Dubsdread Catering Event Specialist Peighton Ballant shares some of her pro tips for selecting the right florist partner for your event.

While every piece of your wedding is important in bringing your day together, few have as much visual impact as the florals. Not only can they help set the mood for the event, with sunflowers brightening the space and roses creating a more romantic setting but can also express your personal style and creativity. Since flowers are an important part of your decor, you want to make sure you pick a florist that will fit your needs and style. Here are some Pro Tips to help you find the perfect florist.

ESTABLISH YOUR STYLE

The first thing you want to figure out is the type of floral arrangements you are wanting. What theme or style do you want. Were you wanting to do something modern and minimalistic, or something bright, tall, and bold? Are your bouquets going to be turned into centerpieces? Also, be sure to familiarize yourself with some floral terms so that you can ask the right questions. We have created a list for you and posted it to our Pinterest page or you can download it here. 

Some florists specialize in specific styles so it’s good to know ahead of time what you're looking for.

CREATE A BUDGET

Creating a budget is one of the most important aspects for every part of a wedding. You need to figure out how much you are willing to spend on a florist, photographer, DJ, etc. Doing this will help you narrow down your options right away and will lessen the number of inquiries you need to send out. Creating a budget can also assist you in working with your florist on how to get the most for your money.

DETERMINE YOUR SETUP NEEDS

A great first step is figuring out if you are wanting a florist or a florist designer. A florist designer will help design the look and feel as well as be onsite to do the decorating of your tables, aisles, and other spaces at the venue. A florist will create the arrangements offsite and have them delivered to the event venue with no additional design services. A florist designer is probably not needed if you already have a planner or are a natural at designing and decorating – but if you need some assistance, or there are a lot of spaces you are using florals in, they are the extra hands and help for decorating.

GET RECCOMENDATIONS AND ADVICE

One of the best ways to find great vendors is through word of mouth. If you have any friends or family that have been married, talk to them and see what florist they had. Did they enjoy their florist? Would they have changed anything about their floral design and choices? You can also look online, browse local magazines, or see if your venue has any recommendations. We have several vendor partners we’ve featured on our blog that may be a good place to start! (link)

READ REVIEWS

Before you book any florist, it is a good idea to read their reviews online. But be sure to not only base a floral company off their review, unless of course every review is negative. Only one or two negative reviews in a sea of positive ones shouldn’t deter you. Just ask the vendor what went wrong in those scenarios and how they handled it. If they were in the right, they most likely won’t have a problem explaining everything, but if they’re apprehensive about it, that might be a red flag.

SET UP A CONSULTATION

Once you’ve narrowed your list down to a few florists, be sure to meet with them in person and get all of your questions answered. Some important questions are:

1. Are you available on your event date?
2. Do you require a minimum budget?
3. Are you familiar with our venue?
4. Do you offer specific packages, or can I customize a package?
5. Do you charge a delivery fee?
6. Are there any additional fees that we haven’t already discussed?
7. When should I finalize my order?
8. When is the final payment due?

This is also the perfect time to get a proposal created so that you can see a final cost.

Once you’ve done all these steps, it’s time to pick a winner! Be sure to read your proposals thoroughly and figure out which vendor will satisfy your dream wedding needs as well as personally connected with you. It is recommended that you secure your florist five to six months in advance so that you have enough time to plan. 

Peighton Ballant is an Event Specialist with the Dubsdread Catering Team and is currently working on her Event Management degree at UCF. Peighton enjoys working with clients to discover what they are most interested in bringing to their special event, and how to make those ideas come to life. Contact her today at [email protected]. 

Photos courtesy of Atmospheres Floral and Decor, Dream Designs Florist, and Fairbanks Florist.