This may be kind of long, which means a lot coming from me,
. I am in the middle of trying to book a florist, as some of you know. I've narrowed it down to two choices: First, a couple of women that run a shop out of a home, and have little overhead it seems as a result. They've been great to work with thus far, especially doing everything over email without having ever talked to me. There have been little miscommunications here and there with getting a quote on the things that I had asked for, but each time they've been prompt to fix them and seem always willing to redo proposals without seeming at all frustrated over the course of a few weeks. This means a lot, considering a couple of other florists I've talked to wouldn't consider my change of colors without paying them 100+ dollars to hold my date first. She's been recommended by a couple of brides on my local board, but some were unsure of how experienced they were. They do seem passionate about their work though.
http://flowersonspringtreelane.com/ Second, a woman who runs an event planning company who is also a florist. She has her own linens and chairs for rent, and has offered some great deals on those if we decide we can afford them -- prices that would turn out to be the cheapest I've found. She seems to have quite a bit of experience, and several brides on my local board highly recommend her. My cake vendor (probably the highest recommended one on my local board and very trustworthy) has highly recommended her as well because they've worked together on many occasions and says she's a true perfectionist. The quote for flowers from her came in a little higher than the Springtree by $200 at most. Her business is BBB certified A+, and all that good stuff too.
http://www.eleganttouchevents.com/floral_designs.htm So, I guess I need a little help making a decision. WWYD? Is it worth it to you to spend the extra money to go with someone with better credentials? I suppose she'd be a great vendor/resource to have while wedding planning, but the other women seemed like they'd be great to work with as well. I think I'm leaning towards the second, but I almost feel bad putting the first florist through so much just in the end to say "sorry, we're going with someone else". They're mothers with kids getting married soon as well, so I think they know how a bride must feel during the planning process and seem willing to work with budgets. Plus, I don't even know that I can afford getting the ceremony folding chairs, chair covers, etc. even with a good deal. Am I just letting guilt affect my decision too much? There's been talk about various caterers and florists going out of business in the last few months on my local board, and all that is starting to make me nervous as well. One florist who was highly recommended a while back on the board just up and left her stores. No warning -- just hung her brides out to dry. :-\ Thanks for making it through the long post, and TIA for any advice, opinions, etc.