Once you’ve gathered a list of potential florists, your consultation is often the very first step in choosing the right one for your big day and beginning the process of designing your wedding flowers. Many couples, however, aren’t sure where to begin, which is totally normal. We’ve rounded up our top five tips to help you get the most out of your floral consultation and finding the perfect florist.
1. Be Sure You Like Your Florist, Not Just The Flowers
Although it may seem like flowers should be your only focus, you absolutely must like the person you’ll be working with. As Jaimie Mackey explains in the BRIDES article, “5 Questions to Ask When Interviewing a Florist,” “Interviewing a florist is about more than just finding someone who does great work: You’ll want to learn about their working style, what’s included in the contract, and what their day-of process is like, not to mention find out whether the two of you click!” Above all, trust that this individual will understand what you desire and believe in his or her abilities to bring it to fruition. Not every florist will be the right fit for you–and that’s OK! Do your research and take your time getting to know potential vendors.
2. Go Easy on the Entourage
We recommend bringing along just your significant other, one other supportive friend, or a trusted family member for your initial consultation. Too many outside opinions can easily become overwhelming for many brides who may already be overwhelmed by the number of decisions regarding details that need to be made. Keep in mind the old saying: “Too many cooks spoil the broth.”
3. Share Your Inspirations
Most couples arrive at their consultation armed with color swatches, photos of bridesmaid dresses and the wedding gown, and sometimes even a binder of bouquets and decor ideas they’ve pulled together from Pinterest and wedding planning magazines. While these are each extremely beneficial in their own way, you may also want to consider sharing unique aspects of your personality and relationship as this will help guide your florist toward a style that you’ll love.
Browse everything from paint swatches to art; look at your own home decor and see if you can find a cohesive element throughout. Pull all of these together and bring them to your florist. These inspirations may seem insignificant or unrelated to your flowers, but the colors, shapes, style, and textures you’re drawn to in your day-to-day world also reveal personality and preferences that allow your florist to better suggest types of flowers or bouquet styles that are sure to please.
4. Brainstorm a Budget for Your Blooms
Be open and realistic about what you want to spend versus what you can spend, and establish your expectations early on in your consultation. Doing so will help save time and make it easier for your florist to bring your vision to reality with designs, flower options, and elements that create a cohesive look and reflect your individual personality and style–while remaining in your budget. There’s no benefit to your florist suggesting high-end orchids that you’ll fall in love with only to find that they’ll break your budget.
5. …But Don’t Focus Solely on the Finances
Focus your meeting on more than just getting a price; learn what sets a vendor apart with service and quality, not just value. Gathering prices will lead to a variety of costs, but says little about the experience and quality you’ll receive for your big day.
An All Occasion Silk Creations consultation is fun! Contact us today to set up your time as all consultations are by appointment only. Click here to submit your pre-consultation form or give us a call at (724) 695-2259.
