Last Updated on September 16, 2022
Don't let your wedding flowers be a blooming disaster! Gain confidence in choosing your wedding florist with these helpful tips.
Long before couples start looking for their wedding flowers, they have already made some important and expensive decisions.
Every aspect of your wedding is essential, but few pack as much of an immediate visual punch as the florals. Yet flowers are often one of the last items for their wedding that couples consider.
Flowers play an important role because they instill a space with a sense of romance and also convey that your wedding day is one of excitement and celebration.
So it’s important to start thinking about them early when planning your wedding.
However, finding and booking the perfect florist can seem daunting, especially for couples just starting their wedding planning journey.
In this comprehensive guide, I’ll walk you through the step-by-step process of locating, vetting, and securing the ideal wedding florist. I’ll also share some practical advice from my experience to help make your floral dreams a reality without breaking the bank.
How Soon Should I Book a Florist?
The landscape in the floral business has changed dramatically since the pandemic, especially with wedding flowers.
The first and most important step is to start your florist search early – ideally 9 to 12 months before your wedding date. Popular and in-demand florists book up quickly, so getting a head start on this crucial vendor is essential.
In our case, couples contact us much earlier regarding our availability, often placing deposits 12 to 18 months before their wedding date to book our services. When talking with my colleagues, that also seems to be their experience.
So my advice is to start looking for a wedding florist early in your planning process to avoid disappointment. Florists with high skill levels and experience are always in strong demand.
The florist you’re considering may already be booked, so don’t wait.
How Do I Get Started?
Before looking for a wedding florist, you should do these two things.
Know How Much Your Budget for Flowers Is
If you’re starting from scratch and want an initial feel for where you might land, start with 10 percent of your overall budget.
If your ceremony and reception venues have already been booked before you start looking for a florist, revisit your wedding flower budget. It may have been affected by unexpected costs in these, or other areas, which is pretty typical.
Once you know how much your budget for wedding flowers is, it’s time to get organized.
Get Your Ideas Organized
Some people start sourcing wedding inspiration years before they get engaged, while others come into the planning process with a ring on their finger, and well, not much else.
Before the web, brides used folders, loose-leaf binders, and storyboards to help keep everything organized. Today, Instagram and Pinterest have replaced all of those.
They have become a “one-stop-shop” for all things wedding-related, especially bridal bouquets, bridesmaid bouquets, and other types of wedding floral decor. They’re filled with more awesome wedding flower ideas than you’ll ever need.
In this article, you can learn how to set up an inspiration board on Pinterest for your wedding.
While an Instagram grid or Pinterest page is a great starting point, it’s often dominated by self-selected moments of a designer’s best work and outtakes from styled shoots, which don’t always reflect what can be created while working on a budget.
Something to keep in mind when looking for a florist.
Once you have gathered the necessary floral information, it’s time to look for a florist who can bring your vision and budget together for your special day.
Researching Potential Wedding Florists
Once your wedding date is set, the next step is to search for potential florists in your local area. A simple Google search for “wedding florists near me” or “[your city] wedding flowers” is a great place to start.
You can also ask for referrals from recently married friends, your wedding planner (if you have one), or your wedding venue.
As you compile a list of florists to consider, be sure to review their online portfolios and social media accounts. This will give you a sense of their artistic style, the types of weddings they’ve worked on, the quality of their floral designs, and the overall aesthetic they tend to create.
Start By Checking Their Reputation.
Many professional florists and independent floral designers have built strong reputations over their many years in business.
Reputation is important, but you should understand that advertising can often enhance reputation. Here are a couple of other things you can do.
- Check online reviews
- Check with other vendors you are using. Ask for their recommendations. Ask other married couples you know for their recommendations. You might find some surprises. A good word-of-mouth recommendation is worth checking out.
Performing your due diligence will pay off. Remember, reputation is important, but you’re paying for results.
Check That They Have the Level of Service, Capabilities, and Resources You Need
Your wedding day is the most important day of your life and is one of the costliest.
Because flowers can be utilized in every facet of a wedding, one of the questions you need to ask a prospective florist is if they have the capability and resources to handle the size and scale of your wedding.
For example, your wedding may involve some on-site set-up of the flower arrangements. The level may vary, but the florist you choose needs to be properly staffed and equipped to handle it.
Even more intimate weddings may need special servicing, especially when the ceremony and reception share the same venue.
Knowing that your florist has the experience and capability to provide the necessary items and services will simplify your choice.
Just make sure these questions are asked and answered before you sign a contract.
Choose a Florist Who is a Good Fit for You.
Don’t try to fit a square peg into a round hole when you select a florist.
