How to Plan Your Wedding Flowers, Part 3: The Consultation
I mentioned a few weeks ago that I strongly believe planning your flowers should be one of the most fun parts of your wedding. And therefore, your floral consultation should be nothing but awesome! So today, I'm going to talk a little bit about how you can prepare for your wedding flower consultation, and what to expect.
Image by Brittany Mahood Photography, designed by Stone House Creative for Host Winnipeg
WHAT TO BRING TO YOUR WEDDING FLOWER CONSULTATION
The BEST way to use your consultation is to help the designers get a really good feel for your personal style and your wedding plans so far. Have you found your gown, or the bridesmaid dresses yet? Bring a picture. Talk about your colour palette and bring swatches. Have you done the hard work of narrowing down that highly curated Interested board yet? Perfect. Sharing images that you're drawn to will help your designer get a good understanding of flower types you like, the bouquet shape you love, and more. If you've planned details like your stationery or your table linens, be sure to tell them.
You'll also be asked about the list of floral items that you're needing, so have a good idea of the number of table centres you need, the approximate number of rows of chairs you'll have at the ceremony, and who you'd like to have boutonnieres and corsages (parents, step-parents, grandparents, siblings, ushers, and so on).
WHAT YOU NEED TO COMMUNICATE TO YOUR FLORIST (HINT: Budget)
Now that you've shared some of your wedding plans, the floral designer you're meeting with should have a good feeling for your style. Now, you'll also need to share your budget. I know, this isn't always easy. Along with the budget conversation will also come your top priority: in a lot of cases, the wants list exceeds the budget. So, make sure your floral designer understands what the most important elements are to you. That way, should your budget not match up with your dreams, your florist will be able to come up with some ideas for special arrangements or elements to add in that will help you achieve the look you dream of at a more affordable price tag.
If you're having trouble communicating to your fiancé or parents why flowers are important to you, this post will be a great read for you. Remember that there's a lot more to selecting your florist than just the budget they present you with, so be sure you keep an open mind during your consultation to hear what she has to suggest to you. You want to hire someone who is excited, creative, and shares your vision!
WHEN TO LOG OUT OF PINTEREST
Okay girl, now is officially the time to stop looking at flowers on Pinterest. I know that Pinterest is full of so many great ideas, but it can also be a very dangerous trap, convincing you to spend more money than you can afford and adding way too many things to your to-do list. So here's what you do: stop pinning wedding stuff. Delete the images that no longer fit with your vision. Find more tips here.
Keep your eye out for Part 4 next week: Navigating the quotes and booking your florist!
Don't miss a post! Here are the other posts in this series:
Part 1: Find Your Style
Part 2: Find The Right Florist
Planning your wedding flowers? I'd love to help. Click the button below to connect with me!