The big YES has been given – the date is set – everyone is excited. You are getting hitched! Congratulations on this new adventure to you and your partner. Now we are on to the next steps: The planning and execution. But where to go from here? Planning a wedding can be extremely stressful. But don’t worry. In the area of wedding florals we’ve got you covered. Let’s start with some of the tips that will help you when choosing your wedding flowers.
When to start looking
This is a tricky one. After covid there is still a backlog on weddings causing the next few years to be the busiest wedding seasons of the last forty years. This means that venues, photographers, and florists will be booked a lot earlier. As a rule of thumb, it is a good idea to book your florist after you book your venue. In the current wedding climate start reserving your date between 8 and 18 months with your florist. That sounds a long way off but believe me: a lot of us are already nearly booked full for 2023.
Pick a designer whose work you love
There is absolutely no use in choosing someone different/cheaper if you cannot stand their creations in the end. The wedding is only going to be one day, but you’ll have the memories of it for a very long time to come.
Set a realistic budget…
Reality check: You cannot have a Pinterest worthy wedding with a top-class designer and expect to only pay €1000 for it. Flower prices have increased nearly threefold in the last two years, and it seems that for 2023 and 2024 this rising trend will continue. A good floral designer will always try to work with the budget you have in mind.
But let that be a realistic one. Ten to twenty percent of your overall budget should ideally be set aside for floral and décor work. This means a minimum of a €2500 to €5000 for a €25K wedding. If you want it Pinterest worthy (lots of flowers and décor) expect to be paying extra.
…And stick to it
So when you’ve found that amazing florist it will come down to the nitty gritty. Discuss, give your vision but keep an open mind. You will find out quickly that when it comes to wedding flowers the sky really is the limit. And that has a price tag. Ask yourself if you really need that flower wall or could that budget be allocated to something else? Because let’s face it: We all would love to have that princess-like feeling and the most beautiful floral looks on the day. But if it’s outside your budget you’ll have a decision to make.
If you have wiggle room and can stretch – stretch. If you can’t – then stick to your budget. Remember: there is a big difference between the nice-to-haves and the need-to-haves when it comes down to wedding décor. The most important floral feature would be the bridal bouquet (and the bridal party) as they will be on the majority of the photos. Splurge on that and don’t hold back. Everything else you may be able to live without.
Go for seasonal
More readily available flowers will be cheaper and more of them can be incorporated in your designs. Also, the difference in quality between seasonal flowers and flowers out of season is immense. Ask yourself: Do I really need peonies in my bouquet for an autumn or winter wedding? Or can they be swapped with an in-season alternative? Ask your florist what is normally blooming around the time you are getting married. You’ll be surprised with the large variety of florals. Don’t be afraid to add foliage and branches to the creations. If done well, you can turn a simple bouquet into an absolute showstopper.
Think about the environment
This may come as news to you, but it is possible to have a climate friendly wedding. Sustainable design may have started as a hype, but in the last few years this hype is slowly turning into mainstream. Floral foam (used since the ‘50s and a big contender in the wedding industry) is non-biodegradable and even though it looks green, it does not belong on a compost heap. It is a single use plastic. But nowadays more and more designers are using foam-free techniques. Ask your florist what they use and see if they incorporate locally grown flowers in their creations. Even though not all wedding favourites can be grown in Ireland you’ll be surprised what can and is possible.
Leave it to the professionals
Being a bit of a control-freak myself I can understand that you would like to be involved in every little detail of your wedding journey. This however could lead to increased anxiety levels and a lot more stress than is necessary on the day itself. But you have to remember: Us wedding professionals are helping out bridal couples every day of the week.
We are used to dealing with your insecurities and doubts and can often come up with easy solutions you may not even have thought of. We love to communicate with you, and we really are there to make your day the most special day you can imagine. So, pick a person you get on great with, that can guess your mind and can put you at ease. After that – leave us to worry all about it. Your day should be about you. And we’d love for you to just sit back and enjoy it.
This article was written by Yesca's Flowers
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