Archive for the ‘consultations’ Category

Wedding Consultation Tips For A New Year

Wednesday, January 4th, 2012

If there is one thing that holidays remind us of it’s that you shouldn’t bring too many cooks into the kitchen and when planning a wedding it’s wise if you don’t bring too many people with different opinions to your consultations.  It’s understandable that some people prefer the input of friends and family when meeting with vendors, however, it’s important to let your own preferences shine through so you get your wedding style, not your sister’s, your mom’s or your BFF’s wedding.

If you have already defined your wedding style as a couple it may be best to meet with vendors as a couple and inform family and friends about the decisions you made together.  When it comes to selecting your florist, photographer or caterer the most important thing is to feel a connection that allows you to trust that you are in good hands.  Part of the planning process includes letting go and allowing the vendors you’ve hired to fulfill the vision you’ve planned!

Here are 7 Tips to keep in mind when meeting with a potential florist and some inspiration for finding your personal bouquet style.

White and green bouquets are classic and timeless no matter what your style or season.

How has your wedding planning experience been so far?  Do you feel confident with your choices and happy with your progress?  Has your partner been involved in the details?  No matter how far you are in the process remember to keep calm and plan on!

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FAQ’s For Your Wedding Florist. Answered.

Thursday, July 21st, 2011

I’ve been talking with couples for 2012 over the past few weeks so it feels like a good time to answer some frequently asked questions that tend to come my way.  There are a lot of steps involved in planning your wedding and I am happy to help take some of the mystery out of the process for you!

Q:  How do I book you as my wedding florist?

A:  Once you fill out my Wedding Query Form I will contact you about my availability for your wedding.  From there we usually schedule a phone consultation to get the ball rolling.  Our first conversation is a mutual interview to see how our styles and personalities match up.  If it feels like we’ll be a good match I will create a preliminary proposal for you which includes an estimated total cost for your wedding flowers.

After you review the preliminary proposal a signed contract and deposit will reserve your date.

Q:  How far in advance should I book my florist?

A:  Couples planning a wedding in Vermont from May-October should secure a florist as soon as a location and wedding date have been decided upon.  I usually start booking events about 9 months to 1 year before the wedding date.  If I happen to be booked for your date I will try to offer a referral to another florist.

Q:  I have a budget of {fill in the blank}.  Will that be enough to do what I want?

A:  This obviously depends on your total floral budget as well as all the details you have in mind, but I will offer you a clear and honest assessment of what a realistic budget for your flowers will be.

Q:  We are planning from out of state.  Can I book with you without meeting in person?

A:  Absolutely.  A majority of my clients book with me after our initial phone consultation and preliminary proposal.  We can schedule an in-person meeting at my home-studio in Jericho when you are in the area and I try my best to be accommodating to your schedule.

Q:  Can you help me with other design elements/details of the day?

A:  Flowers are my main priority, but I am more than happy to offer suggestions and guidance in any way that I can to help the overall flow of your day go smoothly.  Linens, stationery, wedding attire…you name it and I’ve probably got an opinion, a suggestion, or a referral for you.

Q:  Can you recommend a photographer or a caterer?

A:  I’ve been fortunate to work with some fabulous VT talent and can offer referrals for just about any vendors you may need.

Q:  How many weddings do you book in a weekend?

A:  I prefer to book only 1 wedding per weekend, however, there are occasions when I will design for up to 2 events.  Couples may reserve the entire weekend for your exclusive event.

Q:  What should I bring to our consultation?

A:  It is often helpful to see any fabric/color swatches, stationery samples, inspiration boards and pictures of the bride’s dress.  If you have a clear idea of the number of tables you’ll have at the reception, the number of boutonnieres and corsages you’ll need, etc. that can also be helpful.  If you don’t have anything to bring along that’s OK, too.  You don’t need to have all the details sorted out before our consultation.

Q:  Will you travel for an on-site consultation?

A:  The short answer is yes, but there is a charge which includes travel time.  The average rate is $250.

