Wedding flowers brighten any venue and should be a focal point on your wedding day; entrust your floral arrangements with a local supplier...
Together with Tara Diamond, Lune Valley Flowers, we've put together our top tips for getting the best flowers for your special day. From matching them with your theme to picking a florist that isn't overstretched...
1. Choose a recommended florist
Often couples have chosen a wedding venue by the time they're considering what flower arrangements they'll need. This is a great opportunity to ask your wedding coordinator for recommendations, they'll have helped organise dozens of weddings and will know who to contact and maybe even who to avoid! A quick question may help you find the right bouquet.
Tara Diamond, Lune Valley Flowers, advises "Listen to your wedding co-ordinator at the hotel, if she/he recommends a supplier it is for a good reason, they deal with them week in week out and know they are experts in their field."
2. Organise an informal consultation
Before agreeing to go with a florist, go for an informal consultation, it's important to get a feel for their work and style to be confident they can supply you with your dream flowers. Ask for examples of previous floral arrangements and testimonials from other bridal parties to confirm their quality and standards.
Tara Diamond, Lune Valley Flowers, recommends to "Go and see the florist to have an informal consultation, this will give you a good feel about the florist and what they can do for you."
3. Knowledge and service
Take the opportunity, during your initial consultation, to quiz your florist and ask for advice, a good florist should be happy to offer a wealth of knowledge to help you choose your arrangements. If you leave your consultation feeling confused and without any advice on selecting the right flowers for your requirements then consider whether this is the right florist for your wedding. It's important you feel confident in any supplier and they should be able to support you through the planning of your big day.
Tara Diamond, Lune Valley Flowers, highlights "Always remember a good florist will give you the time and good advice on all your requirements."
4. Check their other commitments
It's inevitable that you'll need an exceptional florist, wedding flowers can be a make or break decoration and there's nothing worse than being welcomed to your venue with decaying flowers. An easy way to check your floral requirements can be met is by asking your florist what other commitments they have on. If they have multiple weddings on your chosen date it may be worth considering alternatives.
Tara Diamond, Lune Valley Flowers, suggests "Book your date and ask the florist how many other weddings they have got on that weekend, remember this is your special day and you want a florist that is not over stretched to make sure you get the time you deserve for your flowers."
5. Consider the season and your theme
Flowers make up the brides bouquet, bridesmaids corsages, button holes, aisle decoration as well as table centre pieces in some cases. It's crucial to consider the season of your wedding when choosing flowers; some flowers may not be readily available at the time of year you're getting married so you may have to compromise on your arrangement. It's imperative you consider how your flowers will match your theme and the other decorations you have organised.
Tara Diamond, Lune Valley Flowers, recommends having a consultation to "decide colours, flowers, shapes and find out what is available at the time of your wedding."
Haley, our bride-to-be, has chosen well with "The colour of our flowers and sashes matching in blush pink. My daughter wanted a pink dress so we've selected blush pink to tie in with that. I'm also going to have lilac and cream in my flowers as purple is my favourite colour and Lune Valley showed me some flower arrangements they have done with pink and lilac together and they advised it will all tie in nicely with the centrepieces and dresses."
6. The finishing touches
After months of planning and organisation it's a good idea to have final consultations with all your suppliers to make sure everyone knows what time they're meant to be there to set up. It's a great chance to confirm what you expect from your suppliers and ensure everything is right. A quick call or meeting at this point can clarify any final changes or touches to make sure the running of your wedding day is smooth and stress-free.
Tara Diamond, Lune Valley Flowers, suggests "Six weeks before the wedding, have a final consultation to do all the finishing touches, final count up and delivery instructions."
Booking your wedding venue
Choosing a wedding venue is a big step and can make a massive difference to the ease of planning your big day. A good wedding venue should offer advice on all aspects of your wedding day as well as complimentary show rounds. We recommend visiting a wedding showcase to see a venue dressed and be able to ask questions and meet trusted wedding suppliers. If you'd like to discuss your requirements please call our wedding coordinator, Lisa, on 01524 585 185.