Avoid hiring a florist who might be a thorn in your side by carefully
interviewing three or four different shops before signing a contract.
These 10 essential questions (and their answers) will help guide you to
the best decision, the best service, and most beautiful floral display
for your wedding.
- Is my date available?
If your date is available, the next thing to do is ask what
deposit is required to hold the date.
- What is your cancellation and/or reschedule policy?
It seems like a negative question, wedding do get cancelled and rescheduled for
many reasons. You might decide on a different florist later,
have a death in the family, or reschedule the date for some unanticipated reason. You need to know the answer to this question, and have it in writing.
- Do you charge a delivery or setup fee?
This is a standard question. Some shops will charge a separate
fee for setup and delivery, while others include it in the cost of your flowers. You
just want to make sure you have all the costs up front so there are no surprises later.
- Have you done flowers at my ceremony and/or reception location
before?
If they have, they may have some photos you can look at or
some floral ideas you haven't thought of. If they haven't, it's
not necessarily a problem. You may want to arrange a time to meet
them at the location to have a look at the layout.
- Do you just deliver the flowers, or do you stay
to help distribute the corsages, bouquets, etc?
If you've hired a wedding coordinator, this may not be necessary.
You could also have someone in your family help with this task.
At a minimum, you should ask the florist to label everything so
whomever is helping you will know who gets what.
- What time will you be at my site(s) to setup?
There's not necessarily a right or wrong answer to this question.
You just want to be certain that things arrive on time, but not
so early that your flowers will not look fresh when the wedding
begins.
- Do you rent decorative items?
Some florists will rent archways, candelabras, runners, and other
decorative arrangements. Be sure to shop around with local rental
companies, as well. The florist may be higher in price for these
items.
- Do you offer silk or dried floral arrangements?
If you want to keep your bouquet or allow your family members
to keep their corsages and boutonnieres, you might want to consider
silk or dried arrangements. You can also make these yourself by
purchasing stems at a local craft shop. Another option is to have your live floral bouquet freeze-dried after the wedding.
- What items will need to be returned to your shop and what is
your return policy?
You will obviously have to return any rented items, so be
sure to ask the return policy on these. You also might be required to
return any plant stands or other items not included in the cost
of your actual arrangements. Be sure to ask ... again, to avoid surprises.
- Do you have references that I can contact?
Your best source for unbiased information is another bride
who used this florist at her wedding. Ask the florist for references.
Selecting a florist is like selecting any other vendor. Be sure
to comparison shop and take good notes at each interview. After
you have met with three or four florists, you'll be able to make
an informed decision and get the biggest floral bang for your wedding budget.
What additional questions would you ask (or did you ask)?
Please share here so other brides can gain the benefit of your experience!
~ The WhereBridesGo.com Team
Where brides go® ... for what brides love!
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