Planning, Planning, Planning,...

lacqueredlover

We are really trying to cross things off our list!  So far we have our venue, photographer, band and my dress.  I'm speaking with a rabbi today (that's a whole different issue due to the time of our wedding) but tomorrow, my mom and I are meeting with our first florist!

Any tips?  My FI and I have an idea of colors and I have some stuff pinned on Pinterest (the florist asked that we come in with ideas like that) but I figured I'd ask if any of you guys have good tips!  Thanks!

dcbride86

If you want your chuppa to have a lot of flowers on it, I would ask the florist to show you examples of chuppas they've done in a similar space.  We're doing that, and it was really great to see concrete examples!

emmaaa

Some of the prettiest arrangement I've seen were ones that the florists did with little direction. They said, "These are my colors, I don't like this, and I definitely like that" and the florist worked their magic.

theartistformerlyknownas

I've known people who were totally surprised by the size their bouquet(s) ended up being, so I made sure to specify that to mine (no larger around than a dinner plate, nothing hanging down, bridesmaids slightly smaller). 

Other than that I was pretty easy-going about it... brought her a few pics, told her which things I was negotiable on (I love ranunculus and cabbage roses but was willing to substitute something else if they're super expensive, but I definitely wanted succulents no matter what), and that she had carte blanche to throw in anything else that looked pretty and fit with the general idea/muted dusty colors what I wanted. They came out gorgeous.

AddieCake

I told my florist our colors and emailed her some inspiration pics. Then she had some great ideas for how to pull off what I was looking for.

wandajune6

I told my florist our colors and a few favorite flowers. He pulled together bouquets that were prettier than any of the inspiration pics I had pulled together (and forgotten to share). I was thrilled.

My uncles had a chuppa at their wedding a few months back with the most beautiful flowers. From what I understand, they showed the florist a sketch of what they were building and she pulled together something flowers that were the perfect size (and colors) for them.

lacqueredlover

Thanks ladies!

BrandNewJ

Nothing to do both flowers, but finding a rabbi: were also (I assume you are too?) getting married over Shabbat. It was difficult to find a rabbi, but the conservative rabbis are more likely to work you than orthodox rabbis, and a Jewish interfaith rabbi can still do a fabulous Jewish ceremony. That was our back up if our conservative rabbi couldn't work with us. Good luck! Planning is awesome!

lacqueredlover

BrandNewJ said:

Nothing to do both flowers, but finding a rabbi: were also (I assume you are too?) getting married over Shabbat. It was difficult to find a rabbi, but the conservative rabbis are more likely to work you than orthodox rabbis, and a Jewish interfaith rabbi can still do a fabulous Jewish ceremony. That was our back up if our conservative rabbi couldn't work with us. Good luck! Planning is awesome!

We are SUPER reform and still having a problem with 5 pm on a Saturday.  Just very frustrating.  The guy that literally bat mitzvah'd me wouldn't do it!

southernbelle0915

I sent our florist some inspiration pics and told her our priorities - local and in season. When we met with her in person, we said "this, this and this" "not that or that" and talked generally about size. We told her we wanted every arrangement, bouquet, boutonniere to look different and unique - she could decide what to use and how to design them keeping in mind the "this and not that" guidelines.

Our colors were navy and ivory with accent of a kermit green but I never considered having our flowers match our colors. We wanted fun and colorful. It's definitely what we got and LOVED it.

holyguacamole79

Regarding flowers, here's something that helped for me (and saved me some $$).  I'm not sure how this can help you, but it's worth a shot.

Our reception venue also included a florist and we chose to use them.  I told the florist what I wanted and got an "idea".  I didn't want to pay for the bouquet mock-up before the actual wedding.  So, the florist offered to mock-up my bouquet as a sample for when they had an open house for the venue to showcase their work (including floral).  That way, I didn't pay for the bouquet mock-up (since they were going to do one anyway) and I got to see how my bouquet would look.

