Questions To Ask a Wedding Florist About Bridal Flowers

As any bride will tell you, flowers are one of the most important aspects of their day. But what goes on in the wonderful world of wedding flowers? We caught up with Arbour Bloom’s Wedding Florist Team Leader, Karen, to take a sneak peek and get her advice about preparing for the big day.

What is the most popular wedding flower?

It’s still got to be roses because they’re available year-round and come in such a sensational array of colours. There’s a rose colour sure to match any theme for every special day. Garden roses are also becoming more popular for their unique blousy petal shape.

What are some other popular wedding flowers?

It depends on the season, but the most popular include hydrangeas, peonies, orchids, tulips, stocks and dahlias. People will make a decision based on their favourite flowers, the bloom’s colour, and how they complement wedding outfits.

 How important are wedding flowers?

It’s not unusual for a bride to select flowers before the wedding dress. Certainly, we receive bookings as far as two years before the wedding day even though the bride might not know exactly what she would like at this stage. The couples see our work on social media and at venues they have booked for the big day.

What are the current wedding flower trends?

Large oversized Boho bridal bouquets are big right now. By that, I mean lots of pampas grass and bleached foliage with fresh blooms to compliment. However, there is never just one stand-out direction. Some brides will go for an unstructured design, wild and organic more a botanical vibe whilst others will want the perfection of a simple understated design.

Can you create an exotic bridal flower bouquet?

We can do anything!

We have a lot of Australian and New Zealand brides who celebrate their big day in Ireland. They like to bring something from home into their floral bouquets. For example kangaroo paw, banksias, proteas, waxflower etc.

How to choose your wedding flowers?

My team and I are available for consultations either in person or online. Jump into Pinterest and begin filing images you like. Brides will often come to me with a mood board – this is a fantastic way to get our creative juices flowing whilst giving us some clear guidance.

What are the best questions to ask a wedding florist?

You need to fully understand the costs, timing and processes. As such, ask very practical questions such as:

• How does pricing work?
• Is there a minimum spend?
• I have a budget, can you work with it?
• Is there a flower delivery fee or extra charges for setting up the flowers in the morning and then moving them from Church to venue after the ceremony?
• What’s in season around the wedding date?

Rest assured, a good florist will know all the questions to ask you so that no stone is left unturned!

How much to budget for wedding flowers?

We get it, flowers are expensive. If you are honest about your budget and ask for suggestions on how to get the most bang for your buck, then we can think of ways to maximise it while still achieving a beautiful design. We provide a wedding flower price guide on our site to give couples an idea of costs. I recommend prioritising the bride’s wedding flower bouquet and the bridal party needs, followed by the ceremony location and then the reception. An accurate quotation would be based on the style and flower choice and what we are required to do on the day.

How many flowers should I order?

The number of flowers for a wedding depends on many factors. Ask yourself these questions:

• Do you need church flowers for your wedding, or just something for reception only?
• Is there only one bridal party bouquet, or will bridesmaids and flower girls also be carrying something?
• Do you require boutonnieres or corsages?
• How big do you want the arrangements to look? Are flowers required for the cake?

The answers will help guide your decision.

What’s the biggest mistake people make with floral wedding decorations?

I wouldn’t call it a mistake per se, but not having a budget in mind can be problematic. The best approach

is to go to your wedding floral designer with a budget, even if it’s vague. This figure then guides realistic responses for you to consider. Also, bear in mind your favourite bouquet may include blooms that are out of season. It’s best to leave it to the experts to make suggestions of an alternative bloom that would be available for your date.

 How do I make sure my flowers stay fresh throughout the day?

The bouquets will be delivered fresh on the morning. Keep your flowers in water and store them somewhere dry and cool until the last possible moment. Dry off the stems before you carry them for the day.

Some blooms are more resilient than others, so if you’re planning on choosing delicate blooms bear in mind the climate, it’s a good idea to seek professional advice from a florist and choose accordingly.

Can I incorporate non-floral elements into my wedding flowers?

You can do whatever you want! I’ve heard of people making bouquets from fresh berries, fruits. Feathers, cones and succulents, dried elements, ribbons, keepsakes, lockets, often make an appearance in bridal bouquets.

We can certainly work with any additions that have meaning for you. This is a carte blanche and you have full creative control!

 What’s the best advice you can give about wedding floral arrangements?

For the very best floral arrangements for a wedding ceremony, I’d say leave it to your florist. Provide a guide, but let the professional come back to you with the specifics. This way you’re sure to get something that is truly perfect for your day. Also – select the right season flowers. You want them to be their very best.

What should I do with my wedding flowers after the wedding?

If you want to hold onto your wedding bouquet as a sentimental keepsake, you can dry or preserve it. If you’d like to spread joy and goodwill, why not donate them to a local hospital or charity? Share them with guests – many of your loved ones would relish an opportunity to go home with some of the floral decorations!

Karen, tell us a bit about your life as a wedding florist

I have 25+ years of experience in the industry and have worked at Arbour Blooms for five years now. I do

everything from administration, ordering supplies and blooms from Holland, planning, quotations, consultations, supervising the wedding florists on the team to setup/styling the flowers on location. I love my job because I’m an organised person and it takes a lot of skills to get to the final day with each Bride, and I love seeing her face on the morning when I have made her floral ideas into a reality for her special day.

Also in part, the owner of the company trusts my judgement and leaves me to my own devices! He knows I’ve got years of experience and there’s not much I haven’t come across before and have everything under control when it comes to providing bridal flowers to our wedding clients on their big day!

Conditioning flowers is a huge part of our work. Most flowers come from Holland wrapped in batches some dry shipped and some in water. Our first response will be to open the wrapping, check the quality, strip the leaves, re-cut the stems and put them in fresh preservative water to rehydrate them. They then go into the fridge.

At this point, we have to monitor them carefully. Some brides might want their blooms just opening while others want them in full bloom. It’s very much a timing game so we have to constantly watch them and it can be stressful.

My favourite flowers would be tulips and hyacinths. Tulips are just so fun and visually stunning. Hyacinths are equally pretty, but it’s the scent I love.

Where to buy wedding flowers? Contact Arbour Blooms

Planning to get married and looking for the best blooms possible? Arbour Blooms specialises in wedding flowers to Dublin and Leinster area. We’d be delighted to hear from you and help make this a magical day!

Contact us about wedding floral arrangements