Q: What should I look for when hiring a floral designer?
A: When you are interviewing floral designers, ask these questions:
How many weddings like mine do they do each year? Make sure you are hiring a wedding specialist. Not every florist caters to weddings. You want to make sure that the company you hire specializes in weddings so they are familiar with all the intricacies and details they must cover from timing of deliveries to specific requirements at venues and religious sites.
What services will they provide? There is more to wedding flowers than the flowers. A couple deserves service. You may want some or all of the following services: Personal consultation meetings, written proposals, sample arrangements, delivery to each location of your wedding, pinning boutonnieres and corsages, set up at each venue, moving flowers from ceremony to reception, and returning to collect rental items. Make sure you hire a company that will provide all that you want. Jeri Solomon Floral Design provides all of these services. In addition we offer consultations and recommendations for non-floral design elements such as table top, invitations and signage to ensure the overall look of your wedding is coherent.
Will I work with one person from start to finish? Make sure that the person you meet with initially is the person who will oversee all the details of your wedding. You want continuity. You want to develop a relationship with one person so that you can be sure that they are responsible for all the fine points you discussed with them. This way nothing can get lost in translation.
Can I see examples of your work? You want to see photos or actual arrangements that the designer has made to make sure their style aligns with yours.
Q: Do I have to know the names of flowers?
A: No- – that’s the floral designer’s job! They know the names and should also know the seasonal availability. You may not know the names of flowers, but you know what you like and dislike. Before you discuss your vision with your potential floral designer, look for a few inspiration photos to share with them. A great exercise to do before you meet with a florist is to think of some adjectives to describe your personal style and the type of wedding you want. Words like dramatic, romantic, elegant, fun and simple all conjure up different ideas. Those ideas will help the floral designer choose the best varieties of flowers to create the look you want for your day.
Q: What steps do I take for planning my wedding flowers?
A: At Jeri Solomon Floral Design the planning process starts with a brief telephone conversation. I personally speak with every client. We discuss briefly the details you have in place (venues, guest count, size of wedding party, design ideas and budget) and I answer your initial questions. Next, I prepare an estimate for you based on what we’ve discussed. I’ll answer any questions you have about the estimate and when you are ready to move forward, you’ll receive a detailed proposal and the contract. As the “big day” approaches we finalize all the details. Depending on the needs of your event, this process may involve e-mail and phone calls, video conferences and/or in-person meetings. Sample meetings and site visits available for additional fees.
Q: What should I plan to spend on wedding flowers?
We have a minimum spend of $5000.00 for flowers and décor (tax and service/delivery charges additional). For most of our clients, wedding flowers are a top priority. and will spend between $50.00 – $100.00 per guest (inclusive of tax and service/delivery charges). During our initial telephone conversation, I can give you a general range before sending out a more detailed estimate.