Flowers

[Deleted User]

Have any of you ladies picked your flowers? If so how did you pick a florist? Did you meet with multiple ones before you chose? I just feel like I don't even know where to start with this. All the florists I have contacted want to set up a consultation but I am a student and don't have that much time. I am weeding some out if they have set minimums one place had a minimum of $2500. That is crazy to me. Does anyone have any advice? TIA 

eseney82

I actually just booked my florist today! Yay, my last vendor.

I met with 2 florists, and picked the one I did because they just had a better idea of what I was wanting.  Im going for a vintage feel, and want my flowers to be more open, soft, etc.  This was their main style they do, so I chose them.  Also, the owner was really open to me doing some of my own with candles and what not, and even recommended a wholesale florist for us.

They quoted me $2000 for my bouquet, 5 BM's, the groom, and 5 gm's bouts + 2 mom's and 1 grandma, with 8 centerpieces.  That was really high to me compared to the other florist who quoted me $1450, but that came from her quoting me $95/centerpiece.  But we are going to work on getting that down.  So, if I had each table (20 tables) have centerpieces then I could see where the $2500 would come from. 

Good Luck!  Just go with who you feel most confmartable with, you can always work on the price, and the one who understands your vision.

osuchica85

Here is my long reply....sorry I am not consise.

First, I went to all the florists websites/blogs/facebook sites that I could possibly find in my area and nixed alot right from the start based on what the flowers looked like. I had an unusal style I wanted and alot of the florists I looked at had the same look in all of the weddings they did....which I didn't like.

After I got my list down to like 12....I sat on it for a few months (I realize you don't have that type of time but I have been engaged for 15 months now so I have looked at alot of stuff).
 
Anyway, I planned on making appt for when I returned home for xmas. I sort of forgot to... so on dec 26th I emailed my top 8 shops to see if I could meet with them before I left Jan 3rd. I met with 5 in person. The other three couldn't/got sick so I just emailed those three I wanted. All of my appts ran about 20 min-1.5hr...and I pretty much knew exactly what I wanted. The three I emailed I gave 3 weeks to give me a quote...because they said they would email me one but they never did.....so they were elminated obviously.

Then there were 5.....

One of the people I met with was highly recommended for how cheap she was and for her talent on the knot boards. She was so cheap I guess because she did not have a store front. She was my cheapest quote at 1200...but I felt like she didn't quite get what I wanted. Plus, she had several sort of concerning reviews around the new year regarding not dropping off things on time/answering phone so that sealed it. Plus, my fiance thought the stuff on her website looked cheap.

Then there were 4....

 Another person we met with in person I did not get a good vibe from in person and actually 20 minutes in...I ended the appointment and told them I would not be using them because of the vibe.

So really we only had 3 options that I was considering ranging from 1600-1800 in quoted price for pretty much the exact same thing. I got better vibes from my 1600 and 1700 quotes then the 1800 one because I didn't feel like the 1800 quote person could go with the flow as much.....like if something came up I felt like she would freak out rather than work with it. So I eliminated her.

Then there were 2....

Ultimately, I loved the person we got a 1600 quote from more than 1700 one. My fiance liked the previous work of the 1700 one better though. So we went with the 1700 one.

I have really nice but unusual (expensive) flowers...My estimate included a bridal boquet, 6 bm boquets, 1 grooms bout, 6 gm bouts, 3 corsages, 2 fathers bouts, 6 short/large centerpieces, 18 small centerpieces. I don't have readers/flower girls/ring bearers/grandparents. I didn't want ceremony flowers because I have another plan for my site/plus weather permitting we will be out in a garden setting. All the vases/centerpieces were quoted with take home pricing....so we don't have to worry about returning the gold and glass containers if we don't want to. Ironically, I know you said alot have minimums. Actually the one we are going with had a minimum of 2000 for summer weddings but that got waived.

leamide

LOL....my flowers were actually the first thing I checked off on my list! A lady at work had her daughters wedding the year before and recommended her greatly. My boss also used her and highly recommended her. I went for my appointment not even having anything else booked, but knew the flowers would be done. I told the florist I wanted bright summer flowers and then she asked me what kind of flowers. I never thought about that or knew I was the one to pick all the flowers out! lol

saraschilling88

I don't have a florist per se, my cousin used to be a florist and with her help I am going to make all my bouquets/bouts using silk flowers (roses and possibly cala lilies)!!  I am going to use silk hydrangeas (or roses again) for part of my centerpiece which is mostly DIY and not flower filled!!

colstj1

I asked around on my local board to recommendations. Then I met with a few florists and compared prices. I chose the florist who really understood my vision for what we wanted and had good prices. Make sure to ask about set up fees, because they might be willing to do all of the set up included or they might charge you a ton to do it.

mercy4

I went to the venue-recommended one and thought I'd book, but he was kind of insulting and very overpriced.  Then I went on my local board for rec's and met with the one I felt like I'd like the best.  We lucked out because she was the cheapest and understood our vision.