Your wedding florist...

by Karen Wilbert, Owner of Silver Spoon Floral

My favorite part about being a wedding florist is getting to know my brides and grooms and then helping them create the perfect ambiance for their wedding day.

When I meet with the couple one on one for their complimentary consultation, I engage them in a comprehensive interview process while the wedding flower planning is taking place. I study their Pinterest boards in detail beforehand analyzing the colors, the specific flowers, and the style that the couple is attracted to. I ask what they’re passionate about and what brings them joy. I want to discover what they envision for their wedding day. Your wedding day is about you and your fiance’ and It’s about having a perfect day that exceeds all your hopes, dreams, and expectations. The goal is to create perfect memories that will sustain you as a couple during difficult times and ensure a wedding day free of drama and unnecessary stress. As a wedding florist, I am an integral part of your wedding as the flowers set the mood for the most precious day of your life. Your wedding florist should be chosen carefully because you deserve the best and you should never have to compromise quality and artistry. Here are ten things to consider that I value as a florist and provide for my clients to help create their perfect wedding day.

What you should look for and expect from your wedding florist:

STRESS FREE - A 100% stress free experience from beginning to end. Brides and their families have enough stress on their wedding day and the last thing they need to worry about are the flowers or the florist! Look for a florist who you click with and with whom you could have a strong and functional working relationship. Your day is too important, so engage with a florist that is energetic, and easy going.

EFFECTIVE LISTENER - the very best florists are gifted in the art of capturing the vision of the couple. Occasionally, the couple isn’t quite sure what they want, so a good florist will help the couple identify what they like through a series of questions. A good florist will NEVER push their own style or agenda on the soon to be newlyweds, but will discover, design, and create what the couple ultimately wants.

PASSIONATE - A florist that is absolutely head over heels in love with their craft! Are they passionate or is it just a job? Believe me, it will show in their work.

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VERSATILE - A florist who can do it all. Can they create arches, flower crowns, or large installments and can they fulfill special requests? Do they have work in their portfolio to demonstrate that they can do what you envision? Good florists will understand the engineering of a stable floral arch, how flowers are going to behave in any given situation and which flowers can be used in specific applications because of their stem anatomy.

KNOWLEDGEABLE - A florist who KNOWS flowers - the different species, the seasons of the flowers, and a thorough understanding of basic design concepts. It’s one thing to love flowers, but understanding how to arrange them using depth, texture, movement, and color is a completely different ball game. Look inside the florist’s home or shop. Is it designed/decorated well, or is it kitschy, cluttered, or without cohesiveness? If it is kitschy and cluttered…beware. You may get just that in your final product!

PREPARED - Does the florist have all the necessary equipment to produce a perfect final product? Do they REALLY take great care of the flowers during the manufacturing process? I’ve heard of “florists” that don’t even have a floral fridge to preserve the flowers during the manufacturing process. This is profoundly unhealthy for the flowers and unfair to you as the consumer because it will result in a substandard product. Flowers are living creatures that need to be carefully and delicately cared for using climatized storage.

CREATIVE - A florist who thinks outside the box and captures your vision while also making it a magical experience and creating stunning showstopping masterpieces. Look for a florist who can help you choose the flowers that YOU CAN AFFORD and that will best fulfill your dream for your big day.

CONNECTIONS - A florist who has international buying capacity. If your florist is only buying from a local wholesaler, you are missing out on optimal pricing and a vast selection of flowers. It would be impossible for a local wholesaler to carry every single species of flower. Having a florist with the buying power to buy from anywhere in the world will open entirely new options. I’ve done weddings with flowers from Ethiopia, Vietnam, Holland, Columbia, Ecuador, and many other countries. In fact, I’ve never done a wedding with flowers that were just from the U.S. The U.S. simply doesn’t have the year-round climate to grow many types of flowers, so having the ability to buy from worldwide resources can make an enormous difference. Also, be aware that flowers are like any other commodity and the prices ebb and flow based on weather, political climate, world events, the economy, and many other factors.

REALISTIC - Beware of florists who claim they can give you exactly what you want for what sounds like a surprisingly low price. You’ll get what you pay for and oftentimes will be disappointed in the final product. I have heard this from many brides who chose to go the cheap route instead of choosing a florist that understands the current market price on wholesale flowers including what flowers are seasonal and which are not. Florists that promise too much will not be able to deliver the best product AND make money, so the quality will suffer.

TEAM PLAYER - A florist who is willing to freely collaborate with the other vendors. My contract always includes permission to use the wedding photos where my work is shown. When I use the photos on my professional social media accounts, I will tag the photographer, cake decorator, and the venue. All professionals in the wedding industry know that this is essential to business growth and a common business practice. Look for a florist who has a “we’re all in this together” attitude towards your other vendors and a mutual respect for their work and their products. No prima donnas allowed!

I’m frequently asked how much to budget for wedding flowers. It all boils down to the specific species of flowers you’re requesting and the types and number of arrangements that you need. I’ve done simple wedding with just a few bouquets to grand weddings with arches, chandeliers, and many other stunning arrangements. Prioritize what is most important to you about your wedding day and then plan and budget accordingly.

I love and cherish my job as a wedding florist. I love capturing the mood and personality of the new couple. Each wedding is unique and fresh. Enhancing the experience with the beauty of the flowers is my passion. Fresh flowers bring their own joy to your party.

They set the tone of your wedding, brighten your photographs, and bring color and perfume to the venue. They will ask nothing of you but give you all that they are, and they are an irreplaceable part of any wedding. I would be honored to be your florist and would enjoy getting to know while creating the stunning beauty that you deserve!