I'm pretty sure that the Flowers are the hardest, and most worrying part of any Wedding, and not just for the Bride - Florists have had many panic attacks too!
The biggest problem - from a Florist's point of view, is Brides who have no idea what they want. Florists are there to help and offer advice and ideas, but we can't do all of it for you. We like to have a jumping off point, so coming into the shop and saying "hmm, well.... I like roses." doesn't really give much help, since there are so many varieties and colours.
One of the worst nightmares is a Florist being given no help whatsoever in the theme department and creating a painstakingly time-consuming collection of arrangements, only to find the the occasion being twenty guests in a backyard.
Florists also tend to become the target for Bridezilla meltdowns, yet we, of all people know how important flowers are to a Wedding, and how they ultimately tie the theme together.
We are there to help create the flowers for one of the biggest days of your life. We want to help. But it is hard to when you are having a pre-wedding meltdown.
So here I have compiled a list of what to ask of / bring to a Florist;
Your colour theme.
One of the most important things. Saying "I want Pink" just doesn't cut it. We want to know if it is a dusty pink, a rich pink, a fuscia pink, a baby pink. The more specific you can be, the better.
Paint swatches from Bunnings are FANTASTIC. If you find them in the colours you are having, grab a set for your Florist, so they can match the flowers for you.
Even better, is if you have fabric swatches from bridesmaid dresses, grooms suits, your dress, even Mothers of the Bride and the Groom, if you are having corsages.
Pictures!
If you have a picture in a magazine you can spare {or even copy} of the Wedding or feel you are after, slip a copy in with the swatches. The florist will love you.
Florists need to know what feel you are going for, so that they can cater to your needs with the flowers.
Having a casual, intimate Wedding? You aren't going to need Church decorations, pew-ends and sprays.
Pictures of bouquets help give the florist an idea of what style you would like. Ideally, the florist should have some Wedding Portfolio's, and a collection of Bridal magazines for you to peruse with them. But if you have found a picture of that dream bouquet - bring it along to you consultation.
Monies!
Do not demand a quote the first time you walk in to the florist. We need to know details, what arrangements you want, what sizes you want them before we can quote you. Every Wedding is different, and should be priced accordingly.
Not to mention if you have your wedding planned around Big Dates. i.e. Valentines, Mothers Day, Christmas... the week of, and the fortnight before the date, you sadly must anticipate prices to be much higher.
In addition, the Florist shouldn't really be giving you a figure on the first meeting, unless they have a selection of ready priced packages for you to choose from. A good florist will probably have at least two meetings with you.
Flower Freshness?
Flower markets are generally on a Monday, Wednesday, and a Friday. But some florists only go once a week. Ask your florist if they are going to get the flowers fresh for your Wedding.
For a Saturday wedding, A good florist will order ahead, and go on a Friday market to get the ordered flowers, and create the arrangements freshly the day before.
You are in charge.
Don't be afraid to ask for extra flowers. If you want to do some table decorations with loose flowers, plonked lovingly into an old jar, then do just that. Don't pay the florist for something you can do yourself, for free! Ask them for their expertise with the bouquets, but also to order some loose flowers for you to decorate with.
Be honest. Don't tell the florist their work is wonderful, when you are secretly dying inside from the hideousness of the bouquet. Ask them to change it. Tell them where you want it different. The florist is a person too, and accepting a bouquet you don't like and bitching about the florist at the wedding is going to give them a bad rep, when they probably could have done another one better, in no time, and no extra cost.
I hope these tips have helped with any flower woes you may have!
