Bridal Bar’s Jet Fete Blog tells the story of a wedding that took place at the Biltmore Estate with makeup by E. Scott Thompson, photography by Two Ring Studios, and floral design by yours truly. Read the entire post on the Jet Fete Blog…

I subscribe to a blog written specifically for those who make their living doing art. The author is quite passionate in his belief that those of us in creative businesses clearly define our client: for whom, (and how) do we do our art?

I thought I’d offer some thoughts on the reverse of that question which is: how do you find the right florist for you/your wedding? While there are no hard and fast rules, here are some things to consider:

Not every florist offers the same services, or designs in the same style. Florists can range from very small home-based enterprises to large-scale corporations with several locations. If you are transforming a historic mansion into a Grand Gala affair and need to accommodate 500+ guests, checking out some of the larger companies might be prudent. Conversely, if you plan to have an intimate gathering of 20 on a veranda at a B&B, perhaps one of the smaller companies would be a better fit.

It all depends on what you want, and knowing what you want, (or at least having some idea) is key. How important are the flowers to you? Are you someone who adores them and wants them everywhere, or will a casual jar of wildflowers in the center of the table suffice? Are you all about the band and bar, or does the exquisite lemon/sugar scent of an open English garden rose make you swoon?!

Doing a bit of homework before you meet with a florist can help smooth out the consultation process. What is your color palette? Are there flower varieties you like? Dislike? Is there a theme for the wedding? Do you have a specific design style in mind for the flowers? Are you accenting with a metal?

Then there’s the big scary question: What is your budget? Having an approximate idea of your flower budget, (and being willing to share that up front), will help the designer make recommendations, and make effective use of your consultation time. After spending an hour discussing amazing over the top centerpieces, it’s disappointing to find out you’d have to spend your entire flower budget to get them!

As a rule of thumb, a flower budget should be 10-15% of the total wedding cost. So, say you’re spending $25K on your wedding, $2500-$3750.00 would be reserved for your flowers.

A good florist is not only an artist they are also an advocate for you, giving you the most “bang” for your investment.

Because flowers and floral design are my life’s passion, I’d be delighted to spend some time with you, and a bowl of lush, open, English garden roses, swooning….

-Beth

Good question

Some artists say they experience a process of “channeling” whereby they become a conduit for ideas from other worlds/the other side/somewhere else. I wish it were that easy.

My creative process varies from day to day, event to event, season to season

Sometimes it involves a shift in perception. Sometimes I need to walk away and come back later. Sometimes it involves a glass of really good red wine, and a fan deck of paint chips.  Sometimes I’ve got nothing, and have to live with that for far longer than feels comfortable. Sometimes the planets and stars align, and it’s just plain easy fun!

Bottom line is I’m not really sure where it all comes from. Experience gives a good foundation, providing a skill set that is truly invaluable, but perhaps it is a sense of play and a disregard for the norm that truly inspires?

I think I’m on to something here. What do you think?