Florist

How to Choose Your Florist

The flowers are one of the main aspects of the day along with the venue, the dress and the photographer. Your guests are going to be looking at your flowers as the flowers and arrangements you choose will reflect your preferences and your personality.

My h2b could not be less interested in flowers so I’ve been very lucky and had free range to choose the flowers and the colours by myself! Yay!

The first thing you do is:

Look through wedding magazines or flower magazines and choose arrangements that you like. If you’re anything like me, you wont know a narcissus from a delphinium, all I knew were the colours I wanted and the pictures from a magazine.

A florist can put together a beautiful display for your wedding but she won’t know the flowers you like. This is why it is essential that you put together an ideas collage of flower arrangements you would like to have. They will be able to expand on the ideas you give them, offering cheaper options if necessary. They will also be able to tell you if the flowers  you’ve chosen are in season.

Next:

Go to wedding fayres and look at the flowers the florists bring to display. This will help you get an idea of what the different florists are offering. You will be able to speak directly to the florists and give an idea of your budget and what they can offer you. I will also help you to get a feel of whether or not you’d like to work with this person.

You can also trawl the internet. I spoke to Lynn at Fine Flowers at a wedding fayre, and then looked her up on the internet. I was impressed with the range of flowers she was able to tell me about, and then I was able to check out what she was saying through her website.

If you google for florists in the West Midlands you will find a range of different service providers. My advice is to look through their websites, get a feel of whether or not you want to work with them, and then arrange an appointment to discuss your requirements.

Meeting with a florist:

I spoke to three different florists before I decided to book the fourth florist, and each time I spoke to a florist, I had a better idea of what I wanted for our wedding.

I would absolutely recommend speaking to your florist face to face. Your flowers are a key element to your wedding, you don’t want them to go wrong. Its fair enough to email your florist but for a real discussion and a real understanding of what you want, I think you can’t beat a face to face meeting.

Look at their previous work:

Do you like the arrangements they show you in the pictures? Do the pictures look up to date and modern or are they a bit old fashioned? Are they willing to work with you or do they keep saying that your idea is wrong? Are they paying attention to you and seem interested in what you’re saying? Do you feel comfortable with this florist? A gut feeling is always a good indicator. Go with your gut.

Questions to Ask

• Ask if arrangments in the pictures have been done by the person who will be arranging your flowers.
• After giving your florist your ideas, ask for their opinion or ideas. You don't have to take their advice but at least take the time to listen. You never know, you might like their ideas better then your own.
• Additional costs? Delivery charge? Setup costs?
• Will they rent you the vases, mirrors and candles?
• If you change your mind, what is the cut off point for having what you want?
• What times will the flowers be delivered to each location?
• Will the florist transport ceremony decorations to the reception location? Is there a fee?
• Can they make a sample of your bouquet and centrepiece? Some florists will, some won't.
• Will they write you up an itemized quote? Some won't in fear that you will bring it to other florists for a better deal.
• Are the flowers you've chosen in season? What flowers are in season for your date?
• You're on a tight budget, can the florist work with a mixture of silk and fresh flowers?
• Are there any additional or hidden costs?
• Is the florist familiar with your reception and ceremony locations?
• 1 month before your wedding date, call the florist and ask them if they can get the type and colour of flower you wanted?

Things to bear in mind:

If your wedding is, like mine, around a flower time of year such as Valentine’s day, mother’s day and Easter, your flowers will be a bit more expensive.  This can’t be helped. Also, your florist may be a bit busy around this time.

You don’t have to book right away. I took the quotes from the florists I spoke to and compared them to quotes from other florists. This way I felt that I was getting the fairest deal.

If you choose flowers that are out of season and need to be imported from Holland, this will cost you more as it will cost your florist more. I’ve tried booking flowers that are in season for my wedding. Besides, I have chosen to have a spring wedding, why not have spring flowers!

I hope this helps you in your search for a florist. Please feel free to share your experiences and leave a comment below!