You’ve chosen the venue and photographer, and you’ve sent out Save-the-Dates to your guest list. Your wedding planning is going swimmingly, and now that you’ve found your florist, it’s time to start thinking about your floral design. Following that is a consultation to discuss your colour scheme and theme, as well as which in-season flowers make you swoon. After that, hopefully you’ll let your florist create something magical for you (see my previous blog on Why Giving Your Florist Creative Freedom Is Important).
But what really goes into your wedding flowers?
Most couples are unaware of the work that goes into their centrepieces and bouquets, and many are perplexed as to why wedding flowers appear to be so expensive. Well, I’m here to explain why.
I’m sure you’re aware that most florists do not simply walk into their backyard, select your flowers, and tie them together. Your floral order necessitates A LOT of planning. We constantly brainstorm ideas for designs that will perfectly match your theme and style, and then we have to choose the specific flowers, place the orders, and find all the miscellaneous items that will help bring the design together, such as the vases those flowers will go in or the ribbon on your bouquets.
Once the blooms arrive, stems must be properly cut, flowers must be stored in previously cleaned storage containers, and some, such as roses, must even be thorn-free. Flowers are constantly monitored and moved in and out of coolers to ensure that they are in full bloom for your wedding day. This production is followed by countless hours of perfect placement, and florists frequently spend a significant amount of time working on the arrangements to ensure the design is perfectly constructed. It’s not as simple as gathering the flowers and tying them together. Each flower must be placed precisely, and the florist must consider flower type, colour, and size with each placement in order to provide the perfect overall variety and fit the theme you had in mind.
Then there’s the wedding day. Now comes the difficult task of transporting all of the beautiful designs to the event. Arrangements must be properly packaged in order to be upright and stable for the ride, as well as misted and transported in an air-conditioned environment. They must be carefully delivered and unloaded before installation can begin. The bridal party receives bouquets, boutonnieres, and corsages, while ceremony designs, centrepieces, and any other large pieces must be set up and touched up to perfection. Delivery for a florist entails setting everything up and ensuring that everything specified in the agreement is delivered correctly.
On top of that, florists must perform magic during these processes. If some flowers arrive smaller or larger than expected, designs must be quickly adjusted to accommodate the new pieces. If the blooms aren’t as perfect on your wedding day, florists will use their expertise to cool and mist the flowers to keep them looking beautiful all day. Even the most simple floral designs require a great deal of knowledge, experience, and creativity, because your florist wants your wedding day to be as perfect as you do!
Learn more: Make your first-anniversary special with flowers