After you have picked your date, booked your venue and have an idea of your color palette and style, it's time to book your florist. Ideally this will be 6 to 9 months before your wedding, or earlier if you have a popular date like a Saturday in June or October. Florists can book up early, so don't wait if you have your heart set on a certain designer. Alternatively, we can certainly work on a last minute basis if our calendar is free!
Before your consultation, it is helpful for you to gather a few inspiration images of flowers. Your pictures may show colors, styles, or specific flowers that you like. I often see a common theme running through your images that can help me home in on your style. It's also helpful for you to be able to identify what you dislike about some images. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and this is certainly true when it comes to being on the same page for your wedding floral designs. We will use your inspiration photos as a jumping off point but we never copy designs exactly, as we want your wedding to be as unique as you are!
Next, have an idea of how many and what kind of floral elements you want for your wedding. How many attendants will you have? Will they need bouquets, boutonnieres, or corsages? If you have an estimated guest count, we should be able to determine how many centerpieces you will need. Do you want floral decor for the ceremony? The cocktail hour? Run through the different parts of your wedding and think about where flowers will make an impact.
Finally, determine your budget. If you can only spend $1000 on wedding flowers, there's no need for us to present a $10,000 proposal. Conversely, if you have a luxury wedding in mind, we don't want to under propose something that will not meet your expectations. That doesn't help anyone! Have a realistic idea of what you are able to invest in your flowers and we will help you determine how to get the most bang for your buck. A good rule of thumb is to allocate 10-15% of your overall wedding budget for the flowers.
Finally, research florists in your area and pick one whose work excites you and would compliment your vision. When you chose a florist whose work you love, it is easier to place your trust in them and take that worry off your plate. When you have the confidence to let your florist "do their thing" you will see spectacular results. Giving your florist some creative freedom to execute your vision will lead to beautiful designs that utilize the freshest, most beautiful flowers available at the time of your wedding.
