Make Your Wedding Inexpensive

Image by kevindooley via Flickr

When you begin shopping for flowers, you will find there are three basic types of florists.

1.You will see cash-and-carry florists in places like your food market store. They specialize in those simple   arrangements you need for Mother’s Day, Valentine’s Day and birthdays.

Best Bet: Small, informal weddings where many flowers are not crucial.

2. Full-service florists handle everything from weddings to wire service arrangements to other special events. Most florists are full service, though, as in any business, some are better than others.

Best bet: small to mid-size, informal, or semi-formal weddings.

3. Specialists are florists who focus on one or two specific areas, such as weddings and corporate affairs.

Best bet: any type of wedding, but if your wedding is large or formal, you may want to consider a wedding florist

Question to Ask a Florist

As you scour for wedding florists in your area, have a list ready with a list of questions to help narrow down your choices.

• Are examples available? Ask to see examples of their work, both in photographs of past weddings or special events and live examples.
• Do they require a deposit to hold your wedding date? If so, what is their deposit and refund policy? You do not want to be surprised by any fees
• Do they charge a setup or delivery fee? A number of florists include the delivery fee in the cost of the flowers, while others tack it on at the end.
• How many weddings do they schedule per day? Many florists handle several weddings in one day. You will want to choose a florist who will dedicate its day or some of its staff to your wedding and your wedding only.
• Do they offer silk and dried flower arrangements? If so, are they available for rent? You may want to consider a mix of fresh flowers such as hydrangea bouquet, silk, or dried flowers for your wedding and ceremony to save money.
• Do they offer any lease items? If so, what is the cost? This could include arches, ferns, or even other wedding necessities such as tables and chairs.
• Ask if you can attend one of their weddings during the setup, so you can see whether the florist is organized and dependable.
• How far in advance do they normally arrive at the ceremony and reception sites to set up? Setting up can take a while, especially if the ceremony and reception are being held in two different locations. Your florist should arrive two or three hours ahead of time
• Will they simply drop the flowers off at the sites, or will they spend time making sure everything is in order?
• Will they give you a written plan that identifies the flowers and costs? When you get a proposal, be sure that each item you need is priced individually, so that you know the real costs.
• Do they safeguard garlands? If you have decided to preserve your wedding bouquet, find our whether they can handle that for you.

What to Bring to the Florist Meeting

When you have narrowed your choices to two or three florists, the next step is to set up to meet with them. While there, you will want to pay attention to the shop, the cordiality of the staff, and how easygoing you feel. In addition, you will want to bring the following with you:

Note cards with the time of the wedding, the location of the wedding, and any restrictions that your ceremony and reception site may have regarding decorations and flowers.

A photo of your wedding gown and the bridesmaids’ dresses.

Related articles

• Fresh Flower Bouquets for Wedding Days – What to Know (makeyourweddinginexpensive.com)
• Flowers Anyone? (thetwentiesroar.wordpress.com)
• Flower Power (weddingbee.com)
• This is what our florists can do for you! (interflora.co.uk)
• All the Pretty Flowers (weddingbee.com)
• Budgeting Your Wedding Flowers (makeyourweddinginexpensive.com)