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For many brides, flowers are a huge part of their wedding day. The bridal bouquets and buttonholes will appear in almost every photo of the bridal party and the reception decor will be appreciated throughout the whole day. So, will flowers be a big focal point of your day, and if so how do you choose the right florist?  A lot of brides see going for DIY flowers as a way to save some £’s and it is, BUT, it also comes with a lot of hard work and stress. Not only will your florist source, condition and transform the flowers into wonderful designs, you are also paying for their expertise. This includes knowing what flowers will look best together, what flowers are in season and hopefully they have styled your venue before so have experience of what works there. If you are set on being a part of the floral design it is best to take on a small project that can be prepared a day or two before the wedding so when it comes to the morning of the wedding you can kick back with a glass of bubbly and not worry about what needs to be made or set up.  With so much emphasis on social media these days it should be no problem to find a florist with loads of uploaded images of their previous work. This is just as good as any recommendation or testimonial as you can clearly see for yourself their work, their style and hopefully there will be photos of how they have styled your venue. Local florists are also a good shout as again they should have previous experience and knowledge of your venue and they can recommend what will work well. Recommendations from friends and family are good too. If you were hiring a plumber you are more likely to go with someone that a friend or family member has passed on to you so why not do the same for your wedding florist. Over the last 5 or so years there has been a huge increase of “wedding florists” as opposed to the more traditional Flower Shops. I’m not saying don’t go to a flower shop as most of the florists will be more than qualified to meet your needs, however if you choose specifically a “wedding florist” their focus is 100% on you and your wedding and don’t have the many distractions that come from running a busy flower shop.  Once you have found a florist you like the look of the next step is to get a quote. You can either set up a meeting with them or simply send an email. Requesting a price list is useful as there may be items on there that you wouldn’t have considered. The more information you can provide the florist the more accurate quote you will receive. Once you have received your quote you may still be none the wiser of if it is actually reasonable or not as you have no idea what flowers cost! As a rough guide Bride’s Magazine stated that the average wedding flowers cost £638. If you feel the quote is way too expensive for what you are asking for simply get a quote from another florist to compare. Unfortunately too many wedding suppliers add some extra zeros on as soon as you utter the word ‘wedding’. If however you feel the quote seems too low for everything you are asking, for request images of previous work that is similar to what you want so you can see if they are extravagant enough for your requirements. Another approach is to provide a florist a list of what you require and your budget and wait to see what they can provide you. The most important thing when choosing your wedding florist is that you get someone you have a good relationship with, that you have trust in their abilities and they can really understand your vision and bring it to life.
To request a price list or receive a quote for your dream wedding flowers email info@dingwall-florist.co.uk
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It was a couple of years ago that I was first asked to create a flower archway for a bride and groom to use as a backdrop for the ceremony. Since then it was become more and more popular with it really exploding onto the wedding scene for 2017/2018 weddings. It can be a great way to create a bit of drama and focus the guest’s attention without spending a fortune displaying flowers all over your venue. The beauty of a flower arch or backdrop is that it can be moved around to make the most of it throughout the day. If you like the idea of adding a bit of wow factor to your big day, what style would suit your wedding most? 1. Rustic/Willow Archway If you are having a winter wedding or just going for a really relaxed rustic feel a natural archway is definitely the way to go. Ask your florist to use willow or just greenery to create your archway and add fairy lights for a touch of glamour. If you are using it as a back drop instead of having to walk underneath hang some glass votives with tea lights for the finishing touch.
 2. Asymmetrical If you are looking for a statement piece but you budget won’t quite stretch, go for an archway with with an asymmetrical floral design. This way you are getting impact from the archway without the price tag of covering the whole arch in flowers. 3. The Full Monty If you really want it to be something the guests are talking about after your wedding, choose a full flower archway. Obviously there will be a lot of flowers used in this and a lot of work for your florist so it will come with a price tag, however going one big statement piece can work out more cost effective than filling your venue with lots of smaller arrangements.
4. Flower Backdrop The flower back drop is perfect for a marquee wedding or a more neutral venue. If you want to fill the blank space behind the top table. There are so many ways you can do this from flower walls, to decorated trellising to hanging flowers. Pinterest is filled with bold and quirky options for a stunning flower backdrop. So as I get asked more and more from brides to create archways and backdrops, I can’t see this trend ending anytime soon. It might not be something you have considered before, writing them off as too expensive, however spending a little bit more on statement pieces really will save you money in the long run. To get a quote for your floral archway or backdrop fill in our contact form.
