So you’re considering a floral designer or two and you’ve made a couple appointments to sit down with them. But you’re not exactly sure what to expect or how to prepare and make the most of your time (and theirs).
Well fear not. I’ve got you covered here. Below are the 4 major things to do or consider before sitting down with a floral designer for your wedding.
1. Think about what sort of flower pieces you need
This may seem like an obvious one, but at the same time, I find most my clients don’t really know what there is to even consider as far as flowers go. So a little bit of research goes a long way in saving you time.
If your florist is anything like me, they may have sent you a list of flower pieces to consider before your consult. We do this not because we think everyone needs everything off the list. It’s simply to help get the ball rolling and lay it all out in one easy place.
Didn’t get a checklist from your florist? I’m happy to share mine with everyone who may need it. Click below and I’ll send my PDF checklist to your inbox.
2. Decide on a floral style
Look through some pictures in magazines or online and try and pinpoint what it is you like about some flower designs and what you don’t like about others. And I’m not just talking colors here.
Do you like lots of greens or vines? Or do you like a luxe, full, flower-packed look?
Do you like a lot of textures? Or do you like a lot of uniformity?
Lots of layers and free-moving? Or tight and pave?
These are key words that will really guide your florist with your floral style.
3. Figure out what your design budget RANGE is
I highly recommend you come with your flower/design budget as a range, rather than one fixed price. Know what your ideal number is, but also know what your absolute max is. Then clearly define those numbers to your florist.
I find too often a client comes into a meeting with their guard up, ready to negotiate on pricing like they’re trying to buy a car from a dealership. We’re not going to charge you more just because you tell us you have more to spend. Our goal is simply to create the wedding vision you want. And sometimes what you had in mind costs more than you realized.
This is why a budget range is so useful. We, as the designers, can almost always tell half-way through our conversation if what you have in mind will be close or not at all to the budget you’ve constructed. If the want vs the budget aren’t going to line up right, we can then advise you to consider other options that still represent you, look beautiful, and create an overall effect that will make you smile, without breaking your bank.
Now how do you figure out your design budget range? Well one easy, first step is to look at your overall wedding budget. Flowers will usually come in at about 15-22% of your whole wedding budget (and sometimes more depending on what you have in mind). Things like size of your wedding party, number of guests and how much décor you want are all factors that will affect your total. And don’t forget that your final invoice will include tax, delivery, set up and labor fees.
4. Leave your florist some room to get creative for you
A good floral designer is just that: a designer. It can be hard to come into your wedding, wanting it to be unique, but only having pictures of things other people have done to work with. We get it, and it is our absolute favorite to be invited into your planning space and asking us to propose some design ideas that work with your vibe and your budget. Designing is why we do what we do!
So whether it’s a ceremony arch, your bridal bouquet, or the table centerpieces, think of the things you think you want or know you may want, but don’t know exactly what you want to do with them. Then bring those to your florist and let them start brainstorming ideas with you. We’ll watch your reaction and look for an idea that lights you up and excites you.
Meeting with a wedding florist shouldn’t be scary. It should be a time to have fun and get excited about what the aesthetic experience of your wedding could be. Do these few quick steps before you get there, and you can focus instead on finding the florist you best click with.