So, you’re planning your wedding. You’ve picked a date and season, chosen the perfect venue for your vows, and probably hired an amazing photographer to capture all the details and a wedding planner to ensure that things run smoothly! So what’s next?! Choosing your florist!! Last week I talked about “7 Things Your Wedding Florist Wants You to Know,” which I hope provided you with some general background knowledge of how florists work with you throughout your wedding. If you didn’t get a chance to read that, head over to that post first, and then read this one!! Preparing for your initial consultation with your wedding florist is an important step in your wedding planning process, and I want to share some ideas of the best things to do before that first meeting!

Chelsea Anderson Photography

First, when preparing for your initial meeting with a florist, be sure to think closely about who you want to be involved in the discussion. As a wedding florist, almost every consultation I have held has been with JUST the bride- and I like personally like that!! I think when a bride brings her mom, sister, cousin and best friend it can be tricky for the bride (and the florist) to decipher the bride’s wishes. I’m certainly not telling you to not bring anyone to this meeting; I’m just pointing out that with several people present there can be several differing opinions floating around, when ultimately it is YOUR opinion as the bride that a florist wants to hear!!

Bring photos, color swatches, linen pieces, or an iPad/computer so we can access your Pinterest board!! In my experience, florists are VERY visual people, and seeing inspirational photos helps us really understand the theme, mood and vision you have in mind for your wedding! If there are photos you can share of your wedding dress, the bridesmaid dresses and the cut and style of each, even better!! There are some designs of bouquets that look better with certain types of wedding dresses, and a good florist will share that knowledge with you! We won’t assume you know much about flower names, types and when they are in-season, but we do assume you’ll be able to show us what you like! You can leave the technical stuff to us!

Sarah Brookhart Photography

Have an open mind! With the rise of Pinterest in the last several years, brides have more access than ever to wedding floral inspiration photos- which is usually awesome!! But as florists, we run into issues when a bride has her heart set on an all-peony bouquet she saw on Pinterest, with a wedding date in November. I will always try to educate brides on the best choices for their budget, based on the season, type of flowers and what you have your heart set on, but at the end of the day just have an open mind! We will always find you an excellent alternative (that you may not even be able to differentiate!!)

Take a look at the florist’s portfolio on their website before you meet them to determine which styles of bouquets and centerpieces you like. For example, a more seasoned wedding florist will have a portfolio filled with different sorts of bouquets (hand-tied, garden-style, cascading) and different centerpieces (compotes, garlands, planter boxes, elevated pieces) and more! Looking through their portfolio will help you determine whether or not this particular florist would be a good fit for your wedding style, and it will give you a frame of reference during your meeting with them.

Chelsea Anderson Photography

Don’t spend too much time comparing proposals from other florists either; the best method is to choose the person that you feel the best connection with, who you felt best understood your vision for your wedding day, and someone you trust!!! That last part is especially crucial- don’t choose a florist that you feel like you don’t explicitly trust.

By following some of these preparation ideas, I guarantee you will have a productive and insightful initial consultation with whichever florists you choose to meet with! If you have any questions about your initial consultation, shoot me an email at courtneyinghramevents@gmail.com – I would love to help!!