Weddings are extremely difficult to plan, even a tad intimidating if you’ve never been a ‘wedding person’ with no experience whatsoever in the department. So chances are you wouldn’t know about whether to buy wholesale flowers online or offline? How wedding attires go or even what the difference between a rose and a peony is? And possibly, how the DIY floral project can work wonders for you, if you can invest time and some hard work for the same.
So for getting out of the predicament of choosing their own flowers, many people hire experts to do the job and florists fall into that category quite regularly. Weddings are not all about flowers but a whole lot of it. And if you do need to get your décor and various floral arrangements right without any prior experience you’re going to need a professional florist.
But it’s never that simple when you’re an amateur, chances are the florist may very well charge a higher price from you and since they markup the flowers purchased (wholesale times x 3) before they give you the final price, you wouldn’t even know about it unless you do have some knowledge on the matter. Even after paying extra you might still remain unsatisfied about the flowers used for the wedding or even the arrangements and décor. There are things you should know before hiring a florist.
Well if you don’t have anyone to help you out in that matter too. Well, you need to stop raking your brains, as you happen to be just at the right place and at the right time.
We have the perfectly fine-tuned and streamlined 9 tips on how you need to go about hiring a florist for arranging the flowers for the wedding
1. What do you want?
You need to have an exact understanding of what kind of accents you like and what style you prefer before reeling in, on a florist. Do your own homework beforehand and search for bridal bouquets and centerpieces that you like. Consider factors such as color scheme, theme, season, affordability to process a vision. Florists have different specialization and strong points and you wouldn’t be able to talk to one if you don’t know what exactly you want.
2. What is your need?
Do you need someone to just help you out in choosing flowers or even in organizing them with definitive floral arrangements and designs?
A simple florist can give a head start in choosing and buying wholesale flowers for the predestined day but if you need him in charge; to design the arch, ceremony, tables and other things too; a floral designer will fit the bill better. Think long and hard before making a decision as if you do think you actually possess the eye for details and can work around some creativity; you can go with the former. It will also help you narrow down the search and have a better frame of mind in understanding what needs to be done.
3. Costs
About 8-10 percent of total wedding budget expenses are spent on flowers. You’re going to need a number. If you have grand and intricate in mind; be ready to spend enough or if you want an off-season beauty to be a part of the wedding décor and floral arrangements; still be ready to spend double to five times of the original rates. Before going to the florist and asking for quotes, you need to have a rough estimate beforehand to make sense.
4. Opinions
It may sound like a cliché but asking for recommendations from family and friends is not that bad, actually. People get married all the time and there’s no reason why someone that did well for them wouldn’t be able to repeat that with you. Search online for reviews and suggestions and browse local yellow pages and wedding magazines for getting more options. If you do happen to have a wedding planner on board, chances are pretty huge that he knows one.
5. Ask Questions
When you do narrow down the list and actually get on with an appointment, don’t be afraid to ask questions.
- What kind of weddings have you done?
- Can you provide just enough on my budget?
- Do you have other weddings too around my date?
- What about a rough estimate?
- Can I see your portfolio?
- Will you also charge for delivery?
Take notes before an appointment as to what you need to ask for making a decision and making him understand your vision and exact requirements.
6. Take things with you
Your florist should be able to relate with your vision and what kind of bulk flowers you have in mind for the day. But saying gets preaching after a period of time and this is exactly why you’re going to need pictures, magazines, paper cuttings, Pinterest or Google images and various other material showing flowers for the wedding and décor you do like. Showing does the job a lot better than telling and florist might ask for giving specific examples in that scheduled appointment.
7. Other Factors
Location is also one of the most important factors that you should consider before making a decision in favor of a florist. A long-distance florist may be found lacking in terms of availing flowers in bulk at affordable rates or even getting fresh flowers, delivery time, travel time and extra charges. A localized florist will also be able to make better recommendations in terms of floral arrangements and wedding décor for you.
8. Be Early
Good florists get booked pretty early every wedding season and this is why preparing early will give you an advantage. You would not want to face a situation where you’ve found just the florist you wanted but just got two months too late. You should book a florist at least 6 or 8 months before the actual wedding date.
9. The Final Things
Even If you do like the overall package and the rates on the first go, do not go just commit yet. When the overall package and services of the florist look relatable to you, go ahead and make a second appointment. Also, after signing up for his services, make you do visit him on regular intervals (at least 2 or 3 times before the wedding) to discuss the minor changes that you might have in mind (in terms of more centerpieces, increase in guests or various other things) or even talk about the preparations.
At the end of it all, it’s going to be your personal decision. If you feel everything right about it then, do strike up a deal. Remember no florist can ever be perfect and you have to hope for the best in terms of zeroing in on one. Also, try to use an online floral service like Whole Blossoms or even other local floral farms and stores to compare rates of various florists and decide accordingly.
Did the article covered all the topics well or are you still confused about the procedure involving the florist selection? Please do write to us.
