Five Questions to Ask your Wedding Florist

If you’re newly engaged, firstly I’d love to wish you a huge congratulations! I hope you’re still basking in the romantic chaos of being engaged. If you are about to begin the wedding planning journey, today’s blog post is a must-read. I’ve put together a mini guide explaining everything you need to ask your wedding florist. So, grab a coffee and get scrolling and enjoy a glimpse of Abby and Sam’s gorgeous wedding at Hyde House in The Cotswolds!

How much should we budget for flowers and why?

Before you set a floral budget, consider how important flowers are to your big day. This will determine how much you want to spend. Florals tend to feature in most of your photographs and they help to tie in your colour scheme and styling. Flowers also set the scene for your guests. I would recommend allowing for around 10% of your wedding budget but it really is a very personal choice.

There is often a common misconception that flowers are expensive. However, there is a huge amount of time that goes into the preparation side of being a florist. Consider the consultations, emails, proposal, flower order, flower conditioning, designing and the making of the arrangements. Don’t forget about packing up, installation and clearing down at the venue too! As a luxury florist based in the South West, I pride myself in using only the highest quality of flowers. At Flourish and Grace we focus on an abundant and opulent style as well as exceptional service to every couple we work with. To ensure complete commitment to my clients, I only take on weddings where we are exclusively in charge of all floral elements so that the overall design is cohesive.

You can read more about this process in my previous post: From Wedding Flowers Enquiry To Wedding Day – The Life Of A Wedding Florist.

When should we book our wedding florist?

I recommend booking your florist as soon as you have secured your wedding date and venue. At Flourish and Grace, we take bookings for up to two years in advance, with the summer months getting booked quickly. However, last-minute cancellations and postponements do occasionally occur. It is certainly worth getting in touch to double-check, even if your event is just a few months away.

Finding the perfect florist for your wedding day may take a little longer than anticipated. The sooner you start discussing your visions with your chosen florist, the sooner you can began curating a theme, colour palette and vibe for your wedding day. It will also allow for you to accommodate the flowers within your wedding budget.

When you start the initial floral design process, you’ll need to decide on specific areas of your special day. This includes the bridal party flowers (buttonholes, bouquets, flower crowns etc). It also involves the ceremony, the reception… and the list goes on! This will provide your wedding florist with the basis for their proposal. When you do get in touch with your potential florist, make sure you provide them with your budget, date, venue and guest count.

How do you put together a flower proposal or mood board?

Whether you have very little idea or a detailed vision for how you’d like your flowers to look on your wedding day, I am more than happy to provide as much advice and expertise as needed. Having worked in the world of floristry for many years, I have the ability to take your flower dreams and create a bespoke mood board that will suit your style. Within our consultation, I will also be able to offer information about which flowers are available during your wedding month. I’ll also pair different types of flower and foliage to design the perfect concept for your celebration.

When it comes to providing you with a mood board, I’ll take into account your colour palette, your flower preferences and how you want your wedding day to ‘feel’. If you want it to be fun, playful and loud, I’ll sway more towards bright and bold hues. Whereas if you want a wedding day that’s dreamy and enchanting, I am more likely to opt for a softer colour scheme.

A mood board is also based around your guest count and how this affects the number of buttonholes and bouquets that are required. Not to mention the number of tables and accompanying centrepieces needed. It is also incredibly helpful to be provided with dimensions such as ceiling heights, table size and the length of the aisle.

Who needs to wear buttonholes/corsages?

This is certainly one question we get asked a lot! A buttonhole or boutonnière is a small flower worn in the left lapel of a suit. It is usually worn by the groom, his groomsmen, fathers and any other male members of the couple’s immediate family. The mother of the bride and/or groom then tend to wear a corsage, which is pinned to the right side of their outfit. It can also be worn around the wrist if tied with a ribbon. A buttonhole and corsage should complement the flowers and colour scheme used throughout the wedding.

Dox you deliver and set up the flowers?

Here at Flourish and Grace, I am fortunate enough to work with a fabulous, trustworthy and reliable team to ensure your wedding flowers are everything you’ve always wanted. This is from delivery to taking everything down, and everything in between! Our prices include delivery of the flowers to you at home or to the venue on the wedding morning. This also takes into account the time required to set-up any arrangements at your venue, as well as liaising with your venue in regard to removing the displays post-event.

If you’re looking for a florist to add timeless, elegant and romantic florals to your wedding or event I would love to hear from you. Please head to my Contact page to enquire about my availability for your date.