- Charlie
Wedding Flowers-Where Do We Start!? Part 2
Updated: Jan 1
What flowers should we chose?
You may be a flower fanatic and know what your favourite blooms are or you're maybe wondering what's the difference between Peonies and Roses. If you're the latter then fear not, this is where your Florist can recommend blooms for your day. Seasons will reflect the flowers that will be available on your day. There are a lot of flowers these days that are available all year round but there are still certain flowers that you can only get at certain times of the year (Peonies for example are only around for a short few months, normally between May and June!) Some flowers are available out of their normal season but you will end up paying more for them and their quality is often sub par so be careful if you have a florist promising you the world! If you have over a year until your wedding, pop into your local florist around the same time you are getting married to see what blooms will be available for your day.
Check out our Wedding Flowers Seasonality Guide
What is the typical process?
Every florist is different in their interactions with their couples but there a few main processes that you will find across the board. All Florists will want to have a consultation with you to discuss what you are after for your day. Some will have a initial chat over the phone while some would rather meet you face-to-face if possible (this sometimes can't be done if you far apart!) You may have to pay for your consultation but this is generally taken off your proposal if you decide to use them. We prefer not to charge our couples but every florist is different so make sure you check in advance.
With our couples, we have a simple process. Once you have contacted us we will check your date and then send over a wedding questionnaire to fill out. Here you can easily add in all the details and ideas you have for your flowers. We will then give you a call or meet up in person to have a chat. You will then receive a proposal, with itemised costs and a style guide. Four to six weeks before your day we will have a final consultation to go through the logistics and confirm any changes.
You may find you need to change things with your proposal but once you have agreed on what you want you will normally pay a deposit to hold the date for you. This can be a percentage of the total amount or a set amount, this will depend on your Florist. You will generally be required to sign off any contracts, these will be here to protect you and your Florist so be sure to read the fine print and if you have any questions your florist will be able to help.
During the time when you hire your Florist to the wedding day you will most likely keep in contact via email, phone or in person. I like to keep in contact as often as needed and I schedule in a final meeting 2 months to 6 weeks before the day to finalise the details.
What happens on the day?
It's showtime!! Depending on what you have asked your Florist for will depend on what happens on the day but generally they will deliver the bouquets, hair flowers and buttonholes to where the bride and groom are getting ready. You would have organised times for this in advance so you have the blooms when you need them. Generally we deliver the bridal flowers early in the morning so you have your hair flowers and the photographer may want to take photos of the bride before with her flowers. It's always good to know where to put your flowers before they arrive as with all the girls getting ready and the hairdryers going it can get hot in the room! If you have a fridge in the room this is perfect for the hair flowers until they are needed. Bouquets we leave in a cooler area (We've been know to leave them in an empty bath before!) and in a place where they won't get knocked over.
Next will be your ceremony and venue flowers set up. Large designs and installations will most likely need to be created in situ and table decorations will be set up along with any other designs. Your Florist will a expert in making sure your designs are set up in time and any mess cleared away!
Then it's time to enjoy your wedding day!!
What should we do with the flowers the next day?
Once your day is over it's always good to have an idea of what you want to do with the flowers in advance so you don't have to think about it the next day. Giving them away as gifts is a great idea so they can be enjoyed longer by your guests. Do organise this with your Florist so your guests don't take flowers in vases that you may be renting! You could always buy vases etc from your florist so they can be taken away easily by guests.
Another idea is donating them to a local care home or charity. Again organise this in advance and either deliver them yourselves or see if your Florist could do this the next day. Floral Angels is a great charity who will redesign and deliver your wedding flowers for you! You can check out their website to see if they run in your area https://www.floralangels.com/
We hope you found this blog on wedding flowers useful.
If you missed part one head over there now to read more handy tips on
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