When planning a wedding and speaking with multiple vendors we understand it can be a bit daunting and you might not feel prepared for all the questions they have. Here's the good news, in most cases when speaking with a wedding florist those initial consultations are more about logistics and numbers than actual design. So here is a list of things you should know when when reaching out to a florist so they can give you the most accurate quote, and things that you don't need to know quite yet because we can help you with them.
1. Budget:
The number one thing to know is your floral budget and before reaching out, make sure you check florist websites as many of us have a minimum. You can find what services we offer and our minimum here on our Service Page. Knowing your budget and being up front about it will help us make suggestions for designs that will look beautiful without breaking the bank.
Most Blogs like the Knot or Wedding Wire have very out of date information on the cost of flowers; here in San Diego my clients spend on average $6,000-10,000 on flowers for weddings over a 100 guest. As with most things, our industry has suffered due to Covid. We saw huge shortages in flowers last year, which has resulted in costs going up, sometimes tripling (supply and demand). We also saw the price of labor go up.
2. Logistics:
We'll need to know logistics like your date and venue so we can check our availability and your guest count and wedding party size so we can price out the numbers of arrangements like centerpieces, bridesmaid bouquets and boutonnières. Even if you do not have an exact count and estimate will help us while quoting.
3. Design/Color Palette:
And while you'd think it may be important to know exactly what design and/or color palette you'd like, it's not crucial at this stage. For me I'd rather know the feel or the vibe you want for your wedding. The designs and colors are all things I'm able to help with or make suggestions for as we move forward and get more in to details after booking.
4. Types of Flowers:
We do not expect you to know all the names of flowers you like or what flowers are in season. Heck, I don't even know the name of every rare flower, sometimes I just send an image to my wholesale rep and ask them to get "that" for me, lol. Just be open to suggestions and recommendations from your florist. We know what is in season so we don't have to pay extra to import it, and what will work well in the heat or in certain designs based on water sources/stem flexibility, etc. I usually include suggested flowers on the mood boards we send out like below to help get clients started:
These are just some helpful tips to hopeful ease any anxiety about starting the process and reaching out to potential wedding florist. The biggest thing is to chose a florist whose work you love and trust them because while this might be your first wedding, it's definitely not ours!
Peace, love and flowers my friends!
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Planning a wedding in Southern California and need a Florist? Head to our New Client Questionnaire to get the process started. We'd love to hear from you and be considered for your special day.