Most venues require proof of insurance from all vendors including the florist. Some florists who might be starting out might not be insured so it is important to confirm that they do.

If you are only going to have flowers for the bridal party and a few centerpieces or arrangements a family member might be able to pick up the flowers. They would need to be picked up as close to the time of the wedding as possible to be sure that they are fresh. If you have an arch installation or your tables require design work (like placing greenery) it makes sense to pay for the delivery and installation. It might not seem like it would take much time but I am still amazed at how long it takes sometimes! Let your family and guests enjoy the day and let the florist take care of the flowers.

This varies greatly. Each wedding and bride is unique. I have included our average ranges for different elements at the end of this section. Certain flowers are in season at different times during the year and more affordable during these months. Most flowers are available from somewhere in the world at any given time but choosing peonies in New England in November (they are in season in June) will add considerable cost to your flowers. Your florist should be able to make suggestions on flowers that will be in season during your wedding month. Using locally grown and seasonal flowers will stretch your budget. We have found that in most cases we can design the look that a bride wants with flowers that are in season.

Once you have a wedding date and venue in place. Even if you are not sure about colors and some of the details it is a good idea to book your florist and secure the date with them. They will most likely have some great suggestions during your initial consultation that might help with the planning process and make it a little easier.

Pinterest is a great tool to convey the look and feel that you want at your wedding. When we meet with clients the inspiration pictures are very helpful and I appreciate when brides take the time to put them together. Florists often have a love/hate relationship with Pinterest because many of the images are retouched and some use silk flowers in addition to fresh. You can imagine that it is easy to bend a silk flower into just the right position and choose those that are exact color matches...oh, and they never wilt:-) Timing also comes into play in that certain flowers might not be readily available during the month you are getting married and might need subs might need to be used. If you want to have fresh flowers it might not be possible to create a bouquet that is identical to the one on Pinterest. It will usually be possible though to design one that is uniquely yours with all fresh flowers that has the same look and palette as the Pinterest picture.

After the initial consultation you will receive a floral plan with an estimate of costs. This estimate will only change if numbers of items change or additions/deletions are made. If you decide that you would like to work with us we require a $500 non-refundable deposit to reserve the date. After that we will work with you to design a material board that is perfect for your wedding. Certain weddings will require a site visit. We will keep in touch in the months leading up to your wedding and confirm all of the details 30-45 days before your wedding. The final balance is due in full 30 days prior to your wedding date. We are flexible and changes can be made during the planning process. We want to make the floral planning fun and easy.

Bring inspiration photos, swatches of dress colors if you have them and numbers of guests and people in the wedding party. Some couples come together to the initial consultation. Other brides bring a family member, friend or a bridesmaid. Selecting your flowers should be one of the most enjoyable parts of planning your wedding. If you submit our Floral Inquiry form many of these details will be covered. We can also check to see if we are available on your wedding date. We do not charge for the first consultation.

Each wedding is different but it is important to determine ahead of time who will be responsible for styling the tables the day of the wedding. Some venues include a day-of coordinator who might assist with this. Couples might also have their own independent wedding coordinator. If you choose a tablescape that includes candles, runners and other elements besides flowers it is important to let your florist know if they or someone else will be responsible for this. It is no problem for us to do this but we need to schedule enough time and staff. Some busy venues have short windows of time allocated for set up.

It is definitely tempting to do this but if fresh floral material is used most of the work will need to be done in the days right before the wedding. Before I started my floral business I would arrange flowers for our home but I had no idea how much time goes into a wedding. It starts with hours of planning material and quantities, what colors and which type of flowers to have the right texture and sourcing the vessels and mechanics. Then they all need to be processed and hydrated. Making the arrangements might be fun with friends and family but may not be consistent. The biggest challenge is who will be installing the arch/ceremony flowers, setting up the centerpieces and delivering the personal flowers the day of the wedding? The flowers should be delivered and installed close to the wedding time. Friends and family will most likely be getting ready for the wedding and would not have time to go home and change.

Centerpieces can transform a wedding or event from the standard to an extraordinary experience that your guests will remember. An interesting centerpiece and tablescape set the mood and invite conversation making guests feel comfortable and special. Mixed materials that are unexpected can add interest. Whatever is chosen it is important that your guests can see each other, nothing too tall in the center unless you opt for a lifted arrangement. If your venue space is large and has high ceilings a variety of centerpieces including lifted arrangements on stands and lower arrangements helps to fill the space in the room.

Budget and cost comes to mind for most people but there are other considerations that are equally as important. Does the florist have experience? A new florist might give you a great price but is it worth risking that your flowers might not be right? Your wedding day is important and might not be the right time to give a friend of the family or a new florist an opportunity to try their hand at wedding florals. In addition, if you have a friend or family member design the flowers and you don't ike something it can be a bit tricky. Do you 'click' with the florist? Florists are all creative but their personalities and styles vary greatly. Do you feel comfortable when you meet with them? Do you like their work? Do they seem open to your ideas or are they focused on what they know or have done before? Do they offer alternative solutions that might be more cost effective or share ideas to maximize your floral dollar spent? Flowers themselves evoke feelings and your florist should connect easily with you and make you feel comfortable and that they have everything under control.

Each member of the bridal party usually have flowers. The bride's bouquet is often the focal point pulling the colors of the bridal party together. The bridesmaids can carry a simple single stem of a special flower or a smaller version of the bride's flowers. The groomsmen can wear a traditional boutonniere or sometimes opt for pocket flowers which slide into the suit jacket pocket. Others who may receive flowers are parents, grandparents, children who are in the ceremony, officiants and anyone you would like to honor. Small, hand carried nosegays that coordinate with the bride's flowers have been popular with mothers and grandmothers but we still see traditional corsages and wristlets. Floral crowns for flower girls and baskets of rose petals are always in style. The ring bearer might sport a tiny version of the men's flowers.