Flowers add beauty and personality to your wedding. Here’s what to expect when hiring a Long Island florist.
Image courtesy of Lauren Taylor Floral Elegance
You may be one of the brides of Long Island who can name each flower they want in a centerpiece. Or, you may be the kind that never even thought about flowers until someone mentioned bouquets. Either way, it’s likely that you’ll want to hire a florist to supply a few buds and blooms for your big day.
So what should you expect when meeting with a Long Island florist for the first time? Here are a few things to keep in mind as you start your search.
BOLI Preferred Vendor Cristina Ashley Beauty creates timeless, effortless looks that enhance your natural features, that photograph beautifully and last throughout the celebration. Learn more at Cristina Ashley Beauty on Brides of Long Island
When should you hire a florist?
As you probably know by now, Long Island wedding vendors can book up fast — especially if they’re established and popular.
Still, you’ll need to have at least a ballpark figure of your wedding day numbers. You don’t want to purchase centerpieces for 13 tables but only need 9 when the day comes!
Once you’ve booked your venue and made your guest list, start searching for your florist. A good rule of thumb is around 8-10 months before the big day, so that your florist has time to put everything together.
Image courtesy of James Cress Florist and Events
The consultation
Like most vendors, you’ll want to meet one-on-one with your potential florist to discuss your vision, and most importantly, your budget. After you’ve done a bit of research and pinpoint the florist you want to work with, you’ll schedule a consult with them to nail down the details.
You won’t necessarily need to know the difference between peonies and petunias when you meet with a florist, but you should have at least a general idea of what you want — whether that’s specific colors or specific shapes and silhouettes.
You should also have an idea of what exactly you’ll need. 12 grand bridesmaids bouquets that cascade to the floor, or 12 single flowers to stay understated and delicate? 10 centerpieces for each table that tower to the ceiling, or something that’s more low profile?
Most importantly, have an idea of your budget. What you can reasonably spend will determine a lot about your bouquets, centerpieces, boutonnières, and other floral arrangements.
Image courtesy of The Flower Pot
Managing expectations
BOLI Preferred Vendors are some of the best Long Island florists in the business! But even the best florist can’t change the seasons or bring the costs of rare flowers down.
If you have a super specific vision of your bridal bouquet, your chuppah flowers, or any other floral element of your day, keep this in mind — not all flowers are in season all year long.
For example, if you picture big, beautiful sunflowers in your centerpieces, but you chose a February wedding date, you’ll need to prepare for one of two scenarios: either your sunflowers are going to cost big bucks, or you’ll need to give up the sunflowers completely and go with another in-season choice.
Budget is another big topic. As with most things surrounding weddings, flowers aren’t exactly cheap. There are ways to achieve a certain looks without completely breaking the bank, but the reality is a cascade or waterfall bouquet is going to be more expensive than a small, hand-tied bouquet.
Image courtesy of Gifts from the Heart Florist
Your wedding day
Several weeks or days before your wedding, your florist will reach out to you and confirm plans. They’ll solidify the entirety of your order, from bouquets to boutonnières and everything in between. They’ll also discuss what time they plan on dropping everything off at your venue, and if it’s in your contract, what time they’ll return to pick items back up.
Before that discussion happens, decide who your “florist point person” will be — a bridesmaid, your future mother-in-law, or a wedding planner are all great options. That person will be in charge of remaining in contact with your florist when they’re in route, and meeting them at the venue to ensure your flowers look their best.