Photographer Credit: Taimane Kini Photography

Today I want to talk about how to prepare for a floral consultation. As exciting as thinking about your flowers can be, actually getting the process started can be daunting if you don’t know where to begin. With that in mind, here is a guide that will help you prepare for a floral consultation!

Collect Inspiration Photos

The single most-helpful thing you can do to get started on the right foot with your florist is collecting a handful of inspiration photos. By sharing a good selection of pictures showing what you are interested in, your florist can immediately get a feel for what you like. Having this prepared in the beginning will also save your florist a lot of time during the design concept and pricing process.

TIP: Save inspiration photos for different parts of your wedding... like the arch, bar, centerpieces and cake. I know it’s easy to get wrapped up in bouquet photos (trust me… I know) but bouquets are only one piece of your wedding; so don’t forget to collect other inspiration photos!

Create a List of Desired Arrangements

Photographer Credit: Stephen Ludwig Photography

Once you gather the photos, make a detailed list of all of the arrangements you’re interested in. While you don’t necessarily need an inspiration photo for EVERY desired floral arrangement, you do need to think through everything from the get-go so that the florist can provide an accurate estimate on pricing. Some floral arrangements that you may want to consider are:

Bridal bouquet
Bridesmaid bouquet(s)
Hair flowers
Groom boutonniere or lei
Groomsmen boutonniere(s) or lei
Special family flowers
Accent for “Welcome Sign”
Welcome table arrangements
Ceremony Arch

Aisle marker arrangements for ceremony

Aisle entry arrangements for ceremony
Petals for aisle
Bar arrangements
Cocktail table arrangements
Guest table centerpieces
Sweetheart/head table arrangements
Cake flowers
Hanging arrangements

Though you may not want everything listed above, it’s great to consider which items are important to you prior to contacting your florist. Also, don't forget to share accurate quantities. Having a layout determined and rentals booked before tackling flowers is recommended.

Consider your Budget

This is very important for your florist to know so they can properly educate you on what is realistic. I recommend separating out the itemized list of desired arrangements into an A-List and B-List. By doing this, your florist can do their best to include everything you need on the A-list and can strategically recommend any additional items from the B-List if the budget allows.

TIP: If you are unsure, you can always ask the florist to share some examples and total cost of past events they've done that are similar to your style and guest count.

Prepare Some Interview Questions

In order to make sure you are getting all the important information prior to picking a florist, I suggest creating a list of interview questions to ask during the consultation. By taking time to think about everything you need to know and writing it down, you will save time and minimize any follow up.

Some questions to consider asking include:

Can you show me some examples of your favorite work?
What happens if you can’t get the flowers I requested? What is your policy on substituting flowers?
How do you determine the charges for the flowers and labor?
Can you provide some examples of creative solutions you’ve used in the past to get the most out of a budget?
What rentals can you provide?
Can we take home the arrangements at the end of the night?

Schedule a Consultation

Reach out to the florists you are interested in and schedule a meeting. I recommend setting this up via Skype, Zoom, or in person. That way you can put a face to the name and better gauge if they are someone you can communicate well with. You will also want to be able to share visual inspiration with each other.

Whomever you end up hiring, you will want to make sure they are a good blend of the style you love, the price you are comfortable paying, AND someone you trust and feel good communicating with!

I hope this guide will help you on your flower journey. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out. If you would like to book a consultation with our in house floral team, you can do so directly through this link!