Q:  Are local/seasonal flowers available?

A:  Local flowers are most readily available in Vermont from mid-June through August.  If you have a particular color palette or favorite flowers in mind it may be more (or less) difficult to source specific blooms for you.  I personally think that July is the best month to find local, in-season varieties.

It’s important that you work with vendors that make you feel comfortable and that suit both your style and budget.  I don’t believe you should be left wondering what the final bill will be or if your florist “gets you”.  Planning the flowers should be one of the fun parts of the wedding process and it’s my pleasure to assist you along the way.

If you have a “Q” that I didn’t “A” please leave a comment or shoot me an e-mail and I will get back to you with an answer asap!

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When should you book your wedding florist?

Tuesday, February 8th, 2011

I love a good wedding magazine and they always come with a wedding check-list.  The thing I always check out is at what point they recommend a couple should contract their florist.  Most planning calendars suggest you book your florist 6-7 months before your wedding and I’ve seen sources that suggest 4 months is ample time to contract a designer–I’m going to have to disagree with this.

I read a recent check-list in a national magazine that advised,  “You needn’t nail down a florist as early as other vendors because they can serve multiple clients on one day.”  This thinking is a bit out of touch since there are more and more floral designers who focus on custom wedding design and limit the number of bookings in order to better serve their clients. 

Style savvy couples are no doubt researching florists online and the wedding-focused designers clearly stand out whether they work from a storefront or a studio.  If you know you like a particular designer inquire with them as early as possible.

I get most of my inquiries anywhere from 15-8 months in advance so the “don’t worry, your florist will be waiting for your call” approach would not be my recommendation if you are planning to marry anytime from June-October.  I am sure this is the case for many floral designers. 

I think  perhaps it’s time to update the floral piece of the planning calendar to reflect the fact that when flowers are a priority for you design-wise you should act sooner rather than later. Whether you are planning a destination wedding via e-mail and phone consultations or hosting a wedding in your backyard once your venue is decided you can hire a florist that best suits your style, budget and location.  Above is one if my favorite attendant’s bouquets.  The citrus tones in the yellow zinnias, freesia, garden roses and bupleurum with lemon yellow spray roses is such a clean, fresh look.

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Your relationship with your wedding vendors

Tuesday, January 25th, 2011

The relationships you build with your vendors can be incredibly important.  These are the people who will help guide you through your pre-wedding stress and woes; help you avoid simple mistakes; mediate family “issues” (aka opinions!); help you stay on budget; refer other wedding professionals; be your advocate and hold your hand (via e-mail or phone, of course).  Destination weddings rely heavily on their vendors.  Long story short–they are extremely valuable.

That being said, your vendors will become a part of your life for the next several months so choose wisely.  Whether you have already contracted your wedding vendors or you’re still getting used to how nice and sparkly that ring looks on your finger and have barely begun the planning process, here are a few guidelines for a happy vendor/couple relationship.  Vendors, this goes for you, too!

Trust:  You have to trust your vendors.  If you question your vendors at every turn you either selected the wrong vendors or you’re micromanaging.  Either way, something’s got to change.  Trust is key.   

Communication:  Couples, you need to be clear with potential vendors about what you think you need/want.  Vendors, you need to be honest about what it is you do (and what you don’t do!), your professional experience and how the booking/planning process works.  

Money:  You are spending your hard earned money with your vendors and in exchange you’re getting their time (which we all know IS money!) and expertise.  You are both invested in the process.  Couples, be realistic and upfront about your budget.  Vendors, your clients don’t know what to expect in terms of the bottom line and they need to know what this gig is going to cost.

Respect:  Do unto your vendors as you’ll have done to you.  Do you prefer timely responses to your e-mail inquiries?  Your vendors probably do, too.  Although you may be one of several brides (or many brides depending on how busy your chosen vendor is) you deserve prompt replies (give ‘em 24 hours or a little more if they don’t keep office hours or it’s their busy season) and respectful, informative exchanges.  Vendors, this goes for you, too!

