Your wedding florist plays a key role in your wedding planning process. Traditionally, flowers are the most expensive and customized décor you have invested in for your wedding and flowers can enhance your wedding and bring it to a whole new level!!! Wedding Floral Designers have the unique task of seeing your inspirational images, getting to know you and your wedding vision, and then using their creativity, knowledge of floral design and personal style to create the wedding flowers of your DREAMS!! That all being said… there are a few things that your floral designer would want you to know about your wedding:

1. Flowers are living, breathing things that are dictated by Mother Nature

Therefore, that may mean that your roses may not be EXACTLY the shade of “light ballerina blush pink” that you thought they were going to be. Don’t panic though! A floral designer will ensure that quality consistent flowers are selected and that even if it’s not “light ballerina blush pink” it will be close enough that you won’t even notice the difference 🙂

2. Flowers are expensive.

I try to educate all my brides, or even potential brides, when I meet with them, on the cost of flowers. Many brides are shocked by their wedding flower price tag, but flowers are pricey, especially if you to prefer a more high-end look! Depending on the type of flowers you would like to use, the size of your bridal party and the guest count (for centerpieces), if you are looking for a “Pinterest-worthy” look, you need to budget appropriately! I suggest a minimum budget of $3000 for a wedding of 125 guests with ceremony, reception and person flowers!

3. Floral Designers don’t sleep well (or at all) the week of your wedding.

This could just be me, but I stay up WAY late and get up WAY early to make sure your flowers are PERFECT. That’s one of the unique challenges to working with flowers: you have a limited window of time to work with them before they begin to die, and you need to coddle and baby them until they arrive safely and happily at your wedding! This is just to say, if you see me around town with red eyes and coffee glued to my hand, you can safely guess that it’s a wedding week!

4. Floral Designers use more than just flowers to make your wedding dreams come true.

There are a lot of other materials involved, like different varieties of wire, floral tape, floral foam, floral frogs, a variety of centerpiece vessels, bouquet vases, different varieties of silk, satin, chiffon, or lace ribbon and more! If you are thinking of going the DIY route, just keep in mind you can’t go buy flowers from Trader Joes, wrap them in some rubber bands and expect them to look like that $400 bouquet you fell in love with on Pinterest!

5. Floral Designers LOVE hearing your input, and seeing your pictures and ideas.

Personally, I absolutely love when a bride is able to show me photos of inspiration bouquets she likes. Pinterest boards are wonderful resources to show to your florist, as long as you keep in mind that not every single idea will be feasible due to flower availability, budget, style, etc. I think most floral designers would say they are very “visual” people, and I know that I am that way for sure!

6. Floral Designers appreciate your trust.

As creative-minded people, florists like being able to work off a framework of flower colors, styles and designs to create something completely one-of-a-kind. If you are micro-managing your florist, they won’t have as much flexibility (or creativity) to be able to make the best choices for you!! Remember: there is a reason you hired who you did!!

7. Flower care can be difficult and time-consuming.

When I get my flowers for a wedding order from my wholesaler, it takes me at LEAST 3 hours (with help) to get them processed and prepared to begin working with. Not to even mention the care after you begin designing: keeping the flowers cool and fresh for several days, trimming and feeding,  knowing what to refrigerate (and most people don’t have refrigerator room for 20 centerpieces)!! Imagine if you were a DIY bride… working with cut fresh flowers for the first time ever… a few days before your wedding… all by yourself. Does this sound difficult to you? If so, it’s probably best left to a florist 🙂

Brides- what do YOU think is the most important thing for your florist to know?! 

Photos: Audrey Rose Photography