I think a lot of people feel pretty clueless about the whole process surrounding wedding flowers, they feel worried about not knowing anything about flowers or not knowing the names of any. Don’t worry! Us florists are here to help, we can guide and advise you with colours and seasons as well as budget. And really, you don’t need to know about flowers – that’s our job! Below are a few tips I’ve put together which will help you know what to expect from your meeting with your florist.
What happens in the meeting?
Meeting with your wedding florist is as much about making sure we are a good fit as it is about floral design. It is really important that you feel comfortable with your wedding florist, you want to understand their style and of course have full confidence that they know what they are doing – you are after all handing over a considerable amount of money so you want to be sure! We will ask you all about your vision and style ideas as well running through all the important details of your big day
What to do before you arrive
It really helps for you to have done some research into styles and colours you like, don’t worry about the flower names or seasons (that’s our job!) just having an idea of the type of thing you like is a real help and gives us a good starting point.
Things to think about are, do you like soft subtle pastel tones or something bold, bright and vibrant? How about natural, loose and relaxed floristry or clean modern and elegant?
Having a colour scheme in place really helps as a starting point, and as an idea on the colour your bridesmaids are wearing too.
In advance of our meeting it’s great if you can send over a Pinterest board you have been working on that way I can do a bit of homework before meeting you.
How long will the meeting take?
An informal chat in a cafe discussing a smallish wedding I’d say usually takes approximately 1 hour. A site visit for a larger wedding would be a little longer so I’d allow up to 2 hours – this really does depend on the amount we are discussing and whether there are logistics to figure out (i.e hanging chandeliers or garlands
The dreaded word – budget!
I understand that budget is of course a consideration for almost everyone, most people have a budget they are sticking to whether it be 3 figure or 5 figure. My advice is don’t make it all about budget when looking for your florist. The reason I say this is with floristry price shopping is difficult as you aren’t comparing like for like, every florist is different. Experience, knowledge and expertise come into play with prices as does customer service, these are things to consider when looking around for a florist who is the right fit for you.
I’m not saying don’t choose the cheapest quote you’re given, everyone prices their work slightly differently, just be aware why they might be cheaper. Some things to consider are, have you been waiting an eternity to receive your quote? Are they difficult to get hold of? Have you had to chase emails? A cheaper florist may be less experienced which can often be fine – we all have to start somewhere – but you might find you feel more comfortable knowing the florist you’ve picked has many years experience and will have the tools (both mentally and physically!) to deal with a whole host of issues if they should arise. These little extras might not seem much at the time but having someone who is with you every step of the way really makes a difference.
Should I mention I’m on a budget?
Of course you have a budget, and it is really important that you mention it to your florist as this allows us to make the best possible suggestions when it comes to creating the look you are after. So you want a luxurious look for less? This is totally doable (within reason!) if you mention your limitations and also remain open minded about seasonal suggestions. That being said we aren’t miracle workers, flowers are expensive and if you’ve got your heart set on peonies and garden roses then you’ll have to pay the hefty price tag. I know people sometimes are wary of revealing their budget as they think the florist will just fill it up immediately, this isn’t the case as knowing your budget allows us to really make the best suggestions for you and also tailor a quote to your needs – it’s a waste of everyones time if we are on completely different pages budget wise.
I hope these tips are helpful, if you’d like some further inspiration check out my Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest pages.
Top photo by Laurence & Ella Photography See more of this gorgeous peach and pink spring wedding here