what to consider when choosing your wedding day florals

With over 30 years of experience as a professional florist, Mary Weaver, of Floral Architecture shares answers to some of the most frequent wedding floral questions.

1. Why go professional?

    A. Best answer: It's YOUR wedding day! This is one day in your life that
         you should not have to work.
         It's sweet when family or friends offers to help, however, if they are
         not educated in floral care and design it can be stressful and often
         disastrous on your happy day.
         Recently a bride had an offer from family to design her wedding
         flowers. She did not want to hurt feelings so she agreed. The day of
         the wedding all of the table centerpieces were arranged and set up. By
         the time the reception began for various reasons all of the flowers
         were wilted. Other factors that come into play are that family/friends
         try to set up too early (if outside, etc.) so that they can get ready
         for the ceremony. It is usually best to find another area for friends
         or family to help that is less stressful.

    2. How do I choose a professional florist?

​    A. Even in today's digital world, word of mouth is still number one. What
         are you hearing from other brides about floral designers in your area?
         Go to the designer/florists web site and social medial, most should
         have a wide variety of their work. It should be current as well. How
         many years have they been designing? Will they visit my venue? How
         often will they meet with me? Do they travel? Do they have a team that
         can handle your wedding? How many events do they work in a given day?
         Consider an Event Only Florist, as there sole job is to focus on you and your event.

    3.  ​How soon should I book my florist?

     A. I generally recommend to all of my brides if they can lock in your
         date between 9 -12 months ahead of you wedding that is best.
         Honestly, I am booking 18 months to 2 years ahead for some dates. Fall
         and spring are very popular so often those months fill up first. The
         best Professionals fill up quickly, I urge brides to find there
         favorites, the one that gets there vision and place a deposit, then
         tweak your big day throughout your meetings. Everything does not have
         to be finalized in order to secure your date.

     4. What to consider when choosing flowers for your wedding or special event:

     A. Most flowers are available year round due to the international flower
         market. However, there are a couple times of the year where certain
         flowers are just not available such as Peonies, Privet Berries, etc.
         This is the same with greenery. If your heart is completely set on a
         specific flower it may be worth the time to investigate prior to
         choosing your big day.
         If the price is a factor then there are many options open to you. Not all
         flowers are expensive, in fact, many are quite reasonable. I love to
         think outside the box. If a bride has a tight budget that does not
         mean she is stuck with Daisies.  

​5. Silk or fresh flowers?

     A. Fresh flowers need to be handled and treated correctly so that they last.
         Often I meet with brides who choose silk because they believe that
         they are cheaper. In most cases, this is not true, as quality high-end silks are
         expensive, as much as $30.00 or more per stem. Some flowers are often
         not very realistic in silk. Even if you are on a tight budget, fresh flowers 
         can still play a part in the beauty of your big day.

As a wedding photographer, I've learned from Mary the importance of the "mechanics" of floral bouquets. Recently, while shooting my bride's portraits, her flowers were falling out of her bouquet. I did my best to help her reinsert the fallen flowers for the photos. Her bouquet was beautifully designed by a local florist, and photographed well, but if properly designed this would never have happened. One less thing this bride should have to worry about.
What I love about shooting florals is the creative process in capturing them to show off their beauty for the bride to remember them by. Whether silk or real, my photos will be a gorgeous addition to your wedding collection! ♡

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I hope you found this article helpful!
 If you have additional questions contact ​Mary Weaver or
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