How to Choose a Wedding Florist

This week we will talk about florists! There are so many variations to getting floral for your wedding. It’s not just about the bouquets and boutonnieres. You have centerpieces and maybe some specialty pieces, like an arch, mantle, or a staircase. You can do fresh flowers, silk flowers, or wood flowers to name a few. Fresh floral prices have skyrocketed since 2020 and depending on what you are wanting, can be a large part of your budget. With so many options to choose from, as with many vendors, below are a few things to look for when choosing a florist.

*Are they an actual business? What type of background do they have? Do they hold an Agriculture License? What does that even mean? It basically means that they have the education behind them to know what flowers are in season, how to properly care and store them so that they are perfect for your big day.

*As with any vendor, look at reviews. How do they respond to them? Look at their portfolio. Have they done something similar to what you are envisioning?

*Keep in mind the time of the year that you are getting married. Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day are flower events! You can expect floral to be more in demand and so that will reflect in the pricing. Think about the type of flowers that you are wanting, for example, hydrangeas are not a flower that should be your first choice in the summertime. They need lots of water! Using them on an arch is a recipe for wilted flowers. The timing for your floral to be delivered plays an important role if you have a lot of floral outside in warm months. If they set them up at 9am and the ceremony is at 5pm, they may not look the way you are expecting.

*Everyone loves Pinterest! They showcase beautiful centerpieces and bouquets. Ask your florist when showing them your vision if those flowers are in season and if not, what would be the substitute flower. Ask them if when putting together an arch are they using floral foam and water tubes, especially if the arch is outside. Will they deliver your bouquets in water vases to keep them fresh, including the cake flowers?

*Finally, if you are investing in a florist to provide rentals, make sure that you have them not just setting up for your day, but also returning at the end of the night to pick up their rentals and help with the breakdown.

These are just a few things to keep in mind when you are looking into a florist. I hope that these reminders helped!