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101FLORISTS.COM TIPS
TIPS ON HOW TO CHOOSE A FLORIST FOR YOUR NEXT WEDDING OR PARTY
Hiring a florist for your wedding, anniversary party, corporate party or special event does not have to be a nightmarish experience. If you follow these well-known tips you should be able to enjoy your floral shopping experience.1. Do a little research before you start making appointments with florists. Read articles in magazines, ask friends about their past experiences and go online to the Internet to do some homework.
2. Establish the date for your special event and then find out what kinds of flowers are in season at that time.
3. Do you have a theme or a certain look that you are trying to achieve? After you decide the style or image you want to create then you can begin shopping for a florist.
4. If you are on a budget do not plan your special day around a major holiday that represents a busy floral season such as Mother's Day, Valentine's Day, or Christmas. Flowers are in high demand during these peak times and the prices are much higher! Your florist will have to charge you more for the same flowers that you could have gotten during an off peak time.
5. When you interview a florist ask a lot of questions, schedule a private meeting and allow at least one hour. It will take this long to discuss your color scheme, attire, décor ideas, style preferences and budget. The florist should be able to guide you through this with ease and they should have an extensive portfolio of different kinds of floral arrangements to show you.
6. If you are planning a wedding please make sure the florist has extensive experience providing wedding flowers. There are many details involved and it is important that you hire someone who knows the wedding business!
7. It may be difficult to establish a budget for flowers if you have no experience buying floral arrangements. Prices vary tremendously from florist to florist. Some shops cater best to standard arrangements while other florists consider themselves top floral designers who represent the cutting edge of the industry. Know what level you want to work with and be prepared to pay the price if you choose someone who does the top social events in your area. You will be paying for a style and not just the flowers.
8. Ask the florist to give you a rough estimate as to what your flower budget should be for the kind of look, type of flower and style you're looking for. Is there a delivery fee?
9. Weddings use a variety of different kinds of floral arrangements. The following is a brief listing of some of the types of flowers you'll need to get a price for:
* Flowers for the ceremony
* Florals to decorate your chuppah, arch or canopy
* A bridal bouquet for you
* A throw away bouquet for you to toss during the reception
* Flowers for your headpiece
* Centerpieces for the tables
* Buffet floral arrangements
* Flowers for the stage
* Flower arrangements for the gift table or reception table
* Groom's boutonniere (different flowers from the groomsmen)
* Boutonnieres for the groomsmen
* Bouquets for the bridesmaids (smaller than the bride's)
* Flowers for the cake or cake table
* Any other floral decorations or fabrics for the reception location
* Corsages for the Mothers and boutonnieres for the Fathers
* Going-away corsage for the bride
10. Once you decide what kinds of flowers and type of arrangements you want for your event then it's time to secure the florist with a deposit and you need to get everything in writing. Many florists will make a sample centerpiece for you to approve of. In the contract make sure you cover the following points:
* All of the details about your event, the date, time, location of ceremony and reception, etc. Be sure to include any telephone numbers of people your florist may need to contact such as your coordinator, your parents, the church, the reception location, etc.
* List each item ordered from the florist with a complete detailed description of how many flowers, what colors, what kinds of flowers, etc
* What is the deposit requirement and is it refundable?
* When is the balance due?
* Will the florist transport any flowers from your ceremony location to your reception so you can use the arrangements there as well?
* Will you allow the florist to substitute flowers if he or she needs to?
* Are there any other decorative enhancements being added to your order, such as ribbons, ting ting, lace, table name signs, etc.? If so, get everything in writing with descriptions, sizes and styles listed.
11. If your florist makes a sample centerpiece for you take several pictures of the arrangement. About a month before your event meet with the florist to go over the details again and bring the picture with you. This way you won't have any misunderstandings and your centerpiece will look the same as what you saw when you looked at the sample.