Planning a wedding? Here are a few tips to help you get the flowers you want.
It took my breath away when we got to The Mansion, it was more stunning than we could have hoped for! We had so many comments from our guests who were just in awe ...You absolutely hit the brief and we're so grateful for everything you did for us.
This lovely comment came in a thank you email from the beautiful bride in the photo above. Kirsty and Russ married at Beckenham's St George's Chapel, last summer and held their wedding reception at Beckenham Place Mansion. It was a fabulous wedding to work on, not least because of the vintage style that they chose, and Kirsty and Russ were fantastic people to work with. If you're planning a wedding in the next year or so here are a few tips that may help you find your ideal florist and ensure that you're as happy with the end result as this couple were.
When Should You Book Your Florist for a Wedding?
There is nothing I love more than planning wedding flowers with a happy couple. Whether you are organising a large or a small wedding, floral displays can add a huge amount to your venue or church. The flowers you want for your big day are personal and special to you. I always ask a lot of questions to really get to the heart of what’s important for each of you; it's a creative process and the sooner I can get involved with that the better.
To get the best from your wedding florist I’d personally recommend you hold a consultation a year to nine months ahead of time although 6 months is do-able. So if you're planning an autumn /winter wedding this year you should still have time to find your perfect florist but if you're getting married this summer you need to get your skates on and be aware that you may not get the florist you were hoping for.
Some specialist wedding florists can be booked up to three years in advance. The last two big weddings that I did were booked two years in advance but it does depend on the size of wedding too. If you are looking for just a few small, simple arrangements then most florists should be able to accommodate you with not too much notice but a large wedding with lots of flowers, multiple venues and design input will require a lot of time and planning and shouldn't be rushed so this is where a good lead time really is a must.
Kay did my wedding flowers and they were lovely! I contacted her at quite short notice and also made several I’m sure irritating changes last minute but she couldn’t have been more accommodating. They looked just how I wanted them to, thank you Kay!”
Abigail Waite - 5* Google Review
Your first consultation
You don't have to know exactly what you want the first time you meet your florist to discuss your wedding flowers. Of course, it's great if you have some ideas bu really for me I think that first consultation is there for both of you to get a feel for each other to see if you will be able to work together. Exact details are not necessary but I usually ask the bride to bring along a few images of some flowers and types of arrangements that she likes just to give me an idea of her style and take it from there. The end result can often quite different to those first few ideas but it's a good way to get the conversation started.
Kay made beautiful button holes for the civil partnership of close friends. They were beautiful & just what I asked for.
Gemma Baker, 5* Google Review
Cost
It's a good idea to ask your florist if they have a minimum spend. If you are on a budget there is no point making enquiries with a florist who only deals with high end weddings. We have a minimum spend of £1,500 but we also offer a basic wedding package for around £500. For more details on costs please email me and I'd be happy to help.
Don't walk in to a shop and expect to get a quote there and then. Quotes take a lot of time to work out and are dependent on lots of different things so you must arrange a meeting with your florist who will be happy to help you work out the finer details and give you the best quote they can.
Costs you may not have thought of:
Installation: your florist will need to charge you for installing your flowers at your venue. It doesn't matter if your venue is big or small or how many flowers you choose to have in it, there will be a charge for the time it takes the florist and his or her team to install those flowers for you.
Prop hire: you may like to use certain props to enhance your flower displays such as pedestals or lanterns. These don't come free of charge and some florists may want a deposit against breakages as well as a hire fee.
Delivery: if you have a lot of flowers your florist may have to hire in extra vans or drivers.
I could write a book on this subject but hopefully this will be of some help to some of you. If you're planning a wedding and would like to speak to a creative florist to help you achieve your floral goals then please do get in touch. I'd be very happy to meet you and help you however I can.
Get in touch by emailing kay@justsoflowers.co.uk
Wedding Services to Consider
Before I go, I just wanted to let you know about a few amazing wedding services that I've either worked with or are located in south east London and would like to recommend.
Venues
Wilton's Music Hall - www.wiltons.org.uk
Beckenham Place Park - I wrote about the mansion here if you’d like to find out more
Dulwich College - www.dulwichevents.com
Wedding Accessories
Sash+Veil - For an extra special touch to your veil or bridal accessories you will be well served with this fantastic independent business www.sashandveil.co.uk
Rings & other wedding jewelry
Looking for unique wedding rings, or gifts for your bridal party I’d recommend:
Kath Dare Jewellery - www.kathdarejewellery.co.uk
Photography
For precious photos and video of your big day I’d recommend getting in touch with;
Jackson and Co Photography - www.jacksonandcophotography.com
Andrew Leo - www.andrewleophoto.com
Natalie J Weddings - www.nataliejweddings.com
Stationary
For the stylish, understated stationery check out Lilac and White at www.lilacandwhite.com
Thank you for reading and congratulations to all of this year's newly-engaged couples.
