Wedding Planning Guide - Flowers Return to Wedding Planning Topics List Cost There is much to consider when choosing flowers/a florist for your wedding. If you set a budget for a florist, ensure they stick to it, and when they give you a final quote, tell them if you are not happy with it or if you are going to struggle in other areas as a result. They should be able to remove something without damaging the lovely overall effect. To cut down on costs, you could get in touch with anyone having a ceremony on the same day as you at the same premises to discuss sharing the cost of decorating the venue. However, this may not work if you are having completely different themes, or if one of you isn't happy having 'second-hand' flowers. Choosing a Florist When you discuss what you want, ensure it is the florist who will be doing the arrangements for your day that you speak to, to avoid 'middle-man' break downs in communication. When they do set you a price, check if this includes delivery. Will they set-up the flowers, or will they just drop them off on the day? And will it be the florist who created them setting them up, or an assistant, who may not be so familar with the displays? If you are having the displays from the ceremony moved to the reception will the florist help with this also? If not, you will need a way of moving possibly large displays. It's not just the look of the flowers you need to consider - think about the scent of certain blooms, as these smells will provide permanent reminders to you of your day. Silk Flowers You may wish to consider silk flowers. They provide a much longer lasting reminder of your day (whilst staying truer to their original colour that dried arrangements), are much easier to care for on the day, and if they need to be transported from the ceremony to the reception, can withstand just a little bit more that real petals. Do Your Own Some brides decide to do their own flowers for the day - but this is a big challenge and should not be undertaken lightly. Maybe enrol on a flower arranging course a few months prior to the Wedding. If you also plan to grow your own flowers, plant more than you need to allow for mistakes or unsuccessful blooms. Doing your own flowers will take a lot of time and planing - which you may not be able to stretch to in the run up to your big day. And on the day it's very unlikely you'll be able to go around setting them all up yoruself. Consider getting a professional florist to do the large arrangements and bouquets, whilst you do the table arrangements. Coordinating with your Dress When you are sure on the florist that you want to use see if you can book them for the day of your wedding without picking a style of flowers. This ensures you've got a florist for the correct date, but you can then go back to them once you have picked the outfits for the day, and coordinate the two. The choice of your bouquet/flower arrangement can depend greatly on your choice of dress. A very elaborate dress would perhaps look better with a simple posy, so as not to look too 'busy', whereas a very simple outfit can be enhanced by elegant but intricate flowers. What's in season? Of course you have to consider what flowers/foliage are around at the time of your Wedding. Although florists can pretty much get you what you want now-a-days, you may have to be prepared to pay a high price if you ask them to order something that is actually out of season. Other roles for flowers Finally, remember flowers needn't stop at bouquets. For example, a simple posy would work very well with a matching hair decoration, or single stem table centre pieces would be complimented by similar chair decorations. Return to Wedding Planning Topics List Home | About Us | Sites | Supplier Directory | Wedding Planning Guide | Contact Us | Advertise Mailing List | Tell A Friend Visitor Terms & Conditions | Links copyright Internet Wedding Guide 2007 lisa bailey affordable web design