Believe it or not, one of the most photographed pieces of your wedding day will be your floral arrangements. From your wedding bouquet to your centerpieces and everything in between, your wedding flowers have the ability to add so much to your design. It’s important to choose a florist that you trust will make your dream a reality. With the help of Rachel from Alba Dahlia Floral, we’re sharing some insight on what you need to know when choosing your florist.

Basic Information

Before you even begin your search for a florist for your wedding day, we suggest narrowing a few things down. What is your color scheme? Bridesmaid Dress color? Budget? Venue? Style? All of these things will help you get an idea of what designs will work well for all of these things. Not only that, but when meeting with different florists, they’ll be able to help guide you in the right direction or make suggestions. Thus, you’ll be able to see which florist is the best option for you!

The Process

What can a bride expect from the time the reach out to a florist to the wedding day? We’re glad you asked!

Rachel from Alba Dahlia: “We usually begin with an in person consultation to discuss all floral needs. I always suggest to bring inspiration photos —whether their from magazines or Pinterest and expect about an hour meeting where we discuss all their floral loves and ideas. Because every event is unique, pricing is based on the elements you chose to incorporate in your designs.

Within a week of your meeting we will send a detailed proposal that includes flower names, and color selections.  We source our products from Holland, Seattle, Florida and California. We suggest to read through the contract carefully and research the listed the floral to make sure they love it. If there is anything they would like to change we would be happy to do so.

30 days before your event, we will be in contact to see if any final changes are needed. We will also request a copy of the timeline for our production team to make your big day a success! The day of we will arrive to the wedding in a timely manner to make sure everything is perfect!”

Timeline

Like any vendor, the longer you wait the higher chance your top choice may be unavailable. However, that’s no reason to rush into anything if you’re not fully confident. There are many different floral designers out there so do your research to see which ones resonate most with your style. Start your search as soon as you’re ready and we suggest booking 6-12 months out.

Tips + Tricks

Even if you aren’t sure on any of the design aspects, but know you really like a particular florist, book them! They are usually more than happy to help you with these particular elements.

Do your research and budget ahead of time. If you’re unsure what the average cost of flowers is, don’t be afraid to ask around. This will help you know what to expect when visiting your local florist and allocate the funds in your budget appropriately.

Repurpose your flowers! This is a great option for those that aren’t as flexible in their budget. For example, use your bridesmaid bouquets as centerpieces and/or your ceremony flowers to dress up your reception decor.

If you are going to have bridal done, ask your florist to make the bouquet. This will give you an idea of what your bouquet will look like on wedding day and allow for changes if needed.

Questions + Things to Consider

What flowers are in season for the time of year?

Would structured or unstructured floral designs fit my venue and style?

Have you worked at my venue before?

Is this within my budget and/or what adjustments can be made to have it fit within my budget?

What does the timing look like for the day of the wedding?

Will you come back and strike at the end of the night?

Does the cost include vases or are those rented? If they’re rented are they rented in-house or through another vendor of my choice?

How are the payments set-up?

Does the total include delivery or is that a separate fee?

Visualizing your wedding is SO fun. Choosing your florist helps shed light on how your day will look and the overall vibe. Special thanks to Rachel for sharing her knowledge with us in this post!

Need help finding the right vendors or interested in more of our services at Alexa Kay Events? Let’s chat!