Wedding Wednesdays

Some brides immediately know what kind of flowers they want to use for their wedding. Other brides need inspiration. Sometimes it helps to make some of the other decisions, such as the venue, type of food, and bridal party attire, before thinking about florals. The formality, style, and feel of the wedding will be enhanced by the bouquets, corsages, boutonnières, and other floral decorations chosen.

Before meeting with florists, do some homework. Being prepared will help you hire the florist who is going to be able to fulfill your vision. Here are some suggestions on what to think about when starting the florist hiring process for your wedding.

• Call ahead of time to set up an appointment, check to see if your wedding date is available
• Look through magazines and the web to find some pictures of floral ideas that you like
  
• Colorful or monochromatic?
• Big and bold, soft and pretty, classic and elegant, unique and modern?
• Know your general floral needs - your initial meetings with the florist(s) will help answer some of these questions too
  
• Do you want bouquets, corsages, boutonnieres, and a toss bouquet? How many people are in your bridal party? What about your parents and grandparents? Are there any other special people who you want to have flowers?
  
• What kind of decorations do you want - pew decorations, altar decorations, unity candle, centerpieces, other arrangements for the guest book/gift table?
  
• Do you have specific types of flowers that you must use or are you flexible in the types of flowers?
• Have an idea of the floral budget for your wedding - most wedding resources suggest somewhere around 7% to 10% of your overall budget, but it depends on what you choose to focus on

Next week, we will talk about questions you should ask your florist when meeting with the florist.