Wedding Florist
From LoveToKnow Weddings
Shopping for a wedding florist should be at the top of your “to do” list. No wedding is complete without flowers. They’re necessary for the bridal bouquets, ceremony decorations and table centerpieces at the reception. Chances are, there are hundreds of wedding florists available in your area. Knowing what to look for will help to narrow down the choices.
Wedding Vendor Packages
Many wedding planning companies offer packages complete with all the vendors necessary to throw the perfect affair. Included are the wedding photographer, limousine and driver, and wedding florist. Just because the price is right doesn’t mean this is the person you should go with, however. Make sure you see his portfolio and get customer recommendations. If you can, visit an event that has been decorated with his flowers. Many times, these wedding boutiques don’t offer the personal service you’ll find with a local wedding florist. If this is important to you, you'll want to find a smaller, independent wedding florist.
Wedding Florist Recommendations
The caterer or restaurant who will be hosting your wedding is sure to have one or two recommendations for a fine wedding florist. Many florists will offer discounts or special packages if purchased through the catering hall. It might be worth your while to look into it. The good thing about this is that if the wedding florist has worked with the catering manager and the venue before, he’ll have recommendations as to which flowers will work best for your event.
You might also discuss wedding florist choices with some friends or relatives who have recently wed. They’ll let you know if the florist was easy to work with and if the flowers arrived fresh and in good condition.
Wedding Flower Packages
Before choosing your wedding florist, ask to see a listing of the different packages available. Most packages should include:
- Bridal bouquet
- Small bridal “throwaway” bouquet
- Bouquets for all bridesmaids –Two or three will come with the package, more than that are extra.
- Boutonnières for all of the groomsmen, the groom and his father.
- Corsages for the mother or the bride and groom. Additional corsages are extra.
- At least two arrangements for the ceremony location
- Centerpieces for the reception
During your initial meeting, the wedding florist will ask how many guests and show you the package options for that amount. If you wish to have more flowers, these of course will be extra.
Keep in mind that you don’t even have to purchase a “package”. It might be more suitable, not to mention affordable, to purchase all your wedding flower needs separately instead of as part of a package. This is especially the case for small weddings.
Before the Wedding
There are several things you’ll need to give your wedding florist before the wedding.
- A swatch of the bridesmaid dresses so their bouquets match
- A swatch from the mother of the bride and groom dresses for their corsages
- A swatch from the linens that will be used in the catering facility so the corsages match
- The names of your wedding coordinator/planner at both the ceremony and reception
- The final table count for the reception
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