Wedding Checklist ~ What to know before you call your florist

This week we take a break from our budget bride series.  Today we will talk about what to know before booking your first consultation.

• Brides dress selected - once you have your dress we can help you with your bouquet choices.  Some dresses have lots of detailing that you don't want to hide with a flowing cascade bouquet.  Others have small details that can be highlighted with certain flower types or looks.  For example if you have an Ivory tone for your dress you would not want to use white flowers, this has a tendency to make the dress look dirty.  Instead we could make a beautiful bouquet of mixed flowers in shades to match your wedding colors.
• Bridesmaids dresses - Once these are on order we can get a better idea of what will look best with your selection.  We have had brides change colors or styles because it does not flatter a bridesmaid.  If we have already selected the perfect bouquet for the original dress it means lots of changes.  This could mean a change in flowers, colors, and even price.  It's best to have all of the dresses selected and ordered before the consult.
• Grooms Attire & Groomsman Colors- You may not know the exact Tux or Suit he will suggest but basic colors are needed to select his boutonniere.  What may look great with a black jacket will not look the same against white or beige.  We do offer tuxedo rental so we can show you books to help you narrow down your selection. Also if you are going casual the shades of the shirts are important.  We want the flowers to stand out not blend in with what they are wearing.  Also you do not want to pair a very dressy flower like a Calla Lily with a dress shirt and tie.  That is better suited for a full tuxedo.
• Wedding location - This is important when deciding altar flowers, pew decorations, and unity candle arrangements.  If it's outdoors vs indoors can also make a difference in containers, flowers, and more when we discuss what you want in the church.  It can also make a difference in what you carry down the aisle.  We would not want to put delicate flowers outdoors in the middle of summer heat.  
• Wedding date - This one may sound a little odd but some brides plan a year or more in advance.  It is important to have a final date selected before you visit us.  We need to make sure that it does not fall on a major holiday such as Valentine's Day or Mother's Day before we agree to service the wedding. 
• Number in wedding party - Though it's not really a must have this is good to know if you want an accurate quote.  We can tell you how much each one is and you can do the math at a latter date but we would rather give you a full quote when we send it to you rather than have you try to add and subtract as you go along.  We can always add or remove people at a later date as needed.

When you have these things in order it's time to meet with us.  Give us a call and we can help make your day the day you always dreamed of. 

Your Floral "Footprint" ~ Budget Friendly Weddings Part 2

1.       Think about your floral footprint ~ Every flower has a “footprint”.  The footprint is the mark that flower leaves on your bouquet.  Think of the size of the bouquet you want.  Now picture each flower leaving a mark where it will go.  The larger the mark the fewer of that flower it will take to fill your bouquet.  The smaller the mark the more it will take to fill your bouquet.

     

        A hydrangea has a large “footprint” 

    Where a flower like ranunculus has a small “footprint” ~ 

     

     

      You may want to consider using fewer small blooms and more large blooms to get the size of bouquet you desire.   This could make your larger and more lush for a smaller price tag.  

      

      For example ~ Hydrangea blooms normally run between $6.00 and $10.oo a bloom.  Where a ranunculus can be as much as $3.00 - $5.00 a bloom.  It would take about 10ranunculus to cover the footprint of the hydrangea.  Even though ranunculus may cost a little less you would need more of them to capture the same amount of space.  

     Some great flowers with a large footprint are ~ Hydrangea, Fuji Mums, and Gerbera Daisies.  Some inexpensive flowers with a smaller footprint are ~ Carnations, Mini Carnations, Daisies, and Asters.

Budget Friendly Weddings ~ Part 1

Don't skimp on the greens ~ Foliage can add texture and fullness to your bouquet.  

Aspidistra can be curled to create a lovely base to a tropical looking bouquet ~ 

Tree Fern can be used to add flair.  Paired below with calla lilies it makes the bouquet look much wider than it is because of the way it spreads out from the flowers.

Seeded Eucalyptus is also a great addition.  Here you can see the tiny seeds around the bouquet to add texture and make the bouquet look fuller.  Also here we used Tree Fern to add even more texture and fullness. 

Foliage can add another dimension to your bouquet.  It can add texture, color, contrast, or make the bouquet look finished.  If you love the "wildflower" look greenery like Tree Fern, Seeded Eucalyptus, Pittosporum, Ming, and many others are for you.

For cleaner more structured bouquets try Salal leaves, Galax leaves, or Aspidistra.

This is a first in a series of articles that we will be composing for our Budget Brides.  These will help you find the right flowers for the right price.