How to narrow down and pick a florist/pricing important

sosweetmeliss

Price is a major part of my decision for flowers.  I have posted on my local board and gotten suggestions of good places to look.  Now how do I narrow that down?  Can I get basic price quotes over the phone or through email?  Websites?  Any and all suggestions on where to go now that I have a list of 8-10 florists in my area are appreciated!  THANKS!

jerseydevil

I'm finding that florists in this state are ALL over the map. We have received quotes of 500-1300 for the SAME assortment of flowers. Good luck! We're still looking.

Most of them seem to want to meet in person.

annimh

Like PP said, you'll likely have to meet with them in person. Pick 3 to start with (this is how I winnowed out a lot of my vendors) and get an idea from them what they would charge you. Find out if they'll do mock-ups (mock-ups allow you to judge quality). If you find the 3 you started with are not leaving you with a comfortable feeling, then call and meet with others.

With any meeting, make sure you print out/tear out some images to show them what you like, your colors. My florist even asked me what sort of dress I was wearing to get an idea of what I was looking for.

fallbride1109

I agree with the PP--I narrowed it down to 3 and picked the one I felt the most comfortable with and who seemed to "get" my vision.  She was the one in the middle pricewise--not the cheapest, or the most expensive.

kristeno90

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_flowers_narrow-down-pick-floristpricing-important?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:28Discussion:090a03be-ae82-4403-9e6d-9f934b23a732Post:98de752f-32a1-4894-ad60-f6662e14c1f6">Re: How to narrow down and pick a florist/pricing important</a>:
[QUOTE]I agree with the PP--I narrowed it down to 3 and picked the one I felt the most comfortable with and who seemed to "get" my vision.  She was the one in the middle pricewise--not the cheapest, or the most expensive.
Posted by stephiehall[/QUOTE]

This is what I did. Also, make sure you take pictures of your dress and the bridesmaids dresses, styles you like, and color swatches.

Maggie0829

Definitely narrow your list down to 3...8-10 is a lot of florists and you may start getting confused as to who you like the most.

Make sure you express your budget at the beginning of the conversation.  This will help the florist creat ideas for you that fit within your price range.  This will also help with deciding who gives you the most for your buck.

Take lots of pictures and color swatches with you to help your florist see what your vision is.  Also do not get set on one or two type of flowers.  A lot of times if a bride must have a certain flower it could be out of season or really expensive.  Remember the florist is the professional so let them do what they do best!

bluebellCA

On one of my earlier posts, I recommended doing a BBB search and lookups on reviews. Talking to friends for recommendations is also helpful. Price wise, I always heard that choosing a vendor in the middle price range of your quotes is wise. good luck!

Cynthia1207

They will want to see you in person because they can't really give a quote over the phone for something they can't visualize.  Bring pictures with you and show them a vision.

When I went shopping for my florist, key elements were:

1- Professionalism - they had to be one time and willing to give me thier undivided attention while I was there.

2- Quality of their flowers - Ask them to show you a sample of what they have

3- Creativity - They need to know what flowers work together, what arrangements would suit which vision, etc

4- Personality - You need to get along with your vendor if not you're looking at one long and difficult journey

5- Staff - Do they work alone on that day?  Do they have assistants?  If they work alone who covers for them if they are sick?  These are all questions you need to know the answer to.

6- Pricing - If all of the above suits your needs, then pricing becomes the object.  Do they have delivery fees?  Set-up fees?  Do they charge by hour?  Do they charge extra for an assistant?  Hidden fees are something common (esp delivery fees)  make sure you ask about it.

Good luck!