parties.

Unique Wedding Favors and Gifts at Bowerbird Flowers & Apothecary

What you might not know, is that Bowerbird also sells a curated selection of home, garden and self-care products. Whether you’re looking for a welcome basket for your wedding party, or welcome baskets for guests, or other wedding gifts, we think this is a great place to shop.

In fact, check out Bowerbird Apothecary’s gift kits. One of our personal favorites is the Pamper Kit, which comes with a herbal bath bomb, face mask (loved by Jonathan Van Ness!), shimmer mist and frosted rose vegan lip gloss. Is the bride worried sick about getting sick on the day of the wedding? Purchase a charming tin of Immune Booster tea – a tea that fortify your immune system with rosehips, elderberry and ginger root. All of Bowerbird Apothecary’s herbs are organically grown and sourced locally, from the Southeast, when possible.

Visit the Durham NC Shop for Flower Workshops

They even have an apothecary and botanical bar where guests can enjoy herbal drinks that are nonalcoholic, spritzers, elixirs, and a tea brand as well. Beyond that, Diane and her team offer flower design workshops and classes. These are great ideas for your wedding party, or an out of the box bridal shower.