So, if your florist has an upcoming bridal show or open house, you can ask him / her to mock up your bouquet as a "sample" so you can see it without paying for it.

I hope that makes sense.

jenna8984

Also, check the florist's website for any upcoming shows or deals. When I went in to one shop to get a quote the woman said "So, you must have seen our $50 off deal at the Bridal Expo right?" I did not attend such event but I said "Yes I did!" and it ended up being a BM bouquet for free. lol

theartistformerlyknownas

holyguacamole79 said:

Regarding flowers, here's something that helped for me (and saved me some $$).  I'm not sure how this can help you, but it's worth a shot.

Our reception venue also included a florist and we chose to use them.  I told the florist what I wanted and got an "idea".  I didn't want to pay for the bouquet mock-up before the actual wedding.  So, the florist offered to mock-up my bouquet as a sample for when they had an open house for the venue to showcase their work (including floral).  That way, I didn't pay for the bouquet mock-up (since they were going to do one anyway) and I got to see how my bouquet would look.

So, if your florist has an upcoming bridal show or open house, you can ask him / her to mock up your bouquet as a "sample" so you can see it without paying for it.

I hope that makes sense.

Huh, I didn't even realize mock up bouquets were a thing people did. I just told her the general idea, threw some money at her, and said "see ya in September."

People did look at me strange when they asked what my bouquet was going to look like and I said "I dunno. Some, uh, flowers and leaves and stuff."

lacqueredlover

Yeah I"m not super into flowers or anything like that.  I'm not someone who will be like "I need peony's and rose's."  I just want dark red and purples and all fall looking and stuff like that haha.

theartistformerlyknownas

lacqueredlover said:

Yeah I"m not super into flowers or anything like that.  I'm not someone who will be like "I need peony's and rose's."  I just want dark red and purples and all fall looking and stuff like that haha.

So you won't come back here after your wedding complaining that you SPECIFICALLY ASKED for the darkest purple tulips but got medium purple tulips and white peonies instead, and the florist gave you your money back already but you're still mad and insisting they somehow give you more? :-p

lacqueredlover

lolo883 said:

lacqueredlover said:

Yeah I"m not super into flowers or anything like that.  I'm not someone who will be like "I need peony's and rose's."  I just want dark red and purples and all fall looking and stuff like that haha.

So you won't come back here after your wedding complaining that you SPECIFICALLY ASKED for the darkest purple tulips but got medium purple tulips and white peonies instead, and the florist gave you your money back already but you're still mad and insisting they somehow give you more? :-p

I feel like if I actually notice what my flowers are that day instead of just going "yeah they look pretty, can we celebrate now?" then I'm doing something wrong haha.  

I'm really bad at being a bride lol.

BrandNewJ

lacqueredlover said:

BrandNewJ said:

Nothing to do both flowers, but finding a rabbi: were also (I assume you are too?) getting married over Shabbat. It was difficult to find a rabbi, but the conservative rabbis are more likely to work you than orthodox rabbis, and a Jewish interfaith rabbi can still do a fabulous Jewish ceremony. That was our back up if our conservative rabbi couldn't work with us. Good luck! Planning is awesome!

We are SUPER reform and still having a problem with 5 pm on a Saturday.  Just very frustrating.  The guy that literally bat mitzvah'd me wouldn't do it!

That's insane! Try an interfaith Rabbis. They're much easier going!

lacqueredlover

BrandNewJ said:

lacqueredlover said:

BrandNewJ said:

Nothing to do both flowers, but finding a rabbi: were also (I assume you are too?) getting married over Shabbat. It was difficult to find a rabbi, but the conservative rabbis are more likely to work you than orthodox rabbis, and a Jewish interfaith rabbi can still do a fabulous Jewish ceremony. That was our back up if our conservative rabbi couldn't work with us. Good luck! Planning is awesome!

We are SUPER reform and still having a problem with 5 pm on a Saturday.  Just very frustrating.  The guy that literally bat mitzvah'd me wouldn't do it!

