So many couples come to me asking for quotes for wedding flowers before having chosen a venue or setting a date, so I thought it was time to explain why I recommend getting these booked in before deciding on the details.
The world of wedding planning is possibly the most exciting ever, but it is vast and can be overwhelming. There is so much to plan and decide on that it can be difficult to know where to start. Wanting to know the cost of flowers so you can work out how far your budget can go and how much you can put towards the many other suppliers on your list, is completely understandable. However, your wedding date and the venue that you choose impact hugely upon what florals you will have on the day. For example, if you have your heart set on a magical winter wedding, but want to have peonies in your bouquet, these are only in season for a couple of months of the year, from May to June. For flowers that can be sourced when they are out of season, expect to pay a lot more for them.
Wedding suppliers often get booked up very far in advance, so to secure your favourite florist for your day, you need to have a date to ensure they are available. Once your date is set, your chosen florist can advise you on what seasonal flowers are available at that time of the year and can help turn your ideas and vision into a reality. Knowing the venue also enables them to guide you through the different options for ceremony and reception flowers, how each arrangement can be reused and where, and how you can set your wedding apart from others. Some venues may have the perfect doorway for a broken arch to frame, a tall A-frame ceiling crying out for a hanging installation, or a grand, sweeping staircase fit for floral meadows. Others may have lower ceilings, inhibiting the use of floral hoops and calling for lower table centrepieces.
Research into your chosen venue to see what has been done before, and to see what you think works for you and what doesn’t. For as long as I can remember when dreaming of my wedding day, I was always going to have round tables. There was never a doubt in my mind, and luckily my future husband agreed! They were sophisticated and classy. But after seeing our venue with both long, banquet style tables and round ones, we saw how stunning both options could be and changed our minds completely. (This also solved so many problems with the seating plan!) You may feel that some venues work best with long tables, whereas others may suit round tables better, which affects the type of table centrepieces you may have. Centrepieces are a minefield in themselves with endless options!
You’re likely to change your mind, that’s only natural. So, I strongly recommend waiting on choosing your florals until you’ve booked your wedding and know the space where they’ll go. There is nothing better than fragrant, seasonal blooms that are designed for that individual space in mind, transforming it into something magical!