Category wedding flowers planning

During a phone call this morning with a client in the throws of planning her 2017 wedding, we had a rather frank and refreshing chat about MONEY (insert ominous-sounding music here?). Now, British folks are not generally great at talking about it, and I think I often startle customers with my openness to cost-benefit discussions. Basically, I’m open to discussions about anything really, and I don’t like hiding things!

Since you’re probably here because you’re planning a wedding and need help with your flowers, I thought I’d take the opportunity, while it’s fresh in my mind, to let you know my stance on all this scary budget stuff. I’m gonna put it all out there. I can’t speak from a photographers perspective, a wedding planner’s perspective, or that of any other supplier, but when it comes to flowers, I know a fair bit. Please excuse me in advance for what will inevitably be a long post!

You know it, I know it, it’s obvious- not all wedding pros are created equal. Some have a stack-it-high and sell-it-cheap approach (and that’s A-OK, so long as you/they can manage your expectations and you get what you require from them in terms of service and product), and others put huge emphasis on service and what that means to their clients. I’m in the latter category. I don’t price myself out of the market… I need to work to earn money to pay my mortgage right? But I do need to charge enough to account for the level of service I provide and my time spent doing that work.

And make no mistake, the level of service you receive is a MASSIVE part of what you’re paying for. Let me explain…

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I try to give my clients the time and attention they need, along with unique ideas, all the creativity I can muster, and the benefit of my experience. I think I do it pretty well, but there is always something I wonder about… I don’t really know what it’s like being on the receiving end of all that hard work.

Luckily, my photographer friend Rebecca Frost recently blogged about her own experiences planning her flowers, and is allowing me to share them here…

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I’ve never met anyone who instinctively knows how to plan a wedding if they haven’t done it before- it’s usually a mix of trial-and-error, lots of help from wedding mags and the web, and a bit of common sense.

Since you’ve got a lot to think about right now, let me explain how it usually goes with the flowers:

12-18 months to go

As soon as you’ve booked the venue and have an idea (even if vague) about what florals you’d like, get in touch with a florist whose style you like and set up a meeting with them. And I can’t stress this enough- find the florist who’s work you LOVE! There is no point going somewhere ‘cheap’ or ‘just down the road’ and trying to force them into the style and quality of floristry you want- this can only end in disappointment.

Trawl the internet, look at portfolios… you’ll know it when you see it. And book in quick when you find the one. We don’t have eight arms and cannot take an unlimited number of events every weekend.

Oh, and ask your photographer who they would recommend- they are visual, creative people, with a good eye.
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There are articles like this one all over the internet and in magazines; some of them really great. Not all of them, however, are written by a florist who actually deals with weddings and flowers on a daily basis. I thought I should put together my tips for getting the very best out of your florist and receiving the service and flowers you always dreamed of:

Make initial enquiries as early as you can…

The best suppliers get booked up quickly and sensible ones will put a limit on how many events they will take on in a week. As soon as you have booked your venue and have an idea of styles and colours you might like, book a consultation.
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Planning a wedding is hard. There is so much more to think about than you initially thought when you started out- from the vows, readings, music, food and drink, to the pretty things like dresses, decorations and favours (not to mention the guest list!). It all unfortunately comes at a pretty price too!

It certainly is tempting to DIY many aspects of the day in order to save money… perhaps you have a friend that takes great pictures (for the record I always recommend hiring a pro for this!), or a relative who can bake. It’s worth remembering though, that what you might save in cash, you definitely won’t save in time and effort.

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How much do wedding flowers cost? Now there’s a question! And the answer is not a simple one… every couple has a different amount to spend on their wedding and each will place a different level of importance on the flowers. Some feel that they are a big part of the day and are willing to spend big for a full on flower-fest; others feel that a few bouquets and buttonholes are enough for them. Of course both options are fine and it’s part of my job to work out what the best ideas are for the given budget.
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