Florist

We are having a destination wedding, so I had to rely on florists online portfolios, social media pages, and past customer reviews. I picked out my favorites based on those items, then reached out to each one, providing a description of exactly what I wanted and inspiration photos. I then based my final choice on their responses and phone discussions. There was one clear contender for me- we got along really great on the phone (our “vibes” meshed well), she was very transparent about everything, she gave great feedback and offered awesome ideas, and she just seemed genuinely excited about the project. I liked that she was really into our ideas, and wasn’t just going through the motions for a paycheck. She is providing aisle decor, large centerpieces for the tables, my bouquet, and 2 bridesmaids bouquets for under $2500.

Our florist was a local florist (like less than 5 miles from our venue) and they were highly recommended by the venue and we looked at their portfolio. Because they were a smaller business and local, and we used in season flowers, we were able to significantly keep our costs low. We also preferred low centerpieces over the tall ones and that saved a lot of money. We paid $2300 for 17 centerpieces, a garland for the sweetheart table, 6 bridesmaid bouquets, my bridal bouquet, 5 corsages, 10 boutonnieres, flowergirl petals, a toss bouquet, petals along the aisle, we were also supposed to have 4 larger arrangements during the ceremony that we didn't even notice weren't there until we got pics back so I have to reach out to them about those and a potential refund.

I used WW to search for local women- owned businesses and reached out to small business owners in our neighborhood. I looked at their websites and their Pinterest before making appointments. Each wedding is different so don't be intimidated that you have to replicate. Over online Zoom calls (during lockdown), floral designers showed my husband and I options for bouquets and centerpieces so we all could determine our style. We didn't yet have a clear vision or even wedding colors. But, I did tell them our venue colors (red) and our floral preferences (colorful, not roses). We went with someone who matched our communication styles, scope, and budget. Together we built our vision. Ultimately, our florist created a tropical jungle in a windowless, basement hotel ballroom in NY. $5k budget with imports (orchid request by groom), 3' stand rentals, and fewer guest tables due to declines.

*Some couples are either very specific, or just set a budget with designer's choice. We were in the middle and wanted a whole vibe. If you want a grander scale like hanging ornamentation or flower walls, just ask if they are able to do this. Or you can go with a larger firm or a full-service decorator or wedding planner. Best wishes.

I had two florists that I interviewed. One was highly rated, but OMG the prices were just outrageous. The second florist was recommended by my venue. A smaller, less frilly type of business that KNEW my venue and gave some great advice. saving me a lot of money. Basically, they said everyone would be looking at the gorgeous view (beach/ocean/etc) and to put any big money in centerpieces would be just a waste. That, plus reasonable prices on bridal bouquet, etc, brought the total price to $483.50 - total. THe other place was $3100.00 including table centerpieces.