The time between Thanksgiving and Valentine’s Day is often referred to as “engagement season” with a high percentage of couples getting engaged during this time. Since so many couples are newly starting their wedding planning journey, we reached out to some of our vendor friends to help give more insight into planning different parts of your wedding.
When it comes to planning your wedding florals, you might have a color in mind or be driven by your deep love of peonies. Many couples, not being florists themselves of course, are not familiar with the seasonality of different stems and have a difficult time knowing what an appropriate budget is to set for their décor.
With the help of Kari at Lark Floral and Jeni of Westvirjeni, these two are sharing their insights on the floral design process and passing along helpful information that all couples should consider when looking for their florist.
Lark Floral with photo by Kelly Ewell Photography
What are some of the things that couples should know when looking to select a florist for their wedding?
- My advice for couples planning for their wedding flowers is to think about the look and feel you want at your wedding and then look through some images of wedding flowers. Try to determine what it is you like and don’t like about different arrangements. Do you like clean and modern or loose and wild? Do you gravitate towards bright colors or feel more comfortable with neutrals? A good florist will be able to translate your overall vision for the day into floral designs that will create the look and feel that you love. Also, look for a florist that has a beautiful portfolio of work and a design style and personality that is a good fit with your own. Choose a florist based on these things and then trust them to bring your vision to life! When you give your designer some creative freedom, you will get the freshest flowers available and designs that are totally unique to you and your wedding. – Lark Floral
- As you start to look for a florist and decide what kind of florals you like, make sure you’re looking at look books or websites with real wedding images. Also, florists with wedding experience should have a good backup or emergency plan with a team in place to implement it so that they aren’t thrown off by anything unexpected. Finally, to really personalize your wedding, talk to your florist about what sets them apart or what ideas they have that can make your wedding unique. – Westvirjeni
Photo courtesy of Westvirjeni Florals
What are some of the things that couples might not realize about wedding florals that you think they should know?
- It is helpful to have a budget in mind before you contact your florist. A good rule of thumb when budgeting for flowers is to allocate about 10% of your overall budget for flowers, or more if you really love flowers and want them to be the star of the show! The cost of wedding flowers can vary widely depending on the fullness and size of the arrangements, the varieties of flowers you choose, and the seasonal availability of those flowers. If you are comparing quotes for wedding flowers, make sure you are comparing apples to apples. If one florist gives you a price of $50 for a centerpiece and another gives you a price of $200, they are offering you very different products. The $200 option will be a much fuller design, with a higher stem count, and more premium flowers. You won’t get a $200 centerpiece for $50 and vice versa! To get the most bang for your buck, consider creating a few impactful and memorable floral “moments” rather than spreading everything too thin. Think of ways that pieces can be repurposed throughout the event. For example, large ceremony arrangements on stands can be moved and enjoyed at the reception as well. Bridesmaid’s bouquets can be placed in vases on the bar during cocktail hour. Your florist can help determine the most effective way to distribute your floral decor to meet your budget and create a beautiful atmosphere for your wedding. – Lark Floral
- It’s important to choose a florist you trust fully with your vision. It allows us to work to the best of our ability and ultimately produces the best work. I always emphasize to my couples – give me your vision, your colors, let me understand your personality, and then trust in me and allow me to create designs that reflect that. My most satisfied couples are the ones who give me direction with creative freedom. It is also really important to establish a budget for florals along with all your other wedding items. It’s quite helpful to us when making the proper recommendations so that we can fit within any budget needs. – Westvirjeni
If you want to learn more about these florist or see more of their beautiful work, check out their websites at www.larkfloral.com and www.westvirjeni.com.
At 48 Fields, we are a Leesburg Virginia wedding venue for celebrations of all sizes.
Our rustic barns and vast fields are peacefully set in the heart of Northern Virginia wine country.