Things Every Wedding Florist Wants to Tell Clients (If it Wouldn't Hurt Their Feelings)

Photography by Bri Berry Photography | Florals by Le Champagne Projects

Let’s get real. I love what I do: wildly romantic, story-driven flowers for weddings across San Diego and Southern California. But if I could sit you down with a glass of champagne and say what I really wanted to say, here's what you’d hear...

This isn’t about being rude. It’s about giving you the inside scoop, the stuff we think but don’t always say out loud.

1. Pinterest Isn’t Real Life

The images you save are often styled shoots with unlimited budgets, no guests, and perfect lighting. Real weddings have wind, heat, budgets, and timelines. We can absolutely make something stunning, but it won’t be a carbon copy of that $50K editorial from Tuscany.

2. Flowers Are Expensive Because They Should Be

You’re not just paying for flowers. You’re paying for labor, design, transportation, setup, cleanup, and a whole lot of behind-the-scenes logistics. Flowers are perishable. Everything is done in a matter of hours. It’s an art and a sprint.

3. Your Budget Might Not Match Your Wishlist

We get it, you want the Pinterest arch, the lush aisle meadows, hanging installs, the full tablescape, and florals everywhere. But if your floral budget is $6,500 for a 150-person wedding, we need to be realistic. That might cover personal flowers, centerpieces, and a partial arch, but not large-scale installs or repurposing logistics.

This isn’t about shaming your budget. It’s about helping you prioritize where flowers will make the biggest impact and how to get the most out of what you can invest. And trust me something beautiful is always possible with clarity and creativity.

Photography by Bri Berry Photography | Florals by Le Champagne Projects

4. Yes, Weather Affects Flowers and We’re Not Magicians

Planning a mid-day outdoor ceremony in August? Expect some wilting, no matter how well we prep. We’ll do everything we can (shade, hydration, timing), but flowers are living things. They react to the environment just like people do.

And if you’re wondering what’s worse than heat for a florist? Wind. Every. Time.

I’ll take high temps over a windy day any day of the week. Wind is brutal on everything from arches to bud vases to taper candles. We do our best to secure every piece, but there’s only so much we can do before mechanics become visible...and nothing I do is going to keep your candles lit in a breeze!

5. Foam-Free Floral Design Takes More Skill (Not Less)

If you care about sustainability, you should know that floral foam is microplastic pollution. Going foam-free is better for the planet, but it also takes more mechanics, more prep time, and more on-site work. It’s a labor of love. Not a shortcut.

6. Please Don’t Have Your Aunt Rearrange the Flowers

We lovingly design your florals with intention. When someone “helps” by moving things around, the entire structure and balance can collapse. Just... please don’t. Come find me instead.

7. If You Want Peonies in August, You Probably Can’t Have Them

Seasonality matters. I’ll always find you something equally stunning, but Mother Nature doesn’t run on Pinterest boards. Let’s work with the season not against it.

Photography by Bri Berry Photography | Florals by Le Champagne Projects

8. DIY Flowers Aren’t the Same and Grocery Store Bouquets Don’t Compare

If you're thinking about DIY-ing your wedding flowers, know this: arranging flowers at home is not the same as designing a full wedding installation under time pressure, with weather, logistics, and 100+ guests waiting.

And respectfully, please don’t compare what you saw at Trader Joe’s to the custom, curated work your florist designs. Grocery store flowers are made for mass sale, not for storytelling or design. What we create is intentional. It's layered. It's built to be perfect and to look stunning on your day.

If you truly want to go the DIY route, just know it often comes with more stress, more waste, and more risk than most people realize. You can do it yourself, but it won’t be the same.

I say all this with love. My job is to make your wedding beautiful, but also to be honest about what it takes to do that well. Trust your vendors. Ask questions. And know that we care deeply about getting it right for you. Just look at what our past clients are saying!

Planning a 2026 wedding in San Diego or beyond? Let’s create something beautiful, together.

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Peace, love, and flowers friends!