5 Considerations Before Speaking with a Wedding Florist in France.
One of the questions I have on my inquiry form for couples seeking flowers for their wedding is, “What are your looking for in a wedding florist? This is sort of a silly question right? No, and here’s why. Knowing your response not only helps me know what you need and how much guidance you want, it also helps you see what exactly you’re looking for in a florist. This florist isn’t just down the street so your needs may be different due to the language barrier or you’ve never been to France and so, now what?
Here are 5 steps to consider before contacting a florist whether in France or elsewhere. They’re just good tips to help your wedding planning along. Having this process worked out ahead of time will help communicate what it is you want for the wedding ambiance and the overall look. And it makes the conversation with your florist more fruitful. (could we say flowerfil?)
What do you need in a wedding florist? Are you all over the map and need guidance with how to pull this all together and make a cohesive plan? Are you set with what you want but don’t know the next step? Or, are you going to tell the florist exactly how it will be and need someone to do the work? If you know where you are in your flower planning process, you understand what questions to ask and your florist knows what her role will be in working with you.
Budget. Before speaking with a florist, it really is important to know how much your wedding budget is set aside for flowers. Why? I can imagine you have inspiration boards with a multitude of beautiful images that contain full floral arches filled with hydrangea and roses with 10 bridesmaid bouquets. On your favorite flower list could be peonies but your budget is really at a daisy level. Having a general idea of your budget helps the florist guide you on what is possible with that budget and what types of flowers that budget can sustain. I’ve written a blog on why a florist asks for your budget here. Are flowers the ultimate and most important thing?
Flower decor priorities. What is the most important part of your wedding? Is it the ceremony and flowers in the church or an outdoor floral arch? Is it the tablescape and creating a beautiful ambiance for your guests? I have had couples who want a majority of their budget invested in their ceremony because the somber stone chapels we have here in France need a little bit of life. Or, they ‘want it to look like a wedding’. Recently I had a bride who said the dinner is where she wants the most emphasis in floral decor. What is yours? This helps the florist designate the budget into the most important area of your wedding.
Know your colors and theme. Having your colors decided upon helps me begin suggesting ideas based on flower colors and the season. If not formally decided upon, have at least a direction or two where you want to go with flowers and decor. Are you dreaming of color? Or is this an all white wedding with lots of greenery. This is difficult because you’re probably overwhelmed by the multitude of inspiration on Instagram and Pinterest and in your head is a jumble of possiblities. Are you dreaming black tie? Maybe you imagine Boho chic? Your personality will help determine the answer to this question.
Flower needs. This is a simple one really. How many attendants does your wedding party have? How many guests are you planning on hosting? Again, you may not have this all worked out but stating the numbers of people who will need flowers helps the florist see how big the wedding will be and budget with you accordingly.
Be prepared to share! What? 6? I added this one as it pertains to how I begin meeting a bride or couple. Your story says a lot about you. Where did you meet? What do you do? Why France? This is a get to know you part and I think important in establishing trust and confidence with me. My goal is always to execute your flower dreams and inspiration accurately. And having a relationship that is personable and professional is a priority. I may be biased, but I think flowers at your wedding is THE most important element. Let’s visit and talk about your wedding flowers for your destination wedding here in France.