Choose a wedding florist that you are comfortable working with. Whether you choose a full-service florist, a dedicated wedding and event florist, or an independent designer doesn’t matter. Most will be happy to share ideas and provide solutions for you, often resulting in bottom-line savings.
But if you’re looking for someone to provide expertise on how to activate a space or bring a theme to life, and hope to include larger elements that need to be built on-site, such as floral arches and floral chandeliers, the services you’re after will more likely align with those of an experienced floral professional.
Finding a florist who’s a good fit is not something you can measure entirely by objective standards. But after you meet with several florists, you’ll know the one you click with the best.
Remember, you’ll be working closely with your wedding florist for several months, so it’s important that you feel comfortable and confident in their abilities.
Check Their Minimums
Florists can’t put blanket prices on their services. That’s why you rarely see prices publicly listed.
However, many florist wedding and event contracts today include an “expected minimum price” that is the basis for reserving the date. Not all florists have it in their contracts, but if they do, be sure you are prepared to meet that number before signing a contract.
It’s a good idea to ask about getting a sample contract to look over any terms and conditions that may apply to your wedding. Some of them are likely negotiable.
Preparing for the Consultation
Once you’ve narrowed down your list of potential florists, it’s time to start scheduling in-person consultations. Most reputable wedding florists will want to meet with you to discuss your vision and provide a custom proposal.
Before each consultation, make sure you have a few key details ready to share:
- Your wedding date, venue, and approximate guest count
- Inspiration photos of floral designs you love
- A realistic budget range for your wedding flowers
Having this information prepared will allow the florist to provide you with a more accurate and tailored proposal. It will also demonstrate that you’re a serious, organized couple ready to move forward.
During the consultation, be prepared to discuss your wedding style, color palette, and any must-have flowers or floral elements. The florist will use this information to craft a proposal that aligns with your vision and budget.
Keep an Open Mind
When it comes to wedding flowers, working with a color palette, rather than fixating on a specific type of flower, will save you money and possibly disappointment.
Suppose your heart is set on using a specific flower, like ranunculus or garden roses. Adverse weather or market conditions can force up the price or worse yet, make that flower unavailable.
Allowing your florist to use a variety of flowers within your chosen color palette will allow you to stay within your wedding budget, and avoid you having to make a lot of unplanned, last-minute changes.
Evaluating Florist Proposals – Getting the Best Value When Choosing a Florist
After your consultations, the florists you met with will provide you with detailed proposals outlining their recommended floral designs and associated costs.
Wedding flower prices are based on several factors including the number of floral arrangements needed, the actual flower content, delivery, set-up, and servicing.
These proposals should include a breakdown of pricing for each element, from bouquets and boutonnieres to ceremony and reception decor.
When reviewing the proposals, look for the following:
- Transparent, line-item pricing that’s easy to understand
- Alignment between the proposed designs and your vision
- Realistic timelines for delivery and setup
- Availability for your wedding date
Don’t be afraid to ask follow-up questions if anything in the proposal is unclear. A reputable florist will be happy to provide additional details and clarification.
Once you’ve had a chance to thoroughly review all the proposals, compare them side-by-side to determine which florist offers the best value and the closest fit to your ideal vision.
Remember, every wedding and each florist is unique, so it’s not always easy to make an “apples to apples” price comparison when deciding between different vendors.
Remember, the cheapest option isn’t always the best – focus on finding the right balance of quality, creativity, and cost. Too often, price weighs too heavily into the decision. A lower price does not always equal a better value.
You will get what you pay for.
The Bottom Line
Choose a florist for your wedding that combines the right expertise level and the flexibility to use it. That’s how you can be sure you’ll get the best value for your money.
Booking Your Wedding Florist
After careful consideration, it’s time to decide and book your wedding florist. This is an exciting milestone, but don’t forget to ask any final questions and review the contract thoroughly before signing.
Some key things to keep in mind when booking your florist:
- Confirm the deposit amount and payment schedule
- Understand the florist’s cancellation and rescheduling policies
- Discuss the timeline for design consultations, flower orders, and delivery
- Ensure you’re on the same page about the overall vision and execution
Remember, your wedding flowers will be key to your special day’s memories. Don’t make the mistake of waiting too long to get the florist you choose involved in the planning process.
You’re likely to waste a lot of time and probably spend more.
Concluding Thoughts
Creating the bouquets and floral arrangements for your dream wedding is merely one facet that a professional florist provides. The best reason for choosing an experienced floral pro to provide your wedding flowers goes beyond their ability to create beautiful floral arrangements.
The real value is in the skill and expertise they bring to the table. Blending their experience and ability, they can coordinate all aspects of wedding floral design. And, they’ll tie it all together to make your wedding day beautiful and memorable.
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