Selecting a Floral Designer for Your Wedding Flowers

Floral decorations can be one of the most important parts of your wedding day. Selecting the appropriate floral designer involves many factors including their work, their commitment to your event and their pricing. The most important factor is your comfort level with them. When your wedding day arrives, you want to be sure that you have selected someone that you are confident about and who will put your mind at ease.

The first meeting with a floral designer about your wedding flowers

The initial meeting is a somewhat like a first date. You will be “sizing up” the floral designer and they will be doing the same, but with a different slant. Your initial concerns may include compatibility, their work and their sensitivity to your ideas and budget. The floral designer should be trying to determine your likes and dislikes so they can create a floral plan which will meet your expectations.

What to show and what to ask a floral designer about your wedding flowers

In most instances, the floral designer will take the lead by asking questions regarding the style and color theme of your wedding and your general need for floral accessories and decorations. A discussion of specific ideas for each of the items required should follow. You can help with this process by bringing photos of designs you like from wedding publications or web sites. Be sure that you ask questions and feel free to change the flow of the conversation to clarify details or obtain more information.

What to look for in a portfolio of wedding flowers

The floral designer’s portfolio will give you great insight into their abilities. The portfolio should consist of their own work, not a canned industry publication. The work should also demonstrate their ability to create designs in a style and feeling you envision at your wedding. The portfolio should also give you a general sense that their experience level with weddings is suitable to your needs.

What to expect from your floral designer

Whether a floral designer has specifically worked at your ceremony or reception site should not be a make or break issue. If the designer has a diverse background and a record of working at many different places, they will probably be flexible enough to be able to execute satisfactorily at any venue. With that in mind, be sure that the floral designer is willing to meet with you at the location if it is new to them. If they have worked at a location, pictures in their portfolio of the location will aid in the discussions. Another helpful technique is to visit a venue while the floral designer is setting up an event. This will permit you to see their work in person and give you insight into their organization and professionalism.

The floral designer should not try to oversell you. High pressure tactics aimed at needlessly selling you extras should not be employed. The designer might suggest other areas for decoration based on their experience at the location, but the final choice is yours.

Another important issue is who will be delivering and setting up your wedding. Many designers have people who help them with events, but will the person you met with for your consultation be directly involved in your wedding? Even if all of the items for your wedding are documented in writing, many subtleties are conveyed during a consultation. The person you met with should be present both while the designs for your event are being created and when they are installed at the site to ensure accuracy and continuity.

Estimates for wedding flowers

Finally, the floral designer should provide you with a detailed written estimate. The estimate should include a description of the style, colors, wedding flowers and the price for each item individually. The estimate should provide a framework for the ideas for your event and should be viewed as a flexible working document. It should also outline any terms regarding payment, delivery times and places and contacts. A deposit of up to one third of the contract price is reasonable.

Nothing is more important than to relax and enjoy your day with the peace of mind that your have selected a competent, responsible vendor for wedding flowers.

by Kent Thomas, The Cheshire Tree