Finding a wedding Florist can be a challenge so I’ve written a blog post all about how to find a wedding Florist. I’ve also outlined how to get the most from your Florist and what to expect through the process. First things first, you’ve got to decide if you want to use a Florist. Lots of brides do choose to do their wedding flowers themselves in order to save money but it’s a significant undertaking.
Why use a Wedding Florist?
The prep for your wedding flowers starts 3-4 days in advance of the wedding when the flowers are sourced and conditioned but the majority of the work actually occurs on the day of the wedding! Most florists will make the bouquets, buttonholes and flower crowns on the morning of the wedding – not something you want to be doing whilst you’re having your hair and makeup done!
The main thing to remember is that your Florist is an artist. They will have catered for many weddings and know what works and what doesn’t when it comes to venues, flowers and colours. Florists are trained on how to create designs and also how to look after the flowers. You might not know how to revive a wilted hydrangea or drooping rose, but your Florist certainly does!
Leaving it to the professionals in this instance can save you a lot of time and worry when you should be enjoying your big day and ensure that your floral dream comes to life.
Finding Your Florist
Once you’ve decided you want to use a Florist, you need to find one! Recommendations are a great place to start the search. If you fell in love with a friends wedding flowers last year, make sure you find out who put them together and ask if your friend is happy to recommend. If you’ve not seen any which are quite your style, the Internet is the best place to go. Vast and endless as it is, your dream florist will be out there.
Take a look on Instagram for inspiration and to check out the portfolio of Florists in your area. Pinterest is great for building your inspiration boards but also for finding your Florist. Found your dream table runner on a Pin? Look up who did the floral styling and see where they are based. Also, make sure you follow any Florists you see in bridal magazines or blogs which are similar to your style and don’t be afraid to get in touch and tell them what you’re looking for.
Look closely through their portfolio and check that their style reflects you. Florists are amazingly creative and are able to create bespoke designs just for you but it’s important to check that their portfolio reflects the overall look you want so that you can be confident that your design will match your vision.
You don’t need to choose a Florist who is super local, most will happily travel to your venue but it’s important to bear their travel in mind for the pricing if it’s quite far away.
Your First Meeting
It’s great for a Florist to have a moodboard full of inspirational design ideas and fabric samples to work from but it’s not always necessary if you’re not there yet. Your florist will be an expert in colours and styling and will have worked at many different weddings and venues. They can advise on what colours will work with the season and give you some great ideas for designs. It’s good to have a venue or two in mind, even if you’ve not booked as this will give your Florist some idea of what will work.
Budgeting for Your Wedding Flowers
Like all elements of a wedding, different couples place different weight on how important they are on their big day. A good recommendation at the budgeting stage is to set aside 10% of your total wedding budget, to flowers. If you know you want a larger installation or focal design such an arch, chandelier or staircase runner, you’ll need to budget a higher amount, at least closer to 20%. You can find more detailed information on my Pricing page.
Deciding on Your Florist
As with lots of things in life, it’s really important to feel that ‘click’ if you’re going to work with someone. Your florist will create your personal wedding flowers as well as playing a key part in decorating the whole venue – you need to trust them and know that they ‘get’ you as a couple and know exactly what you want.
Once you find your dream Florist – book them! Couples generally book 6 -18 months in advance so if you do want to work with them, let them know quickly so they can secure your date. When booking you’re likely to make a non-refundable security deposit and sign a contact with them in order to make sure you’ve got them.
Before Your Wedding Day
It’s important to keep in touch with your Florist before the big day to let them know of any changes or to fill in any information which you didn’t have at the first meeting. If you hadn’t chosen your dress by the last meeting, make sure you share it with your Florist. If you have a big, full skirt style dress this could make the original bridal bouquet look too small so the size might need to be reconsidered. Similarly if your dress is smaller than you thought, you might want to reduce bouquet size to avoid them looking too big. If your table layout changes from rectangular to circular or vice versa, this will change the arrangement so let your Florist know.
Your Florist will also need dimensions and measurements of any furniture which will feature flowers such as tables, chairs, fireplaces or staircases.
You are likely to make your final payment one month before the wedding so that your Florist is able to order all your beautiful flowers, ready for the big day.
If you’re looking for a wedding florist, I would love to hear from you. Contact me to book a free consultation to discuss your wedding flowers and let me bring your showstopping floral ideas, to life.
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