 6. Be strict over buttonholes and corsages Weddings cost enough without having to buy buttonholes and corsages for the whole family. Where possible I suggest to buy for the wedding party, so groom, best man, ushers, mums and dads and grandparents. Siblings also if they are not already included in the wedding party. If you have aunties and uncles asking about buttonholes simply provide them your florists contact details this means they can be in the same style as the wedding party, they will be delivered with the rest of the flowers but them pay for their own.  7. Use bigger arrangements So often a bride’s vision may not match her budget. The best way to over come this is to opt for a few large arrangements that will really provide impact and have the wow factor than waste money on lots of smaller arrangements. For example opting for tall table arrangements provides far more decoration than low arrangements that can get lost on your table. With tall arrangements guests don’t just get the benefit from their table arrangements but they can also see all the other table’s flowers which makes it look like a lot more decoration than there actually is. Also statement pieces like archways, trees and pedestals can often be more cost effective than you think and using them in different places throughout the day again gives the impression of a lot more decoration than there may actually be.  8. Get quoted on your dream wedding When you are getting your wedding flower quote always get a quote for your dream wedding flowers. So this means include every single thing you want including any extras that you might only go for if your budget can manage it. Firstly you may be surprised and your budget can stretch further than you first thought and secondly at least you know the “worst case scenario”, and by that I mean you have an accurate idea of how much it will all cost and you can make cut backs if needed as you have included non essential items in this quote.   9. If you don’t have to be don’t be too specific Unless you know exactly what flowers you would like in every arrangement then don’t be too specific. This means that your florist can be more flexible working to your budget. For example if you are looking for a mixed flower bouquet but love roses by all means ask for roses to be included but then leave it up to florist to choose the rest of the flowers in the bouquet as they will know what will work well to achieve your look and what will work the best to keep your flowers on budget. Also if there is a flower you particularly don’t like it is always good to let the florist know from the beginning to make sure it is not included in any of your arrangements.  10. Have a clear idea of the style you want for your day I really think flowers are nearly as important as your dress, hair and make up. Almost every photo of the bride, bridesmaid and groom will show the bouquets and buttonholes. Every photo of the ceremony and reception will probably have a glimpse of an arrangement or table flowers. With that in mind it is key to have a clear idea of what style/theme you want for your wedding day as the flowers really do tie all the elements of your styling together. There’s no point in having a woodland style wedding and then going for a modern bouquet of tropical blooms. Once you have an idea of the style of your day make sure you explain this to your florist so they can base your flowers around this. If you are struggling to work out what style you like using Pinterest can be a great way of collecting images you like and once you have a board made up you will soon see the kind of style/theme you are leaning towards.  For a quote on your dream wedding flowers get in touch today...
www.dingwall-florist.co.uk info@dingwall-florist.co.uk  1. Book Your Florist Early Don’t worry if you don’t have a clue what you are looking for but it is very important that you book your florist early. It doesn’t matter if you don’t get back to them for another 6 months once you have more of an idea what you would like for your wedding flowers. As long as you are in their diary, firstly you have secured the florist of your choice but also if you are looking to hire anything for them vases, stands etc. you will be guaranteed first pick even if they have another wedding that day as long as you booked with them first. 2. Re-use Your Arrangements This isn’t just a money saving tip it is also just a sensible thing to do. Why would you spend £100 on an arrangement for your ceremony, that at the most lasts 1 hour, then never use it again. I always recommend to re-use as much as possible from using table arrangements during the ceremony if it is feasible, moving big arrangements, trees etc. from your ceremony to your reception and decorating your top table with the bridal bouquets. If you are getting married in a church just make sure you inform the minister that you plan to remove the flowers so they can make plans to have flowers in place for their next service.
 3. Trust Your Florist It is so important to trust your florist as an expert in their field. Especially if they are solely a wedding florist this is what they are doing day in, day out. Any suggestions they make should be to get the most out of your wedding flowers and they will have tips and tricks to get the most out of your budget too. It is even better if your florist has decorated your venue before as not only will they have photos of previous work which will help with your own plans but they will know what works there and what doesn’t and should be able to guide you on this.  4. Get Magnets For Your Buttonholes I would say magnets for your buttonholes and corsages are an absolute must! Not only are they so much easier to attach to your outfit but for the ladies you have the choice throughout the day to move it to your bag if you take your jacket off or don’t want it on your dress. Ladies if your outfit is particularly delicate the magnets won’t leave a mark like pins do and if you are worried that the corsage will be too heavy simply place the magnet and corsage each side of your bra strap so it’s extra secure. One thing I would recommend is to make sure your florist uses double magnets on all of the buttonholes and corsages (this means a magnet is attached to the flower and then you have another magnet to place under the material of your outfit) and you can guarantee your buttonhole and corsage will stay in place all day. 5. Remember The Flowers Are Yours There’s nothing more upsetting than when I go to collect any hired items the day after a wedding and find the bride has had to leave all her lovely flowers behind. They are your flowers to do with as you wish, it might not always be possible but if you can't take all the flowers away with you yourself, encourage guests to help themselves. Another option would be to put them to a local home, hospice or church so other people can get the pleasure from them. If treated properly they should last a minimum of a week. Quite often venues have so many weddings that they do not need to reuse the flowers left behind from a wedding so they just get thrown away. More often than not you have paid a lot of money for your flowers so take charge of what will happen to them after the wedding.  Come back next week for Part 2 of my top tips for your wedding flowers!
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THE FLOWER BASKET- WEDDING FLOWER BLOGLisa DerbyshireBlogs about all things weddings and flowers! Archives
September 2017
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