Wedding Myths, BUSTED!
I’m on a wedding group or two on Facebook and get asked a fair few questions myself in regards to wedding flowers, becoming a florist, where to start with planning a wedding etc, etc. The list goes on. I see such an array of questions being asked and comments being made. After all, for most of you it’s your first time planning a wedding so this is totally normal. Kudos to the past couples keeping it real on these forum’s and for the vendors dropping those truth bombs to those that need it. So now you’ve got the info in your hot little hands, read on through to hear my answers to my most commonly asked questions and a few Q’s and comments or two I scroll past on those forums.
NUMBER ONE: Looking for a florist/vendor that won’t cost me an “arm and a Leg”?
Firstly, I don’t think anyone’s really going to ask for you to present them with your arm and leg as payment. We use this thing called money now, some may even begin to ask for crypto? It’s the modern day world and this saying is DONE! What I can tell you is a vendor will charge what they need to charge in order to earn a wage. Believe it or not, we don’t all like to work for free. Does anyone? We all have different expenses involved with our businesses and price accordingly to this as well as experience and years in the game. Yes there are some people out there who have lower prices or are starting out but as the saying goes, “You get what you pay for”.
NUMBER TWO: “As soon as you mention the “W” word prices instantly go up!”.
We don’t all have a set percentage we whack on when we hear your “order” is for a wedding. So keeping this information to yourself isn’t going to make your day any cheaper. It’s more just going to peeve your vendors when they rock up and find out it wasn’t a bar mitzvah after all.
When you book a wedding vendor for a job you are paying for the utmost care, love and attention to detail to make sure your day goes off without a hitch. You are paying for their years working on their craft and perfecting it for you. You are paying for premium quality over standard quality. If you want standard quality then just find some who does that as their specialty. Their pricing will help you seek them out. You are paying for them to reply to your emails and be available on the day. You are paying for their loss of income from taking on other jobs as they dedicate themselves to you. You are paying for their passion, problem solving abilities and of course their skills. On that note, when it comes to purchasing a bouquet from a shop as opposed to a wedding bouquet there is a VAST difference in quality, quantity and time taken to create a bridal bouquet. Sure, if you like you can pick up a bouquet from a shop and hope for the best but you will definitely be disappointed when that $50 bouquet wasn’t the $250 one you saw on Instagram. This is why honesty is the way to go so that you can be happy on the day.
A florist will always buy the most premium quality flowers as well as extra stock to cover any damages to florals in transit so that every flower is picture perfect, Literally. A bouquet for a vase will average 10-15 blooms where as a bridal bouquet can be anywhere from 25-50 to make that thing blow your socks off.
Again, HONESTY IS THE BEST POLICY.
NUMBER THREE: “When Should I be booking in my Florist?”
If you have your eye on someone I suggest getting in touch with them 18 months out from the big day. Most of my bookings come in at this time and I can tell you right now I only manage to take on about 10% of my incoming enquires as I get snapped up. So get in quick! With that being said you may get lucky and your vendor could have a random date free by chance so don’t be disheartened , it’s always worth asking. We booked our wedding 8 weeks out from the big day and managed to score every single one of our vendors. How you ask? Well, Obviously I have the hook ups BUT we chose our date based on when they were available to us as they were the ones to make the day what it was. We got married on a Tuesday. No different to any other day but different in such a huge way having the vendors we had.
Hot tip: I’ve heard Tuesday weddings are the latest craze. Don't be scared.
NUMBER FOUR: “What should I expect to spend on my wedding flowers?”
This is completely dependent on your wedding party size, how much impact you’d like to make and the value you place on having great flowers. The general rule is to allow for 20% of your total budget for flowers. If you value flowers higher than another expense this budget of course could be higher and that other expense lower. When quoting I always ask for a budget. Firstly, this let’s me know if you can meet our minimum spend. Secondly this is one of the biggest ways to help me meet your budget. I will always aim to work within your budget and where that isn’t possible I can guide you with options to best utilise your budget to create most impact and value for money. I can also let you know what you can and can’t realistically achieve with your budget and educate you on what is achievable and if this figure needs to be increased to create your vision.
