The First "Date"

The scene:  In a little coffee shop somewhere in the vicinity of the socially accepted area of where it's cool to be seen, I sit drinking my grande Americano with two sugars and cold soy. I don't want to come straight out of the gate as my usual, somewhat absurd self, so I've arrived a bit early to collect my thoughts and settle down a bit. I try to stay occupied on my iPhone and blankly look at my day planner in effort to not creep out the strangers sitting around me who I feel obligated to make eye contact with, giving them the opportunity to confess that I'm the person they are there to meet.  Every time the door opens I watch the newcomers walk in.  I'm lost in thought, wondering if those gangly hipster boys meant to look like sisters or if it was just an awkward coincidence, when suddenly I hear my name. I look up to see a fashionably dressed woman, nervously clutching a stack of bridal magazines and looking for some sign of reassurance that she has come to the right place. "Are you Margot?" she asks. "Yes, but you can call me Carly. Please, have a seat! I'm so glad to finally meet you."

And so begins the initial consultation between a bride and their florist.  Each time the scene plays out rather similarly. It's a process that has become like second nature on my end, and yet always seems a bit confronting to my less accustomed guest.  Knowing this, my team took to the task of putting together some helpful pointers on how to simplify the daunting task of planning the absolute best part of your wedding (in my completely unbiased opinion). Have a looksy, and let me know if we missed anything.

"When am I going to see you?"

Typically you want to have your florist booked at least six months before the big day.  But if your wedding is slated for a popular month like June or October, you'll need to change up your game plan a bit. These months have been known to book out well over a year in advance, so you'll want to be on your toes.

"I know that you know that I already know."

1) Your Venue: This will influence the overall feel and style of your wedding more than anything else.  With that picked out, you'll know whether or not you'll need large scale pieces to fill up an empty loft, or low lush centerpieces that better suit the intimate setting of a garden party. You get the idea.

2) The Numbers: Granted, there are a lot of numbers involved in a wedding, but these are the heavy hitters you'll need to know:
- Expected guest count (so you know how many tables you'll need, etc.)
- People in the wedding (How many bouquets? Boutonnieres? Is Grandma gonna let you put a corsage on her?)
- The Budget... (All jokes aside, this is always my least favorite question on a consultation, but it's important that you at least have a ballpark range so you know how far it needs to stretch. We'll talk more about how to set your budget in a later post. Stay tuned.) 

"What would you like me to say?"

Understandably, sometimes words fail us, especially when it gets down to the details. But if you're having trouble finding the words to express what you are looking for, let the pictures do the talking.  Feel free to bring absolutely as many pictures as you can carry, but be prepared to be specific. Is it the color of the bouquet that you like or is it the shape? Do you have a picture of the dress? Bring that. A swatch card for your linens? That's a good one. Your pug named Noodle who will be walking you down the aisle? Go ahead and bring that too.  All in all, the more visuals you can give about what inspires you, the better able your florist will be at giving you exactly what it is that you see in your head. And isn't that what everybody wants?!


{ Obligatory plug:  We at Margot Blair Floral are here to help you plan the flowers of your dreams.  Call us today to set up your complimentary consultation!! *Wink* }