I went to write about weddings today because recently a lot of my friends and people that I know have gotten engaged. After I started gathering all of my old wedding lists and info however, I realized that there is just too much to write about in one shot. So ta da! I now have a wedding section for Good As Gold Living! Today I’m going to touch down on wedding flowers and some of the steps you should take when you begin planning and you need to make decisions about your floral arrangements. I hope it helps you soon to be brides out there!

Find A Florist

Ok. When it comes to flowers, you need to know your stuff. First off, talk to your friends and family about special events that they have had and get their top recommendations. When you’ve done that, take your top three and start making calls. You are going to need estimates from each to see what will work the best for you. Working with your florist to come up with a good budget is they key. Generally they will work with you and help your vision for your big day come to life. Some questions to ask when you meet are:
1. Have they done many weddings?
2. Do they have photographs of past work?
3. Do they have references?
4. Does their floral style appeal to you?
5. Who will be handling your floral arrangements?
6. How many other weddings do they have booked for that time period?

Ask What’s In Season

Depending on if your wedding is in the spring, summer, fall or winter will help dictate what flowers you should go with. If you don’t ask and see what flowers are in season, you will be paying forty dollars per stem of orchids. You don’t want that. So asking for a list of flowers that are in season should be one of the first things that you do. Then you can start deciding from there the cost you are wanting to spend and the amount of flowers that you will be needing.

Deciding On Colors

Once you have your list of what’s in season for that time of the year, you can go over the colors that you want. If you have swatches of fabric from your bridesmaids dresses, then take it with you so that your florist has a good perception of what color you mean. Light pink can mean different things to different people, so take photo references too. If you don’t have a clear and concise idea of what you want, then your florist won’t either.

It’s All About The Size

Do you want tall centerpieces or short? Do want them to be whimsical or tight and compact? How many flowers do you want in your bridesmaids bouquets? How many do you want in your bridal bouquet? These are all questions you need to have answers for when you are deciding what floral look you are going for. If you are wanting a lot of flowers and not a lot of filler, then that’s something you have to discuss with your florist. If you like a more of a minimalist approach, then make sure that they know that’s what you want. If you are considering a seasonal theme, then ask what can be added to the arrangements to make them special. Some people have added fruit, feathers, fake diamonds and pearls to their bouquets and centerpieces with great results.

Don’t Forget About The Extras

There are some things that you need to know that a lot of people forget to ask about. Are vases provided? And if so, do you have a choice in style? Do you have to rent them from the florist? If you do, at what cost? Do you want your water tinted to match your color scheme? Do you want rocks or leaves in the vases for decoration? Will you be needing extra flowers for your headpiece? Do you want extra arrangements for the bathrooms or the guest book? These are all of those little extras that can lead to big disappointment if you forget to order them. So remember to make a list of absolutely everything to go over. That way, your quote will be on point and you won’t be scrambling at the last minute to come up with a shit ton of more flowers. Your florist will also greatly appreciate having a complete list of wants and needs.

The Usual Wedding Party List

The general list of flowers needed goes as follows…ps, your welcome.
1. Bridal Bouquet- Style? Colors? Kind of flowers? Amount of flowers needed? Kinds of filler needed?
2. Bridal Party- How many? Colors? Amount of flowers in each? Amount of filler in each?
3. Flower Girl- do you want your flower girl to scatter petals? Would you rather she hold a small bouquet? Would you like her to wear a wreath in her hair?
4. Hairpieces- Do you need a floral hairpiece for yourself or for your bridal party?
5. Mothers And Grandmothers- Mothers and grandmothers should be presented a corsage to pin on their dress, handbag or to wear on their wrist.
6. Groom, Fathers, And Ushers- All of the men usually wear a boutonnière that is generally a single blossom with some greenery.
7. Flowers For The Ceremony- Do you need flowers for the aisle? Do you have an arbor that you need flowers for? Do you plan on using any large bouquets as decoration? If so you need to decide on the amount and what kind you want to use.
8. Flowers For The Reception- Do you need arrangements for the guest book table? Bathrooms? Food tables? Cake table? Head table? Plus how many you need for the guest tables?

And with that, my beautiful brides, will help give you a leg up on figuring out your wedding floral needs. I hope that it was somewhat helpful and points you in the right direction to ask the questions that you need answers for. If you have any more questions, feel free to ask! Happy planning!

xo Stephanie