I thought I'd do this post for any of you out there who might have a wedding on the way, whether your own, a friend's or a sister's. The flowers you choose can set the entire mood for the ceremony and the reception afterwards, so finding the perfect mix will make your day (or someone else's) that much more special.
Planning a wedding has to be one of the most stressful
situations you could find yourself in, as if anything goes wrong... it's a
tragedy. But you can cross one stressful item off your list – the flowers! If
you keep these questions in mind when researching floral arrangements and
florists for your special day, everything should (fingers crossed) go smoothly:
1. How long have you been in the business?
Most often, your wedding is the most important day you'll ever have. Do you want to trust someone who has started their business a month ago with your day? Probably not. This is honestly the most important question to ask when finding a florist. You want someone who has experience in the industry, particularly in weddings.
2. What style do you specialise in (traditional, modern)?
If the bride is after modern arrangements and the florist you're speaking with has always gone the traditional way, you may have problems. Finding a florist who specialise in the type of arrangements you're after takes half the stress off the process. They're more likely to have the ideas and expertise to make your arrangements sing on the day.
3. Can I see your previous work?
You will be able to tell immediately if a florist is right for you by seeing their recent, previous work. Pictures tell a thousand words so make sure you look at photos or footage of the florist's work within the past 6 months to decipher if they are who you're looking for.
4. Can you recommend flowers that will be in season?
Depending on the date of the wedding, there are an array of seasonal flowers to suit each time of the year. Choosing by the season can have its benefits through incorporating an uncommon, yet wonderfully unique flower into the day. Of course there are flowers such as roses, baby's breath, orchids and carnations that flourish all year round, but if the bride has a particular flower in mind and it won't be in season, other arrangements need to be made.
5. Will a sample be made?
A sample is basically a saviour in this industry. Being able to see what the final product will look like well in advance can save so much hassle if what you had in mind is not what the florist thought. Even if it costs that extra bit, it's worth it. A wrong flower delivery on the day of the wedding is a situation that's not easily fixed.
6. What is the cost (per arrangement, delivery, set up)?
It is so important to be aware of all the costs involved with floral arrangements. You definitely don't want to receive surprises along the way and end up with an outrageous bill. Finding out every cost that may come up and having that quote on paper from the florist will be very helpful if a budget is in place.
7. When will the flowers be delivered to me?
The key to successful wedding planning is making sure everything happens on time. When you have everything written down in front of you, whether in a simple diary or a more detailed planner, your mind won't be trying to remember dates here and there and you'll be less likely to forget what's meant to be happening along the way. Not only do you need the date the flowers will be delivered to the location, but also the date you see the sample, the date you must provide final information and the date the balance is due.
8. How many weddings are you working for the same time as mine?
Obviously the more weddings your florist is working on at the same time, the more likely there are to be mishaps, so it is only fair that you know the answer to this question before locking them in.
You can find answers to a lot of these Wedding Flowers
questions on the Tesselaar Flowers website. A fantastic resource for brides - as well as
florists and wedding venues - Tesselaar’s have a huge gallery
of real wedding flower pics to inspire, flower availability details so you can
be sure that the flowers you love are available on the big day, a florist
directory with examples of past work and contact details, a blog with heaps of
tips and advice on the latest flower trends, and an online store with a full
range of wholesale, market-fresh flowers they will deliver direct to your
wedding venue if you are keen to DIY.
Your wedding flowers don’t have to be stressful! Just make
sure you ask the right questions!
x Vanessa
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