That's insane! Try an interfaith Rabbis. They're much easier going!

Awesome I will give it a try!  thanks!

theartistformerlyknownas

lacqueredlover said:

lolo883 said:

lacqueredlover said:

Yeah I"m not super into flowers or anything like that.  I'm not someone who will be like "I need peony's and rose's."  I just want dark red and purples and all fall looking and stuff like that haha.

So you won't come back here after your wedding complaining that you SPECIFICALLY ASKED for the darkest purple tulips but got medium purple tulips and white peonies instead, and the florist gave you your money back already but you're still mad and insisting they somehow give you more? :-p

I feel like if I actually notice what my flowers are that day instead of just going "yeah they look pretty, can we celebrate now?" then I'm doing something wrong haha.  

I'm really bad at being a bride lol.

Nah you're doing it right!

holyguacamole79

lolo883 said:

holyguacamole79 said:

Regarding flowers, here's something that helped for me (and saved me some $$).  I'm not sure how this can help you, but it's worth a shot.

Our reception venue also included a florist and we chose to use them.  I told the florist what I wanted and got an "idea".  I didn't want to pay for the bouquet mock-up before the actual wedding.  So, the florist offered to mock-up my bouquet as a sample for when they had an open house for the venue to showcase their work (including floral).  That way, I didn't pay for the bouquet mock-up (since they were going to do one anyway) and I got to see how my bouquet would look.

So, if your florist has an upcoming bridal show or open house, you can ask him / her to mock up your bouquet as a "sample" so you can see it without paying for it.

I hope that makes sense.

Huh, I didn't even realize mock up bouquets were a thing people did. I just told her the general idea, threw some money at her, and said "see ya in September."

People did look at me strange when they asked what my bouquet was going to look like and I said "I dunno. Some, uh, flowers and leaves and stuff."

The first florist I met with included a mock-up bouquet in her estimate.  There's no way in hell I was going to pay for that!  The florist I ended up working with was the one who offered to do it (I mean, he was going to do it anyway, but maybe with other flowers).   So I took him up on the offer and it worked out perfectly!

princessofgenovia

lolo883 said:

holyguacamole79 said:

Regarding flowers, here's something that helped for me (and saved me some $$).  I'm not sure how this can help you, but it's worth a shot.

Our reception venue also included a florist and we chose to use them.  I told the florist what I wanted and got an "idea".  I didn't want to pay for the bouquet mock-up before the actual wedding.  So, the florist offered to mock-up my bouquet as a sample for when they had an open house for the venue to showcase their work (including floral).  That way, I didn't pay for the bouquet mock-up (since they were going to do one anyway) and I got to see how my bouquet would look.

So, if your florist has an upcoming bridal show or open house, you can ask him / her to mock up your bouquet as a "sample" so you can see it without paying for it.

I hope that makes sense.

Huh, I didn't even realize mock up bouquets were a thing people did. I just told her the general idea, threw some money at her, and said "see ya in September."

People did look at me strange when they asked what my bouquet was going to look like and I said "I dunno. Some, uh, flowers and leaves and stuff."

THIS IS HOW I WANT TO DO IT!!!

I like purple. Not crazy about baby's breath or lots of filler. Have fun. Cause I don't fucking do flowers. I see things and think "Oh pretty" but I couldn't tell you what kind of flower it was or in what why they did it. I just want to give someone how knows money and let them do their thing that they know how to do better then me.

jenna8984

lacqueredlover said:

lolo883 said:

lacqueredlover said:

Yeah I"m not super into flowers or anything like that.  I'm not someone who will be like "I need peony's and rose's."  I just want dark red and purples and all fall looking and stuff like that haha.

So you won't come back here after your wedding complaining that you SPECIFICALLY ASKED for the darkest purple tulips but got medium purple tulips and white peonies instead, and the florist gave you your money back already but you're still mad and insisting they somehow give you more? :-p

I feel like if I actually notice what my flowers are that day instead of just going "yeah they look pretty, can we celebrate now?" then I'm doing something wrong haha.  