NUMBER FIVE: “What is bump in and bump out? Do I Need it?”
Bump in is where we come and set up all pre-made designs and create all other designs on-site ready for your ceremony and reception. Think hanging installations, arbour displays etc. Bump out is where we come back to the venue after your wedding and remove all florals. This involves us travelling to the venue either the night of or morning after your wedding. Taking down all arrangements and packing up all florals and removing this from on-site. Cleaning up after ourselves on-site if any mess is created as a result of this. Packing down and maintaining or cleaning any hired items. Travel back to the studio or workplace to then unpack all florals and dispose of appropriately.
It is always best to speak with your venue before booking your florist and ask if they require bump out of everything. Some do, some don’t. You also might just prefer to bask in your newly wedded bliss after your wedding instead up packing down and cleaning up a venue if you choose not to hire someone to bump out.
NUMBER SIX: “Are corsages and Boutonnieres still a thing?”
Not long ago corsages were seen to be quite outdated. They big and clunky and dated in design. These and boutonnieres have made a HUGE comeback. Why? Sentimental value. Buying a corsage for you’re the mums and a boutonniere for dad’s is one of the most inexpensive ways to make them MELT. They hold so much value and help you show them on the day that they too are important and valued on the day. In every photograph I see and moment I witness I can see so much love in this moment and it’s one to be cherished.
NUMBER SEVEN: “When is the best time of the year to get married?”
Over the past year with COVID and the wild weather event’s Australia has been having of late It’s fair to say that anytime is a good as another. As long as you’re marring your lover there’s no season over the other. As past history presents, weddings are most popular from March-May and September-November. Over the last 5 years In the game I have been noticing weather trends shift and it’s made me realise that you can’t control a thing and to just go with the flow. We booked mid Feb, we were SO paranoid it was going to be a 40 degree day. It was 22 degrees and rained most of the day. Who’d of thought that would happen? Not us. You can’t pick it. As more couples are trying to find dates around the ever so busy wedding industry now mid week dates and off peak seasons are coming rapidly more popular. My winter hating body has now come to realise that maybe this could be the most stable season? I will happily work in any weather but the one that effects the florals and design capabilities the most is the wind. Ask any florist, they hate it! If you’re looking to have really flowy garden style florals opt for an enclosed or indoor area. I find September/October to be wild every year. Beautiful one weekend, wicked the next.
NUMBER EIGHT: “I can’t justify spending money on something that is just going to die.”
Having trouble convincing your Fiancé that your Pinterest dreams really are going to change your lives? YES, some flowers can die but some can also be kept as a keepsake after. A lot of the flowers I use can be cherished even after your wedding day. You can have them preserved in resin, pressed and framed or simply hang them upside down and dry them out.
Here are my recommendations on the best in the business to help you hold onto your flowers after the big day:
When thinking about flowers being an impermanent thing, here’s what you need to remember…
Alongside the venue, flowers can create the biggest impact and create your vibe for the day. They can completely transform a space and leave long lasting memories. Speaking of, they are going to be in ALL of your photos. This is how they last forever. No one remembers what type of shoes the boys wore or what flavour cake you ate on the night, they remember the flowers!
NUMBER EIGHT: “What happens to my flowers after the big day?”
This is completely up to you! Here’s a few ideas for you to consider.
- Have a wrapping station at your wedding. Allow guests to grab some paper and twine and take home some flowers.
- Speak to a local Nursing home or alike prior to the big day and ask if you can donate the florals to their residents to brighten their day.
- Take home your flowers and dry them out. You can keep them for yourself or give to your friends and family as a little thank you.
- Press your flowers and send in your thank you cards to your guests.
- Ask your florist if they can create something permanent with them after for you to keep forever. Yep, I offer this to my brides.
So there you have it. Questions answered, myths busted. If there’s anything I missed, comment below and I will get them answered for you.
