Do-It-Yourself Wedding Flowers: Is It for Me?
November 10th, 2006 Posted in Wedding Planning and Ideas
With all of today’s publications and guides to help brides create their dream wedding, many brides are choosing the “do-it-yourself” route. The do-it-yourself bride is directly in charge of achieving the perfect mood for her special day. She makes the decisions and cuts out any unwanted influences, especially when it comes to the décor, primarily the flowers. Aside from getting to select the exact style that she has always dreamed of, the best part about do-it-yourself flowers is that it often fits within budget realities. But, brides beware; doing your own flowers is not for everyone. Be sure you are aware of both the pros and cons of being your own florist.
Being Your Own Florist:
· You must be motivated. Researching the “how to” requires time and energy. It also helps if you are the type of person who is organized and willing to follow a project through until the end, despite set backs and challenges.
· Some flowers are easy to arrange and others are not. If you are set on using a particular flower, research the amount of time and energy that will go into arrange it.
· Fresh flowers cannot be arranged well in advance. If you are planning to have many bouquets, boutonnieres, arrangements and table centerpieces, you will need help in arranging your flowers. Make sure you have plenty of friends, aunts, grandparents or neighbors assisting you with your arrangements, and that they are fully prepared in how to handle the flowers. The last thing you want is for each of your arrangements to not look uniformed.
· Doing your own flowers cuts the costs of a florist. Almost every flower, from all parts of the world is available over the internet at wholesale costs. Plus, you will not have to pay someone labor costs. With the money you will save, doing your own flowers can either lower your budget or allow for you to purchase many more flowers within your original budget.
· After all is said and done, doing your own flowers will provide you with the satisfaction of knowing that you did it yourself!
Working With a Professional Florist:
· Florists are experts. When and if a problem arises, they are problem solvers. Say for example that a specific variety of orchids is to arrive two days prior to your wedding, but your flower provider calls to say that they were unavailable. Florists have a network of contacts to find ones available. If this variety cannot be found, they know just which flowers to use as replacements so that your bouquet and arrangements are equally stunning. They have after all been talking with you for several weeks – or months – and know exactly which look is perfect for you.
· If you already feel overwhelmed with all that is involved in planning a wedding, and you do not know much about flower arranging, hiring a florist can save you many headaches. It may be wise to instead take charge of other aspects of the wedding with which you are more knowledgeable.
· Where will you store the flowers? Flowers require cool and dry areas so that they do not wither. If you are unable to provide such a place, you may consider hiring a florist to store your arrangements.
· Time. Arranging flowers requires time. If you or others will be very busy in the days leading up to the ceremony, please consider hiring extra help. Remember that activities tend to run over schedule, especially when you are not familiar with the task.
· Florists know perfection. Doing your own flowers may require practice, depending on the complexity of your arrangements. If you simply want your flowers to look absolutely perfect, then hire a professional.