You, the bride, know how busy you are trying to cover all the details of the wedding. However, there are some things you can do to make the bridal consultations with the florists you interview go more smoothly and make the best use of your time.
1) Take a moment to think of a budget for your wedding flowers. Wedding planners say that flowers are usually 5-10% of the total wedding budget, depending on whether the reception hall offers centerpieces as part of their banquet package.
2) Collect pictures – bouquets or flowers that you like, pictures of the bride’s and bridesmaids dresses. Bring the pictures to the consultation so that your florist can match your taste to your flowers. If you don’t know the names of flowers, visit the www.aboutflowers.com website to research names, textures and colors of flowers. The site can also give you ideas about availability for the date of your wedding.
3) Prepare a list of your wedding party and service details. A single sheet of paper with the date and time of the service and reception, addresses, numbers of people in the wedding party and names, addresses and phone numbers of the bride and groom can save time with your florist as well as other services that you are interviewing.
4) Research quality florists – Check out the websites of florists in your area. Ask family and friends for recommendations. Your pastor or wedding planner can offer recommendations for good florists in your area. Try to match your florist to the demands of your wedding – a small neighborhood florist may not be a good match if you are having a large outdoor event with 50 centerpieces or an event florist may be overkill if you are having a small family service. Don’t be afraid to interview more than 1 florist. Each florist will have their own interpretation of your wishes and you might find that your ideas will develop as you get input from several sources.
5) Listen to your florist’s advice when making your final decision – A quality florist will do their best to match the best design and flower selection to your needs. But they will also make you aware of potential problems with your selections based on flower or color availability and conflicts between the fragility of a flower or design and the time you are expecting the flowers to last. The goal is to produce a floral design that will accent the beauty of your wedding without wilted or broken flowers that don’t last through the reception.
6) Have fun with your selection – Selecting your wedding flowers should be a fun experience. Your florist is there to help you with the process. They are happy to show you samples of flowers and designs, customize a bouquet to marry form with the flowers or colors of your choice.
Happy consulting!
- Pat, A Classic Florist
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