With so many different wedding florists to choose from, how do you find the perfect one for your wedding? Sharon Yancey of Flor Amor shares her expert tips to help you find the right vendor for your big day, plus some opinions on how to choose the right floral style to fit you and your wedding goals. Happy planning!
Photo // Reilly Lynn Photography
What questions should every couple ask their florist before hiring them?
The most important thing to find out about any wedding vendor is how much experience they have doing what you are hiring them to do. Because of the internet and ease of putting up a website, it can be difficult to tell who has actual real-world experience. A dirty little secret of the wedding industry is that the barrier for entry is exceptionally low. These days everyone thinks they can be a wedding planner, photographer or florist, and your wedding is too important to be the place they learn how to do it. Another important question for florists is whether they offer rental items, such as high-end vases and candle holders. Rentals are an easy way to get a much more upscale look without having to pay full price for the vase.
How should couples go about creating their floral budget?
A general rule is that the floral portion of their budget should be 10-20% of the overall wedding budget.
What’s the best way to figure out a preferred floral style? How do I easily convey this to the florist?
One of the first things newly engaged couples do is set up a Pinterest board and start pinning everything wedding. I can usually tell when someone has been engaged for a while because I can see where their personal style started changing – frequently several times. Sometimes it’s because they’re influenced by trends, but sometimes they didn’t know what to look for when they started pinning. I can get a pretty good idea of a couple’s aesthetic just by looking at the board as a whole. During the consultation, we’ll talk about what they like about an image, whether it’s the color palette or style, and together we’ll develop a concept to create the wedding of their dreams.
Where are the best resources for brides looking for floral inspiration?
I am much more in favor of personal touches rather than what is trendy on social media right now, but Pinterest is a great place to start. Then, following potential vendors on Instagram will give you an idea of what’s available in your local area. Whereas on Pinterest you can see inspiration nationally and internationally, on Instagram you’ll see the work of the actual florist who will be creating your designs. You’ll also be able to tell if they’re showing real wedding work or just styled shoots. An experienced vendor will have a lot of real weddings with a few styled shoots thrown in for fun.
What does an interview or florist consultation look like?
I have each of my potential clients fill out a pre-consultation questionnaire so we can get the basics out of the way and spend the consultation working on the overall concept. I do some consultations in person, but most are over the phone. We talk about their favorite inspiration images, the bouquet they see themselves carrying, and the types of designs they want to help set the ambiance at the wedding. I try to get to know them, find out what is important, their hobbies together and separately, and find some ways to make everything represent them. I feel like I’ve done my job well when the guests walk in and say, “this feels like them.”
How do I know I’ve found THE ONE (florist, that is)?
Wedding planning is stressful, and every wedding vendor should relieve some of that stress. Because it’s almost impossible to compare wedding florists based solely on price, the florist you feel the most comfortable with who has the experience to do what you want them to do is the one you should hire. You don’t have to be their friend, but when you email, you should feel comfortable that they have the desire and experience to help you create your dream wedding.
Thanks so Sharon with Flor Amor for sharing her tips hiring the perfect florist! Connect with Flor Amor directly via her Brides of Austin vendor profile.
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Other Local Vendors: One Eleven East, Flor Amor, Lauren Lumsden Hair and Makeup, Reilly Lynn Smitherman, Brooke Amber Studio, J. Scott Events, Mey Cakes, Marina Semone
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