For most couples their wedding will be the first time in their life they place a large floral order. Whether you choose to hire your local flower shop or a special events floral designer working from a private studio, here are a few tips to help with the process of finding the right florist and floral decor for your big day.
–When you meet with a florist for the first time bring visual aids of floral.
Bringing these items helps the designer get a clearer idea of your style and vision for the wedding day. Photos of floral arrangements that you like, swatches of the colors you’d like working with (get these from the paint section of your local hardware store paint dept.) and photos of the dresses (bride and bridesmaids) will serve as good jumping off points for your consultation.
-Be realistic about your budget and what you can afford-and then be prepared to pay a bit more (floral can be expensive)…
Most couples are on a budget when wedding planning. They also don’t have a firm sense of what flowers cost and the labor involved in planning and creating custom floral arrangements. When meeting with your florist bring photos of arrangements/styles that you like. Be honest with yourself about what you are comfortable spending and then remember, like everything else when planning a wedding, you may experience some sticker shock. If you’re open with your designer about budget they should be able to steer you away from options that may not fit your budget. Conversely, if money isn’t a serious concern, they can guide you towards larger floral installations.
It is always more impactful to purchase fewer but larger, fuller, more elaborate designs that create a big impact versus many small, less expensive arrangements that guests won’t notice.
-When choosing the types of designs and décor, consider your photography
Long after the flowers have wilted and the guests have gone, your photography and memories are what remains of your wedding day. When deciding on where to spend and where possible cuts might be made remember that your photos will tell your wedding day story and flowers in those photos play a big part, especially in images of the bridal party and the ceremony.
-Every wedding needs a “Wow” factor
Whether it’s creating a welcoming atmosphere for guests with a large, lush floral piece, framing the couple with an elaborate floral ceremony arch or placing an individual flower at each place setting, flowers create memorable moments visually and with scent. Every wedding needs a little drama (the good type!) and flowers are a great way of achieving that.
-Choose Floral Arrangements and Décor that fit with the season and venue for your wedding
Creating a unique and beautiful look for your wedding means choosing floral materials and varieties that are cohesive with the location. This doesn’t mean choosing obvious materials (i.e. shells on the beach, fall leaves in the autumn) but it does mean being sensitive to what is in growing at the time and if the wedding is taking place outdoors, what might occur naturally in the area. Your floral designer is the person to ask about this and should be able to guide you.
-Be open to floral suggestions
Try to remember that your florist has undoubtedly seen a lot more weddings than you and they most likely have good ideas about what works well at a particular venue and what may not. Ask your florist for their ideas and whether they can make any suggestions on what would look best and give you the best value.
Applying these guidelines, your wedding floral design should go as you imagine it!
(author bio) Kristy White is the owner/designer at Driftwood & Roses – http://driftwoodandroses.com/ – is a California coastal resident UCSC grad and nearly 20 years artistically designing with flowers and natural materials for weddings and other events.
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