If you love flowers as much as I do then they are a very important part of your wedding day to you! We all know that the aspects of your day that you are so excited about can be a bit overwhelming. Flowers can be confusing if you don’t know much about them or you don’t know what direction you want to go in. I wanted to provide a few tips that I have followed throughout my wedding planning. If these work for me then I guarantee they will work for you! I can be a very indecisive gal! So, here’s where to start when designing your flowers or getting ready to talk to your florist.

1. Create Your Floral Budget

Sit down with your fiance and whoever is helping pay for your wedding. Discuss how much you can spend or are willing to spend on your wedding florals. The final cost will vary depending on your wedding location, the types of flowers you want, and where you want the flowers to be. For example, having a luscious floral arch at your ceremony might be more important to you than signage and wedding favors. Remember to distribute those expenses accordingly.

2. Find Your Inspiration

Hop on Pinterest, Instagram, or Blogs and start searching for your favorite floral arrangement. I even recommend printing these out or creating a mood board on Canva to help you visualize everything. Creating a Pinterest Board or Mood Board will also be useful later on when you find your florist. You might already know you like neutrals or very colorful florals. Use different keywords to help you find the perfect inspo! As you do this, take note of the type of flowers you see repeatedly in your images. Maybe you are picking lots of roses or wildflowers? If you want everything to flow together try to keep your flower inspiration to the same colors as your overall wedding colors.

3. Look For Your Florist

If you are handling your own florals then this won’t apply to you! Honestly, props to you if you are. I don’t have the patience for that! Once you have your inspiration and budget down you can start searching for a florist. During your initial email or your first meeting, let them know your budget! The florist needs to know this ahead of time so they know if they can accommodate you. You can even ask them what all they could do with “x” budget in mind. This will give you an idea of what you can get from this florist. Make sure to send your inspiration as well. If you are wanting a large bridal bouquet vs a dainty one this can change things. The same goes for the type of flowers you love!

4. Hire Your Florist

Okay so you’ve got quotes from a few florists and now it’s time to narrow them down! Your florist should be one of the first wedding vendors you hire. I’d recommend starting your search between eight and 12 months ahead of the wedding date. Florists tend to book out quickly, especially during Spring through early Fall. Plus they need time to get your florals and make the arrangements! Once you have selected 1-2 florists you are interested in it’s time to chat with them again. Ask to talk about details like exact flowers, cost of materials, setup, breakdown costs, and taxes. Request a detailed quote for your wedding, based on what you’ve told the florist about your vision and budget. Then pick which florist best fits your vision and price point!

5. Make A List Of Must-Haves

You proabbaly are interested in a bridal bouquet and table centerpieces but you need to think about the other florals you want! Some things you might not think about is aisle florals, boutinners, crowns, altar, sweetheart table, etc. The list of arrangements can impact your overall budget. Talk with your florist to see what’s essential for your special day and what you might be able to skip.

Something to think about is recycling your florals! If you want aisle florals and table centerpieces you can ask your florist if you can have the aisle florals moved to the reception during cocktail hour. You could use your bridesmaid’s bouquets for vases. Just talk with your florists about what could work!

6. Choose Seasonal Blooms

If you are trying to cut costs tell your florist you only want to use flowers that are in season! Sometimes a florist will create a quote that includes seasonal and non-seasonal flowers and this can affect your budget. Out-of-season florals can be pretty pricey as they are harder to get. If you have a favorite flower that is out of the season your florist may know a flower that is similar that is in-season and is more cost-efficant.