I'm really bad at being a bride lol.

I wanted a green bouquet for me because I personally hate white ones against the bride's white dress. But I didn't give a shit what was in mine. I got the BM's all white ones to pop against their navy dresses. I was getting my hair done at the salon and my mom went to pick up the flowers. She walked in the salon holding one of the white ones and my face dropped. Everyone was like holy shit, you don't like it?? And I was like "It's supposed to be green! Literally I don't care what it looks like as long it's fucking green". Almost got teary and my MOH ran in and was like "Here's the green one!!" YESSSS lol 

lacqueredlover

Haha omg my FI got super cheesy about it last night.  I was showing him some ideas I liked for our Chuppah and one was all branches and had some flowers on top and hanging down.  He goes "I love that one, it's like roots of a tree and we are putting down roots of our marriage and it's all symbolic."  I literally looked at him and burst out laughing.  It was really cute.

Calla Lillies are the only flowers I know I really want because I've loved them since I was little (and it's probably one of the few flowers I can look at and go "I know what that is") but otherwise it's just colors and pretty!

[Deleted User]

Wow, reading this thread totally made me feel better about my lack of care about flowers.  I'll probably just say, "uh, mostly pink but whatever is in season, and don't get pollen on me."  

I used to have to order flowers occasionally for work.  I'd just tell the florist that I had $75 to spend, and I'd give them one adjective, i.e. elegant, simple, etc.  They always came up with the most perfect arrangements.  I guess I just trust the professionals.

lacqueredlover

Ugh that was awful.  Apparently I should have an exact idea in mind (telling them my colors and that i don't want perfectly manicured big poofs of flowers on top of a vase) wasn't enough.

jenna8984

Really? Go to a different one. They are the professionals, they should be able to show you pictures and say do you like this? What would you change about this? They should guide you in the direction, not the other way around. 

BrandNewJ

lacqueredlover said:

Ugh that was awful.  Apparently I should have an exact idea in mind (telling them my colors and that i don't want perfectly manicured big poofs of flowers on top of a vase) wasn't enough.

They didn't have books of their previous work to show you? I had no idea either. I sat with the florist for an hr going through her books and pintrest. She's even going to do mock ups of everything for us because she hasn't done it before. Bogus they weren't able to work with that information you had.

goldchocobo.defunct635829490514903826

How is that NOT enough?  I went through a look book and said "I have no idea what I am doing, but I like this."  When I was asked what flowers I wanted I blurted out "ROSES!" because roses are pretty and easily accessible I guess.  How clear do you have to be??

At the end of the night, I wanted to ditch my bouquet.  Sure, it was pretty, but I didn't want to lug it around.  After my entrance, I set it in a corner by my alter arrangements and there it stayed for the rest of the night.

Work with a florist that will guide you on helping you choose something, not someone who wants fed literal information.

Also, LOL at the purple not being purple enough.  I remember that convo...

theartistformerlyknownas

I'd go to a different florist. 

ETA I met with a few. I showed one guy a bunch of pictures with cabbage roses, ranunculus, dusty miller, succulents, seeded eucalyptus, said I wanted "vintage looking colors, soft and pretty" and he was like "I can make a great bouquet of white roses and hydrangea for $xyz." Ummm nope, not at all actually.

theartistformerlyknownas

Haha here, these are the pictures I showed him. And he offered me white hydrangeas. As you can see in my post above, the lady I went with did a MUCH better job. So shop around!

lacqueredlover

We are meeting with 2 other florists in a few weeks.  It was just a really frustrating and disheartening situation.  At least I did now kinda figure out what I wanted after talking to my mom after.  I think I didn't have the right vocabulary walking in (apparently saying that I hate a tall centerpiece with a big perfect looking poof ball of flowers on top is NOT the right thing to say) haha so hopefully the next ones will go better.