Choosing flowers for your upcoming wedding is always an exciting time with Brides focusing on all details: the overall look, creating an ambience and of course the WOW the factor.
Most brides have some knowledge of which flowers they would like to use whilst, some brides are unsure.
A good starting point may be your favourite flower(s) or colour(s), the type of wedding your having-formal or informal, the venue you are using and your style of bridal wear.
Visit your local florist to see which flowers are available, purchase wedding magazines featuring flowers or for those of you very busy brides, use the internet, family or friends to gather ideas.
Some brides may like to create a mood board which shows all of your flowers and floral ideas or alternatively keep your clippings and images in a file ready for easy access.
With these ideas it would be good to consult a florist, who should be able to work with you, offering advice and helping to create the vision you may have. Therefore speaking to a florist six months in advance is usually advantageous as it allows you the opportunity to explore alternative ideas.
It may be a good idea to ask your florist to accompany you to visit your chosen venue, allowing them to advise you on how best to decorate and to select the most appropriate of flowers.
Some flowers work well, complementing each other but may be more appropriate in bouquets and buttonholes than used in large floral arrangements.
Flowers are available in an array of colours but do check with your florist during your first meeting their availability, suitability and your intended colour scheme.
Being flexible always helps as the flowers of your choice may not be in season. Your florist will be able to offer alternatives.
Should you like the ideas of a particular florist, pay a deposit to secure your date. Florists will usually provide you with a written quotation, estimated if approximately 7-12 months away. The quote should provide information regarding the individual costs of each item.
Some brides book as much as a year in advance but even if you don’t, do remember that during the wedding season it may be more difficult to get the florist you really want.
- Six months prior to your wedding, consult with or visit your florist to discuss any changes or to confirm your order.
- Three months prior to your wedding, confirm the number of floral arrangements, bouquets, buttonholes and corsages ordered.
- One month prior to your wedding, meet with your florist to confirm final numbers, addresses of delivery-home/hotel or venue. Arrange a definite time of access and work schedule with your venue and florist, ensuring that both parties are happy with the allocated times.
- Depending on the size of the wedding /amount of décor to be carried out, most florists would require 2-3 hours before the ceremony.
- Agreeing a work schedule is always useful as your florist will be able to strategically plan for the day.
- 10-14 days in advance of the wedding, arrange to pay your florist in full.
- 2-3 days prior to the wedding, confirm the delivery date, time and address.
On the day, relax as your flowers are delivered and your venue decorated to the expectations you have. Flowers should be stored in a cool area and if a hand-tied bouquet, placed in water to maintain longevity.
When you arrive at the venue, enjoy the ambience, the wonderful smells and the floral creations you so desired.
This is a sample taken from the chapter Choosing Flowers For Your Wedding in the book Weddings Know-How: Planning Your Wedding. The chapter is written by Pauline Dean. Weddings Know-How: Planning Your Wedding is available from Amazon.