Your florist will be a key partner in your overall wedding aesthetic. So it’s worth investing time in your search. For more information, click the link https://thefloraleclectic.com/ provided to proceed.

Bring a Pinterest board and fabric swatches of your wedding dress or bridesmaid dresses to your interviews. Your florist will also want to know your budget and where you’re willing to splurge and save.

1. Your vision

As your wedding florist is someone you will spend a lot of time with, your vision for your big day must match theirs. You want to know that they will be on the same page with you, not just in design but also in spirit and energy. If you can meet a potential florist in person, do. If you need more time, connect via video to understand how well you mesh.

Before you even meet with a potential florist, ask for examples of their work. This will give you a good sense of their style and whether it fits you. If they don’t have any pictures to share, be sure to bring some inspirational images of your own. This will allow them to see the exact style you’re after and provide a quote that will be realistic within your budget.

Also, be sure to share your color palette with your florist. Linen swatches, bridesmaid dress fabric samples, and paint swatches are great ways to give your florist more clarity on the colors you want to include in your florals. Also, remember that flowers look more vibrant in photos due to the lighting and filters used. Be sure to tell your florist if you’re set on a particular flower if it doesn’t appear as vibrant in your inspiration images.

If you need to familiarize yourself with floral terms or designs, ask your potential florist to describe some of the common flowers and greenery they use in their work. This will help you better understand what’s possible and may inspire some new ideas for your big day.

Finally, remember that flowers grow in seasons. They aren’t all available to you 12 months out of the year, and some greenery, like seeded eucalyptus, can only be used in certain periods of the year. Trust your florist to select the best quality flowers for your wedding in the season you’re getting married.

1. Your budget

When choosing a wedding florist, couples need to consider their budget. After all, flowers are typically about 8% of the total cost of a wedding. And that includes the bridal bouquet, bridesmaid bouquets, boutonnieres, corsages, ceremony, and reception arrangements.

During your initial meeting with potential floral vendors, ask about their prices and how they would like to approach each aspect of your wedding florals. Some florists may offer a full-service package that includes floral decor for your entire event, while others will charge per item, such as the bridal bouquet, boutonnieres, or centerpiece.

Also, make sure to consider labor costs. If your florist is arranging the flowers for you, they must be paid for their time. And if you’re hiring them to deliver and set up the flowers, that will incur additional travel expenses.

A good wedding florist will have a website with a high-quality work portfolio highlighting their style and expertise. Ensure the website is mobile-friendly and easy to navigate so you can view their beautiful creations. It’s also helpful to read reviews and ratings on social media to understand the overall experience with the vendor.

Before your floral consultation, create a mood board or select photos of preferred floral arrangements so you can clearly communicate your vision with the florist. It’s also helpful to understand the average costs of wedding flowers in your area so you can set realistic expectations.

When discussing your wedding florals with your florist, save money on your more expensive blooms by mixing in less expensive choices such as freesias, baby’s breath, and alstroemeria. And don’t be afraid to go heavy on greenery, as it can add a lot of visual interest to your bouquets and boutonnieres. A floral sprig on each guest’s plate or a touch of greenery in the bar can be very effective without breaking your wedding flower budget. Finally, remember to factor in a floral insurance or contingency plan. This helps cover unexpected costs arising from unexpected weather or supply issues before your big day.

1. Your venue

Your venue is the canvas that will bring your wedding flowers to life. It’s important for a florist to know what type of look you’re going for and to be familiar with your venue, especially if it has special lighting or unique features that will affect how flowers are displayed. Ask potential florists if they’ve worked at your venue before, and if not, request examples of how they would approach your venue.

A skilled specialist can adapt their design styles to match yours and should be able to present you with several possibilities for your bouquet, ceremony decor, and centerpieces. Ask each florist to prepare a proposal based on what you’ve told them about your flower vision and budget. A good tip is to have them provide a “high” best-case scenario and a low, bare-minimum proposal; from there, you can choose which aspects of the design you’re willing to spend more on or which elements you’d like to cut.

In addition to a portfolio of previous work, a good florist should have a website that is easy to navigate, informative, and aesthetically pleasing. Check for a clear, straightforward description of the types of arrangements and prices they offer and a contact form that makes it simple to reach out for additional information or questions.

Once you’ve narrowed your options, schedule an interview with your top picks. This is a great opportunity for you to see how the florist works in person and for them to get to know you and your vision for your big day. Be sure to bring a Pinterest board, bridesmaid dress fabric swatches, and a photograph of your wedding gown to the interview; these will give the florist clues to help you achieve the look you envision.

Make sure to discuss any additional needs, too, such as the time of day you want to start setting up, whether you’ll be having a cocktail hour, and any other logistical issues. It’s also a great idea to ask about their setup and breakdown procedures (do they provide delivery and pickup services, or do you need to coordinate that separately?), as some venues have strict rules about when vendors can and cannot arrive to set up.

1. Your wedding party

The people you choose to be in your wedding party aren’t just stand-ins who make you look good (although they do that too). Your maid of honor and best man/man should be responsible, dedicated individuals you can rely on with important tasks. These individuals will be helping to bring your vision for the day to life and provide a lot of emotional support as you navigate the planning process. If you have anyone in your wedding party who gives off negative vibes, doesn’t mesh well with the rest of your crew, or seems flaky overall, you should reconsider them before they are invited to join.

A skilled specialist will be able to understand your vision and adapt to any requests you have to ensure that the flowers match your wedding design. They can recommend flower options that fit within your color palette and are in season. They’ll be able to suggest any additional floral elements you may need, such as table runners or garlands.

When you meet with your potential florists, it is a good idea to bring along some images that showcase what you have in mind for your day. This will help them better understand your vision and needs and enable them to be more prepared when they deliver your proposal.

Some couples are still determining exactly what they want for their floral arrangements, which is completely normal! This is why it’s a great idea to book your florist at least 6-8 months before your wedding. This will allow you time to go back and forth with them to refine the details without feeling rushed and ensure that they are available for your wedding date.

When choosing your wedding party, consider the individuals who have positively shaped your lives and will continue to do so long after you walk down the aisle. Choose responsible people you can count on to be available for planning meetings and on your wedding day. Keeping the number of individuals in your wedding party manageable is also a good idea so you don’t overload them with responsibilities.

Mary Lance