PLANNING A WEDDINGWhen planning a wedding there is no hard and fast rule that dictates how early you need to plan. I have worked with brides what have over a year to plan and others who complete their planning in 6-8 weeks. With great organization tools (I like Martha Stewart's Wedding Workbook), and a clear vision your event can be carried out beautifully in any time frame. The key to any wedding plan is to secure the key vendors as soon as you set your date; venue, caterer, photographer, floral designer and DJ/musician. The other details will fall comfortably in line.SECURING YOUR FLORAL DESIGNERAs you contact your key vendors, it is important to secure your floral designer as well. Generally, scheduling your florist 6-9 months ahead is ideal although no need to panic if you are planning with a shorter time frame. As a studio florist, I generally take on one wedding a weekend unless the size, scale and logistics of the events allow for me to do more that one. I take pride in offering my full attention to each bride and am always personally responsible for the bridal party bouquets and set the reception decor. I love building a relationship with my brides and make sure that everything meets their specifications to perfection. My consultations are always complimentary and I welcome open and unlimited communication.PREPARING FOR YOUR INITIAL CONSULTATIONI love to research wedding and floral design and and inspired by photos, fabrics, colors, textures and scenery. Arriving at the first consultation with as many details about your venue, wardrobe, colors and decor, and images of flowers you like, will help in the designing process and determine the cost. Often I have brides email me a few inspiration photos or invite me to view their Pinterest board prior to our consultation so I can be well prepared to have a great conversation about design and concept. Paint color cards and fabric swatches are great design tools to match dress/theme color.OUR FIRST MEETINGAt our initial consultation at my home office or convenient location, we will complete my Wedding Flower Worksheet outlining all of your floral and decor needs, share photos and style ideas and talk about budget. We will look at containers that I have available and explore other options to arrive at the desired look for your wedding. Once our brainstorming is complete, I will draft and email a proposal, complete with sample photos, detailed descriptions, floral selections and pricing. Once the proposal is accepted, I will send my Floral Service Agreement outlining the payment schedule and terms of our work together. Flower orders are placed 30 days prior to the wedding date or once RSVP's are received. BUDGETING FOR FLOWERSTraditionally, the typical average amount spent on flowers is in the 10-12% of your total wedding budget. The national wedding magazines distort what an affordable wedding looks like (showing floral budgets of 10,000 and more); and thanks in part to Pinterest, brides can have a beautiful wedding without breaking the bank. While Pinterest presents it's own challenges with "over pinning" and too many choices, it does represent a reasonable view into REAL weddings. Budget is a concern for most brides and many contact me for my "price range" which challenging since each and every wedding is unique and specially designed. Floral design pricing is determined by:1) the floral selections2) seasonal availability3) stem count for the bouquet/arrangements4) laborMany flower selections are available year round with relatively stable pricing while others are here for a short season. Locally grown Dahlias in August-early October, for instance, are less expensive than the same variety from California in the off season. The floral industry is weather dependent so when availability becomes an issue, there are always great second affordable options.ON A PERSONAL NOTEI love my business and have made such great friends with my brides and their families. I am FB friends with many and have been invited to baby showers and receive Christmas cards from my gals. My wish for each of my clients is to have a wonderful wedding planning experience and if I can add that "extra something" that makes it truly special, I will. From hand crafted custom table cards, programs, signage, etc, these details and much more add a personal flair to each of my events. I am passionate about my business and find joy in working with each and every client. There is nothing more rewarding to me than presenting the bridal bouquet and hearing that it is "PERFECT!"Suzanne Shick Image by Eryn Kesler Photography

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