Wedding Flowers

Wedding Planning:
The Floral Designer and Flowers

Floral Costs

The floral cost is usually one of the categories that brides are most surprised about the expense. They think about flowers purchased at the local grocery store or large discount warehouse. What they don’t understand is what goes into creating. Of your floral bill, 45 – 50% goes into the actual cost of the flowers and the supplies needed to create what has been ordered. The remaining percentage is the time the floral designer is working…it’s their labor.

Preparation and Delivery

Once the floral designer receives the flowers, they come out of the boxes, undesirable leaves are removed, flowers go in water with conditioners, and then into the cooler until its time to create. Hours are spent creating…now stems are being cut, leaves are being polished, flowers are being picked, wired, placed in foam, wrapped and then wrapped again, labeled and then refrigerated until ready to be delivered. All aspects must be considered – from electricity for the refrigeration to the gas for delivery and set-up charges.

Delivery usually has 2 stops…the church, and then to the reception site to set up centerpieces as well as decorate the cake. Some florists will do 3 stops to deliver personals to the bride’s location for pre-ceremony photos.

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

Never assume your floral designer sees in their mind what you see in yours! One of the biggest helps when meeting with your floral designer is going to be pictures you have collected. Your pictures will reflect the style you have chosen for your wedding…whether it is romantic with pastels or bold with bright color and clean lines. Whatever look, style or theme you are choosing for your wedding, be sure you carry it through the entire wedding.

Create a Sample

Most all florists will show you particular types of flowers. If it is in your budget, I do recommend a sample being made of both the centerpiece (you can always use it at home on your table) and the bride’s bouquet. Hold the bouquet…do you want it smaller or larger? Your stature will make a difference in the size of the bouquet you are carrying. What about the stem length…longer or shorter? Make any adjustments at this time.

Your Floral Designer Knows Best

Even though you may want a particular flower, it may not hold up at the time of year you are getting married. There are flowers that cannot take heat, such as stephanotis and hydrangea. Others (flowers that are light in color) bruise easily and turn brown. And, not all flowers are readily available during all seasons. If you must have tulips in November, be prepared to pay a premium! Listen to your floral designer…the designer is the expert in their field!

Who Gets Flowers?

Traditionally, all members of the bridal party as well as ushers, parents and grandparents. You can also include Godparents or special guests. If your family is blended and there are re-marriages, the step-parent would also get a flower. Many brides include readers and vocalists if they are friends. There is no need to have flowers for “hired” wedding service providers. Check with your church in regard to the officiant. Most ministers prefer not wear them.

Ways to Save

1. Seasonal Flowers
The easiest way to save money is to purchase what is in season. For example, in the spring, tulips will be plentiful and economical…in August, you will pay top dollar for tulips, if you can get them. Roses are in season all year around as are callas. These two flowers are the most common as well as the priciest with callas being even more expensive at times than roses.

2. Greenery
Use lots of greenery – it makes things look full and most people won’t even notice there is more greenery and flowers. Everyone is going green!

3. Avoid Holidays
Avoid planning your wedding around Valentine’s Day (you will probably pay twice as much for roses), Mother’s Day or other holidays when flower prices are high! However, if you’re having a Christmas wedding, many places are already decorated, including churches.

4. Bridal Party Size
Keep your bridal party small. The larger your bridal party, the more you are spending on their flowers. Also, you can omit boutonnières for the groomsmen and they can wear a pocket scarf. Do have a boutonnière for the groom (as well as fathers and grandfathers).

5. Potted Flowers
Use potted plants such as tulips in the spring, mini roses in the summer, mums in the fall, and poinsettias in the winter. If you purchase them on your own, you will need to have someone put them on the tables…usually the coordinator or banquet center. If the bases aren’t wrapped, you will need something to cover the pot as well as protect the tablecloth from the dirt.

6. Reuse Florals
• Use your unity candle arrangement from the ceremony as your head table centerpiece.
• Buy inexpensive cylinder vases for the bridesmaids’ bouquets and put them across the head table.
• If you are having altar arrangements, have someone transfer them (if you want the florist to do that, you will be charged) and use them on either side of the head table or put one on the place card table and one on the gift table.
• Don’t use all flowers for your centerpieces. Do every other table with flower centerpieces and alternate with some type of candle arrangement.
• If you have pew bows, take them with you and attach them on designated tables at the reception.
• Use the flower girl basket and ring bearer pillow on the place card table as part of a corner display.

7. Non-Floral Centerpieces
Forgo floral centerpieces and purchase interesting non-floral centerpieces from craft stores or check out the cost of rentals from a rental company or florist. Be sure they are approved by the reception location. Many locations require flames to be enclosed in glass…it’s a fire ordinance.

8. Clean Look
Go with “less is more” idea on tables. Remember, tables will be full with china, glass, etcetera…..

9. Be a Minimalist
Use minimal flowers for your bridesmaids…perhaps 2 or 3 blooms tied with pretty ribbon.

10. Petals
Using petals around any type of centerpiece always stretches the floral look. If you are on a really tight budget, ask your caterer if they supply votives (or buy them on sale at a local craft store) and stagger them in the center of the table having petals all around them.

Tips

1. Boutonnières, corsages and wristlets are always worn on the left side and pinned from the inside of the lapel so the pins don’t show.

2. A boutonniere is never worn with a pocket scarf – its one or the other.

3. Boutonnieres don’t have to be flowers…berries have become popular as well as streamline greenery.

4. Ordering a ‘back-up’ bout for the groom is a great way for him to look fresh. After all the hugging going on, he may need a change.

5. When putting on a wristlet, the “stem” goes toward the hand with the flowers on the forearm.

6. Traditionally, the groom’s bout has at least one flower that coordinates with the brides bouquet.

7. Be careful of brushing your flowers against your dress…if the florist has missed removing a stamen or has
put a closed flower in the bouquet, which opens later in the day, you will have a bright yellow spot which cannot be brushed off.

8. Have problems with allergies but still want flowers, pick a flower that grows tall & away from soil with few or open petals like callas or gerberas. Avoid gardenias & stargazer type lilies.

9. White, lavender and yellow flowers bruise the easiest.

10. Avoid fragrant flowers for centerpieces such as gardenias, lilies, lilacs, and peonies.

11. When choosing the bridesmaids’ flowers, make sure you pick a color that does not blend in with the dress. You will not be able to see it in the photos.

12. If your reception is in a facility with a high ceiling, consider having some centerpieces that are tall to bring the eye up. They should be high enough so they don’t block the conversation view.

13. If you are supplying your own centerpieces, be sure to make an agreement with someone, the consultant or the banquet center to put them on the tables.

Article submitted by: Holly Stasiak. Holly is a professional wedding planner. She can be reached at holly@apassionforweddings.com