Negotiation:  If you truly click with a vendor you’ve met and they are out of your price range, just let them know what you are able/willing to spend and see if they can meet you half-way.  Sometimes they can and sometimes they can’t, but it’s worth an ask!  “Price shopping” several vendors and then leaving them hanging while you wait for straggling proposals to roll in can be risky business.  You may miss an opportunity to work with the best vendor at the best price while you’re “waiting to see” what other vendors charge.

Consideration:  Vendors, don’t treat couples like they are “just another wedding”.  No matter how many weddings you have under your belt or how small this wedding may be in comparison to your “other weddings”, your couple is planning to do this just once.  It’s a big deal to them.  Treat it that way.

Honesty:  Be honest about where you’re at in your planning process.  Don’t say, “We’re excited to work with you”, or “I’ll send a contract”, and then not follow through.  This happened to a colleague of mine recently and I think it’s pretty lame.  Don’t have someone save your date if you aren’t ready to commit.  Book when you’re ready and don’t string people along.  It’s bad juju.  You’re planning a wedding–you don’t want to invite bad juju.

A good vendor relationship will result in a smoother planning process and hopefully a seemless wedding day.  I get inspired by my couples and the better our relationship is the more love I tend to pour into their designs.  I can’t help it–it just happens that way.

photo by Daria Bishop Photographers

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Wedding Consultation Tips

Thursday, April 29th, 2010

There is a lot of stuff to figure out when planning a wedding–the location, the guest list, the officiant, the wardrobe, the invitations, the food, the flowers, the entertainment, the budget…and it all takes some work.  The most difficult part of the planning process can sometimes be the vendor consultations.  Some brides view it as a chance to interview their potential vendor and others may feel like they are auditioning for the vendor!  I like to think of it as a mutual interview to see if styles and personalities match.

Here are 7 tips for your consultation with a wedding florist:

~If you have ideas, a color palette, fabric swatches or pictures you’ve found in magazines or online you should bring them along.  These may give the best impression of your overall wedding style.

~Try to communicate your likes as well as your dislikes whenever possible.  As a florist it is helpful when a bride tells me that she loves ranunculus, but isn’t crazy for callas in her bouquet. 

~If you don’t have “a grand plan” figured out (which is completely fine, of course!), come prepared with whatever you do know and be open to ideas.  If you hear good ideas or see pictures in the consultation that appeal to your sense of style then you may be headed in the right direction!  If not, perhaps you should consider whether this vendor has an overall style that suits you. 

~You should feel free to ask questions during the consultation, however you probably don’t want to ask questions just because you found a list on a page in a magazine that tells you to.  If you have a legitimate question or concern about how something works or how to book your date, you should inquire about the who, what, why and how, but if you are sitting face to face with a vendor you don’t want to ask questions that you truly aren’t concerned about just because you are reading them off of a wedding checklist or your best friend told you to. 

~Try to avoid squeezing in a million and one appointments in one day or weekend.  Pick no more than 3 vendors to meet with in any category if there isn’t one stand-out after viewing websites or getting referrals from vendors you are already working with.  If scheduling multiple consultations in a day allow at least 60-90 minutes per consultation plus travel time between appointments so you won’t be rushed.

~Aim to arrive on time.  Most wedding vendors are happy to meet with you to talk about your wedding and will give you ample time to discuss the details, but consider the professional’s time as valuable as your own.

~If you are planning from afar or cannot arrange an in-person meeting you can schedule an initial phone consultation as well as exchange images and wedding details via e-mail to relay a sense of the scope of your wedding and determine whether your styles will be a good match.

After the consultation–In most cases a signed contract and deposit will secure your wedding date with a floral designer.  Many florists will create a customized proposal with varying degrees of detail and pricing information for your consideration.  Style, personality and budget will drive most of your vendor selections (which I talked a bit about 2 weeks ago).  When you find a qualified vendor you like & trust, book ‘em!

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