If you haven’t seen yesterday’s post asking the question “should I DIY my wedding florals?“, then head on over there! We have Part 2 here for you today with Dana of One Wildflower Designs. Y’all her work is phenomenal and she is giving us all the scoop on why you should hire a professional florist for your wedding. I love her stories on this below – it really gives you a lot to think about on what all your florist handles for you on your big day! Leave the work and beauty to them – keep reading Dana’s guest post below!
Dana of One Wild Flower Designs chats: I once walked into a wedding reception filled with DIY centerpieces, happily designed by the couple’s friends and family members. I’m sure it had been a good time for everyone, but all I could see were broken flowers, greenery all askew, and baby’s breath going every which way. My only thought was “This is what their guests are going to be looking at all evening. They should have hired a florist.”
Now of course being a florist means that I’m passionate about the subject. But I do feel that a bride can honor her guests (and herself) by discerning whether or not she’s a good candidate for DIY florals. Here are a few things to consider before you take the DIY plunge:
1. Pinterest makes it look easy.
Those photos of big, blossoming, magical floral installations circulate like they do because, hello….who doesn’t want to get married beneath an arbor struggling to bear the weight of a thousand garden roses? And I’m all for it! But as a florist, I can tell you all about the number of heavy buckets I schlepped to the site, the wires that poked my arms, the water that dripped all over me as I designed underneath. The end result that florists achieve is glamorous, but the grunt work is not! If all you need is bouquets for you and your bridesmaids that might be a fun way to spend time together the day before the wedding. If you need centerpieces or large design pieces, you may want a florist to handle those details.
2. Flower care is a thing.
Certain flowers such as poppies, dahlias, and hydrangea need special care beyond a fresh cut and a vase of water. Some flowers have a bloom life of a week or longer, others wilt after a few days. Some are best stored in a cooler. Others may arrive in tight bud stage and need a few days to open. Lack of flower care knowledge could potentially cause you stress and money wasted on wilted flowers. An experienced florist knows which flowers will be most available at the time of your wedding, and how to get the most from each variety so they are at their peak performance on your wedding day.
3. Do your homework.
Where/how do you intend to purchase your flowers? Is there a local wholesaler who also sells to the public, or do they require a tax ID number? Would you order online? What about a local flower farmer? What kind of information would they need from you, and how involved would they be in the design process? How far in advance do you need to place your flower order, and what happens if the day arrives and the flowers don’t look like you expected? Do they offer design consultation, or are they strictly a supplier? Compare policies, processes and cost well in advance. You might do a practice run – order a few bundles, spend an afternoon processing and designing mock arrangements, and see how you feel about it.
4. Will you have time?
Depending on the number of arrangements, it takes an average of one to three days to design flowers for a wedding. What do you expect your schedule to look like leading up to your wedding? Will you be busy with family and friends? A bachelorette party? Do you want to savor the morning of your wedding and not have to handle too many details? (Side note: I was a florist when I got married, so yes, that is how I wanted to spend my time. For me, it was the least stressful part of planning my wedding.)
5. Can you handle the unexpected?
Weather, delivery, photo schedule, working alongside other vendors, clean-up – they all factor in to the florist’s job. What will you do if the tables aren’t set which makes you late getting the centerpieces placed but it’s time for photos? What if it’s time to pin corsages and somehow you’re one short, or the wind picked up and knocked over the arbor? (It happens.)
6. Consider your reason.
Do you have some experience designing flowers and want to showcase your own work? Are you just trying to cut costs? (And if you decide against DIY flowers, where else could you DIY?) Is it a project you and your family would enjoy together, and do well?
7. Speaking of family….
If you are lucky enough to have a florist in the family, yay you! It’s wonderful to have to have a relative who can be an integral part of designing your wedding. Before you commit, be honest enough to ask yourself if you’re confident they can carry out your design vision. Also, you might ask them if they would be happiest designing, or if they would rather pass the baton to another florist so they could be fully present and just enjoy your day.
There are so many aspects of planning your wedding. Giving consideration to these things will help you to decide which route is best for you. Ultimately, the people you want to work with are the ones that understand your vision, offer outstanding products and services, and will allow you the most stress-free day possible, whether that be your friends, family, or your florist.
Dana! Thank you so much for sharing your point of view on why you should hire a professional florist for your wedding. I love your work and am excited for everyone to check out your website here at One Wildflower Designs. And also swing on over to Instagram and give her a follow!
