What flowers should you invest in? Questions to ask yourself to make the difficult decisions easier
Photo By Wild Elegance Photography
What flowers should you invest in?
Questions to ask yourself to make the difficult decisions easier
In the world of weddings is there really a go-to answer as far as where you should spend your money, or how much you should invest in specific items? No, not really. It is truly a very personal decision and one that is going to be tied to what matters to you.
Your investments will be specific to what you want your day to look like, what you want your guest experience to be, and what details are a must-have or ones you can live without. Flowers might not be a huge priority, or they might be THE priority.
As a full believer that your wedding flowers are a detail your guests will notice, and something you’ll be swooning over in your wedding photos for years to come, here’s a few questions to ask yourself to make your floral-decisions a little bit easier.
I’ve broken them down by ‘type’ to keep things a little more organized.
personal flowers
These include items like
Bridal bouquet
Bridesmaid bouquets
Groom boutineers
Groomsman boutineers
Items for Fathers, Mothers and Grandparents
Items for Ushers, Officiants
Flower girls and Ring Bearers
Personals are really any floral that will be worn or carried by someone in your wedding.
I see brides make choices that are all over the map on these personal items. My general rule and guidance on this is, if you want to stick to a more traditional approach everyone in your party and actively participating in your wedding would get them. However, if you’re wanting to scratch items off your list that won’t have a big effect on your pictures, memories and are least likely to ‘offend’ boutineers are an easy thing to let go. Let’s face it, your groomsmen won’t mind the fuss of putting them on and your dad has never been real keen on the ‘flower thing’ anyway. So, if you want to cut this is where I’d ask how important these items are to the look and feel of your wedding day. Maybe you just make a special one for your hubby-to-be and call it a day.
If you are worried that this decision could offend anyone, just ask! You might just be surprised when Grandma says she doesn’t want a big old flower pinned to her new dress and that simple ask could save you $30+ that you can invest elsewhere..
guest experience
Here is where it really comes down to how you want your event to feel. Flowers are simply items that can wow, or softly add a touch of understated beauty.
Ceremony Decor
That beautiful arch that your guests see when they walk into your ceremony space, that’s where I’d focus my attention. When your guests take a seat the front is where their focus would be, make it catch their attention!
Flowers along your aisle can be simple or another place for a wow factor if you’re looking to really impress. Every guest will walk down your center aisle, as will you, so if you want a stunning photo of you walking arm and arm with someone special before AND after your ‘I do’s’ then aisle decor is a beautiful place for an investment.
My general rule is this, if you want to make a lasting impression without breaking the bank focus your investment on the ‘front of house’. If you want to blow your guests away aisle decor and ‘back of house’ florals will certainly get noticed. Those front of house items will also catch the frame in your most photographed moment, your first kiss.
Centerpieces
Simple bottles with sprigs, light greenery down your tables, or towering centerpieces will have dramatically different effects on how your guests remember your wedding. Think about the weddings you’ve been to. Some you might not remember the centerpieces at all, some you might have been thinking ‘how much did she spend on that?!’ Honestly your guests will notice your centerpieces more than anything else, it is ultimately where they spend most of their time at your wedding. If you tend to be more conservative then a simple approach to have a few blooms per table is perfect. If you want a wow factor your tables are certainly the spot to make a lasting impression.
If you want the wow, I think it is good to mix and match your tables a bit, some large centerpieces and some a little more understated. This adds intrigue and creates an even bigger impact as it balances the visual presence rather than overwhelming it.
THE Head table
We’re talking about THE head table, or the sweetheart table if that’s more your style. The table that everyone, yes everyone is staring at all night when they’re wildly clinking their glasses at you.
Utilizing some of your ceremony decor might be your style here. Those bridesmaid bouquets, the sprays on your ceremony arch. Perhaps these items could be used on your head table as well.
OR
Perhaps you want a showstopping floral garland or a floral backdrop that gets all the heart eyes.
Reception Decor
Ok, ok I know centerpieces and the head table are technically reception florals, but they really are in a league of their own if you ask me. Reception florals might look like:
Welcome Signs
Guest Tables
Dessert Tables
Coffee Stations
The Bar
Photobooths
Your cake
The ladies room (yep, you know what I’m talking about)
Here is one place I think you can skip almost entirely if you’re looking for ways to pair it down a bit. That being said, if you’re into the details these are places where your guests will be directly interacting throughout the evening and again, they will notice the extra details you provide.
So, if you’re to this point and you’re thinking to yourself, ah I’m good. These details are almost a sure thing to move past. However, if you’re super focused on providing an exceptional guest experience here’s my take.
The details like flowers on your cake, garlands on your welcome signs, backdrops for your photo booth, posies in the women’s bathroom (because you KNOW the ladies are spending time sprucing up their makeup in there throughout the night), these are things that will make your guests think, wow, she’s thought of EVERYTHING. If that’s important to you, then lady, these are the items that will make them sing.
So, after all that you’ve made it to this point (thanks for sticking with me, you earned yourself another glass of wine) ultimately you’re left with these questions….
What am I after as far as my guest experience?
Are you after simple, conservative florals that make your event sweeter?
Are you after a few wow moments splashed with a few extra details?
Are you after floral experiences everywhere your guests look?
Or, do you want to go ALL in and create wow factors throughout?
What matters most to me?
Some incredible showstoppers that will live on forever in my photos?
A complete guest experience where the flowers are THE detail.
Where is my budget best spent?
Ultimately everything in life comes down to the numbers. If you find the right florist they’ll help you navigate the numbers and will help you make floral decisions that will compliment your vision and your budget. But be realistic about what you’re willing to compromise and what you simply are not BEFORE you meet with them.
