Wedding planning is intense; there's so much to do, endless decisions to make, and it can be overwhelming. But, fear not, we wedding suppliers, with years of experience and know-how, are here to guide you in ways you may not even realise you need.
I'm Olivia, otherwise known as The Surrey Florist. I've been creating designs for weddings since 2011. I did my own wedding flowers (and even as a florist that was stressful!) and have been involved in hundreds of weddings, of all sizes and budgets over the past twelve years. I'm here to help you realise your floral dreams.
In this blog, I'll give you my top ten wedding flower tips for making sure your flowers are beautiful, sustainable, affordable, and an expression of your personality.
Here goes....
Wedding flower tip No.1 - nail down your wedding aesthetic
Think about your overall aesthetic for your wedding and how your flowers can contribute to it. How do you want the day to feel? Do you imagine it being traditional and romantic, rustic and wild, or fun and playful? Before you speak to any florists, try to have this firmly in your heads. The overall vibe can be really well achieved by having the right flowers. Don't be afraid to be very specific when letting your florist know the look you want to achieve; the more detail you give, the better they'll be able to achieve it. If you're not sure of what you want, speaking to a florist may really help you to find out!
Wedding flower tip No.2 - take time to find the right florist
Avoid the temptation to Google florists local to your venue and go with one that looks 'nice'. You need to find a florist whose style really catches your eye - when you are looking through a florist's Instagram or website and you feel their designs resonate with your personal style and preferences, then it's likely they'd be a great fit for your big day. You need to find a florist who you trust and get along with - are they friendly, open and responsive? Do you feel like he or she will do their very best to achieve your floral dreams? At the end of the day, you know what your venue looks like, you know what your dress looks like, but you won't see your wedding flowers until the day of your wedding, so you need to trust your florist to get it right!
Interested to know what couples have said about choosing me as their florist? Click below
Wedding flower tip No.3 - budget generously for flowers
Allocate a good portion of your budget to your flowers - ideally, they should be as important as the venue, your dress, the food, and your band. Your flowers will be a focal point, especially in the wedding photos you'll treasure for the rest of your lives. Sure, your venue may be stunning and your dress may be the most beautiful one you've ever worn, but won't they look a little bare or a little lonely without those complementary flowers? Remember, if you invest in your flowers you will get more out of them; fewer pounds = fewer flowers.
Wedding flower tip No.4 - compare and contrast floristry quotes
Play the field! Speak to at least two different florists, ideally three, and take advantage of free consultations and non-obligational quotes. We each have different styles, different approaches, and different price points. Ask lots of questions and make sure you know exactly what your florist will or will not provide: what's their minimum spend; do they charge extra for clearing the venue; are there hire costs? Try not to feel pressured to choose a florist because they've given up time to meet with you and put together a quote - we'd rather you choose us because you really want to work with us! When you've found your wedding florist, get them booked in - our diaries can get pretty booked up.
Check out my price guide if you're interested to know what your wedding flowers may cost -
Wedding flower tip No.5 - make a statement
Focus your budget on the flowers which will have the most impact. If you choose to put flowers on every pew or chair, these will look lovely but will likely be admired briefly and can't easily be repurposed. Filling every available surface or windowsill with flowers may make for a beautiful atmosphere, but it won't make the impact that a floral arch framing your ceremony will. Larger installations give that 'wow' factor, provide a great photo opportunity and can really represent the theme of your day. Depending on how they are put together, statement pieces can be moved and admired again later on!
Wedding flower tip No.6 - coordinating flowers with wedding attire
Bouquets and buttonholes are great accessories to your wedding outfits. Trends for 2023 and 2024 weddings are looking more adventurous with feathers, velvet blazers, embroidered veils and sparkly or brightly coloured dresses. Think about how your flowers can enhance and complement the most important clothes you'll ever wear! If your dress is whimsical and dainty, you could go for flowers which are delicate and romantic; if your dress is classic and full, you could opt for structural, more statement blooms; if your dress is bright or sparkly, you could have contrasting colours and textures. There are so many options to consider for your flowers - add feathers, use dried flowers, tie them with beautifully coloured ribbons - so make sure you think through which will work best with your look.
Wedding flower tip No.7 - choose seasonal flowers
Do a little research and find out which flowers will be in season in the month of your wedding (ask the florists you speak to, of course!). If you have a particular flower in mind, make sure you know when they bloom; you could even factor this into choosing your date. Using seasonal flowers is the best option for many reasons not only just because it makes sense! Choosing flowers that are in season will you mean you have blooms of the highest quality, lasting longer and looking better. They will also be more eco-friendly and sustainable as your florist should be able to source them from British growers rather than importing them from abroad. Flowers with short seasonal availability include - peonies (April to June), sunflowers (July), tulips (April and May), and dahlias (July to October).
Wedding flower tip No.8 - find out the meaning behind your favourite flowers
Think about and research the meaning behind flowers. Flowers have many different meanings and you want to send the right message with your wedding flowers!
Red roses symbolise love and affection, as do pink tulips. White lilies are often used in sympathy arrangements but can also symbolise purity and rebirth.
Pretty Cosmos flowers represent order and harmony, while yellow carnations represent rejection and disappointment (perhaps one to avoid!). You may choose to include rosemary in your wedding flowers as a symbol of remembrance for those who can't be with you.
Wedding flower tip No.9 - Don't DIY your flowers
It may be tempting to do the flowers yourself to save money, but this may be the only positive outcome of making this choice. Why choose one of the most important times of your life to learn, and put into practice, a new skill? As I mentioned at the start of this blog. I did my own wedding flowers. And I don't regret that because I made them how I wanted them, they looked great, and we saved around £600. BUT (and it's a big but), I found it stressful and hard work, even as an experienced florist; when I should have been indulging in pre-wedding beautifying, I was knee deep in foliage! Making wedding flowers isn't just popping flowers into a vase. It's thinking about what flowers will work well with the venue, outfits, and tablescapes; it's calculating how many stems you'll need and how much foliage; it's working out what that will cost; it's sourcing a supplier and putting the order in far enough in advance; it's collecting and transporting them; it's finding space for them in your house; conditioning them and finding enough buckets to keep them in water..... need I go on?
Wedding flower tip No.10 - don't be afraid of colour
Your wedding isn't the time to shy away from what you want. Your day should be an expression of love and passion; showing exactly who you are as individuals and who you are as a couple.
It may be tempting to go for a classic white and green colourway, and if this is truly a representation of your style and taste, then don't think twice, it will look stunning. But, if you love a bit of colour and you want your wedding to be bold and eye-catching, don't be afraid to use colours you're drawn to. Similarly, don't feel like you have to stick to one colour scheme throughout - you could have one set of colours for the ceremony and then move to something different for the reception, and you can vary designs across your wedding flowers (non-matching bridesmaids' bouquets, buttonholes unique to the wearer) - the world is your oyster!
Are you ready to start planning your dream flowers? Fill out my contact form and let's chat!
All flowers pictured by The Surrey Florist
Photographers:
Rob Tarren - https://robtarren.co.uk/
Chantelle Shephard - https://www.chantelleshepherdphotography.co.uk/
Jamie Ferguson - https://www.jkfman.com/
Venues:
Cripps Stone Barn, Gloucestershire - https://crippsandco.com/stone-barn
Dovecote Barn, Oxfordshire - https://www.dovecoteevents.uk/
The Walled Garden at Cowdray, West Sussex - https://www.cowdray.co.uk/
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