How to Choose a Wedding Florist: 7 Questions to Ask

Choosing the right wedding florist can have a profoundly positive impact on your special day, helping to create a unique, beautiful aesthetic that’s in line with your overall wedding palette.

Alas, figuring out which wedding florist to work with can be a daunting proposition. If you’re unsure of how to choose a wedding florist for your big day, then consider using the list of wedding florist questions that we’ve outlined below. They’ll help you choose a wedding florist that's in line with your budget and style preferences, ensuring you’re completely satisfied with your wedding day florals. 

Before You Begin Your Search

You’ll need to have an idea of what you’re looking for before you get started with your search. After all, it’s much easier to choose a wedding florist who can help bring your vision to life if you have an idea of what that vision is!

Choosing your wedding colors, establishing a budget, and ideally having a general idea of the type of floral arrangements you’re looking for will make the process of selecting a wedding florist more straightforward. 

You don’t need to have all the answers fully locked down before you begin looking for wedding florists, but having a general idea will help. 

What Is Your Availability?

The first question to ask is whether they have availability on your wedding day. Many couples end up waiting too long before they begin searching for a wedding florist, only to discover that many of the leading wedding florists are already fully booked. We’d recommend beginning your search once you have a firm wedding date locked down. Ideally, you’d begin looking for your wedding florist around 8 - 10 months before the wedding.

Speaking to wedding florists as early as possible offers other advantages, too. If they offer staggered payment plans, then you’ll have more time to make payments. Getting started early can also give the florist more time to source hard-to-get flowers if you have a particular arrangement idea in mind. 

Will You Work With My Budget?

Wedding budgets can be tight, and you will likely already have an idea of how much of your total budget you can allocate to your wedding flowers. Being upfront with the wedding florist about how much you’re looking to spend on your floral displays can make the process of selecting the right florist more straightforward.

Many wedding florists are flexible and will be willing to work with your budget. For example, they may come up with tailored solutions that are in line with how much you’re able to spend. Being upfront about this aspect of your wedding budget can also help avoid unexpected costs later down the line. If the florist knows how much you can spend, then they’ll offer their services within that limit, giving you peace of mind that your budget will remain intact. 

What’s Included In the Service?

It’s important to ask the wedding florist precisely what is included in the wedding flower package. Wedding florist services can vary widely — for example, some will automatically include setup and breakdown in their services, while others may charge an additional fee.

Checking what’s included in the service is about more than just avoiding additional expenses. It can also give you a clear idea of any logistical elements that you may be responsible for, which can make it easier to organize your day. If a wedding florist doesn’t include breakdown in their services, then you can still go with them — you’ll just know that you’ll need to arrange some additional help. 

Have You Worked at the Venue Before?

Asking whether the wedding florist has worked at the venue is often overlooked by couples planning their wedding day, but it can have a big impact on the overall outcome. Wedding florists who have experience working at your chosen wedding venue will already have an idea of the type of arrangements that work well, which makes it easier for them to put together arrangements that have a big, lasting impact. It’s also possible that the wedding florist can show you examples of how they arranged flowers at the venue for previous clients, which can make it easier to visualize how the flowers will look on your wedding day. 

There are also logistical advantages of working with a florist with prior experience at the venue. They’ll know how the setup/breakdown process works, and will also know exactly what tools and equipment will be needed for the space. It’s an easy way to remove an element of stress since you can have confidence that your wedding florist will know exactly what they’re doing.

James Cress Florist & Events has been in the Long Island floral business for more than a century and has extensive experience working with all of the region’s leading wedding venues. 

Can I See Examples of Your Past Work? 

The wedding florist you’re considering working with should be able to show extensive examples of their previous work. Asking to see photos of the previous weddings will give you an opportunity to see whether their floral style is in line with what you’re looking for, and just generally provides a window into their experience and overall quality.

Looking at examples of their work can also serve as a source of inspiration. They might show floral ideas that you hadn’t thought of, or demonstrate a level of creativity that encourages you to be a little more adventurous with your florals.

It’s also recommended to read any available reviews that have been written by previous clients. They can help give insight into not just the final outcome of their work, but what they were like to work with, their communication style, and so on. 

How Do You Work?

All wedding florists have their own working processes. Asking the wedding florist how they work, such as the timeline they follow, the creative process, and how they will ensure that you’re fully satisfied with their services can make it easier to make the right decision. If they’re unable to provide you with these answers, or they don’t inspire confidence, then you’ll know that it’ll be best to continue your search.

Asking about their working processes also presents an opportunity to discover how they handle last-minute issues. For example, if the wedding has to be moved to a different part of the venue, or if you make a last-minute change. Seeing their level of adaptability and flexibility can give you peace of mind that, whatever happens, they’ll do everything they can to make sure you’re fully satisfied with the results. 

What Is Your Payment Schedule?

Understanding the wedding florist's payment terms will make it easier for you to manage your cash flow. Most wedding florists require a deposit, which is often between 20% - 50% of the total cost of their services, with the remaining payment due a few weeks before the wedding. 

By understanding their payment times, you can figure out how the costs will align with your other vendor payments. Some florists are happy for clients to be in installments or on a flexible time frame, so it’s worth asking if that’s something that you’re looking for.

Asking about the payment process in more detail also allows you to ask about their refund policies, if there are any penalties for late payments, or what happens if you have to postpone your wedding. 

How to Make the Final Decision

Asking the above questions will go a long way toward helping you figure out which wedding florist you should work with, and by this stage, you should have narrowed down the options to just a few. The following steps can help you to make the correct final decision.

Review Proposals

Take a close look at all of the proposals provided by the wedding florists under consideration. Will they work within your budget? Do they have a good vision for your wedding arrangements? Do their services include everything that you need?

Consider Communication 

A good wedding florist does much more than just provide the flowers; they’re a partner that helps to bring your big day to life. The success of the outcome will be due, in large part, to the strength of the communication between you both. If you trust that you can have strong communication, then that’s a good sign that it’ll be a successful partnership. 

Are You Excited to Work With Them?

Finally, trust your gut! The right wedding florist will make you excited about the prospect of working with them. If you feel inspired and galvanized after meeting with them, then they’re likely the right choice. 

Get In Contact With James Cress Florist & Events Today

Are you planning a wedding in Long Island? At James Cress Florist & Events, we’ve been helping couples bring their floral vision to life since 1903. Our expert wedding florists utilize the freshest flowers to produce dazzlingly beautiful floral displays that can help elevate the magic and beauty of your wedding day.

Don’t hesitate to schedule a free consultation by clicking here or by calling (631) 724-0333