If you’re anything like me, flowers look lovely but roses and lilies are really the only ones you can name. Pinterest has a TON of beautiful ideas, and when you think about a “dream wedding” it is FLOODED with gorgeous blooms. But where do you even start? Should you hire a florist or go DIY? What do you need or not need?

Today I’m bringing in a WONDERFUL Indianapolis Wedding Florist, Chrissy, from Special Occasion Designs. She is going to help guide you through what you need and what to ask when tackling your wedding flowers.

“Planning a wedding can be very fun and exciting but also stressful at the same time since typically you don’t plan a wedding every day.  As a florist I know I often hear from brides that say I don’t really know much about flowers and I have never really purchased many flowers.  So today I would like to share a few tips and some information and a few tips that will hopefully help you while you are planning and looking at flowers for your wedding.  There are a lot of great tools such as magazines, Pinterest and Google to help you get ideas and concepts, but it is also important to remember that florist are artists and cannot copy and or duplicate another artist exactly.  It is also important to realize that although these sources are great for inspiration they can sometimes give you an unrealistic expectation when it comes to the actual cost of the designs you see.

Some great information to have before you do contact any florist to set up a consultation would be:

1. The wedding date is set- this will determine what flowers are in season and readily available which will determine the overall cost.  Working with flowers that are in season will just help your overall process and experience.
2. Have your venue selected already- your venue is going to help drive the feeling of your day whether it be classic, vintage, rustic, boho etc. you want your flowers to go with that overall theme, look and feel to enhance the venue that you have chosen.
3. Know your colors, your theme and the kind of atmosphere and look you want for your ceremony and reception so that your florist can show you flower options within that color pallet and style to help guide you to complete your overall design.
4. Know your design style- do you like your flowers to be very classic and round and put, do you like a looser more flowy style, do you like a long and cascading style or do you like a very simple natural feel which is going to help guide your florist to understand and fit your vision.
5. When you see flowers you like, keep a list so that you can discuss them with the florist to see if they are in season, will they fit the design and will they fit your budget.
6. Have a list of all the flowers that you want and how many you are going to need

When looking for a florist it is important that you get a feel for them as a designer and take a look at their past work to see if they are able to create those looks that you are wanting and that you desire.   Some florist will have a very unique style, some will have a very standard style and some will be very versatile. It is important to start your search early because most wedding and event florist will only take on so many weddings per weekend so dates can fill up quickly especially during prime wedding months.  It is also important that you do have a realistic budget in mind (typically 8-15% of your overall budget depending on your needs and desires) and let the florist know what that budget is. Often time’s florist will have a minimum that they work with and if your budget does not meet that minimum then they need to know to better guide you in the right direction.  Some questions you can ask your florist to get a better feel of their experience and work could be

1. How many weddings have you done
2. Ask to see their portfolio of past work
3. Can they tell you what kinds of flowers are in your inspiration photos and will they be in season for your wedding
4. What all do you include and or do on the day of the event
5. Don’t be afraid to ask for reviews from past clients and vendors they have worked with “

I hope this amazing post by Chrissy has helped you choose the best path when thinking about your wedding & blooms! <3

Written by Chrissy Hudacin owner/designer of Special Occasion Designs a full-service Indianapolis based floral, décor and coordination business that specializes in weddings and any other celebrations that calls for something special.  We can help create your picture-perfect wedding day with our design package or create all of your floral designs and décor with fresh or silk flowers and our rental options.  We offer a complimentary consultation to all couples at a location near them and all of our quotes are customized based on each couples needs.  We do require a $1000 minimum on all of our custom full service floral and décor design work.  We will always work with all of our clients to make sure that they are able to have the flowers, decor and everything else to the beautiful event they desire for their wedding or event.  You can check us out at:

www.specialoccasiondesigns.studio www.instagram.com/specialoccasionsbychrissy
https://www.facebook.com/Chrissy.Hudacin/