What You Need to Know Before Reaching Out to Your Wedding Florist

5 Things to Help You Feel Prepared, Empowered & Just a Little Bit Fancy

Real Talk, Real Tips – Especially If You Don’t Have a Planner

So, you're getting married — ahhh! — and it's time to think about flowers. Whether you're dreaming of something wild and whimsical, clean and modern, or just want "something that doesn’t look like everyone else’s wedding," you’re in the right place.

We know floral design can feel like a whole new language (what even is a ranunculus?), especially if you're not working with a wedding planner. That’s totally okay. This guide is for you — the organized, semi-organized, or totally-winging-it couple who's doing the planning themselves and just needs a little direction.

The good news? You don’t need to know everything. You just need a few key details to help your florist guide you with clarity, creativity, and a bit of floral magic.

Let’s make this fabulous and stress-free — here’s what to have in mind before you reach out.

1. Know Your Wedding Date + Venue (Or at Least a Solid Idea)

Before we can start planning your wedding florals, we need to know when and where the magic is happening. Your florist is juggling not only design but also things like delivery timing, setup logistics, and (let’s be honest) how many weddings we’re doing that weekend.

If you've already booked your venue and locked in your date — amazing, we love that for you. If not, no stress. Just having a ballpark (e.g., “early September at a winery in Ottawa”) gives us enough info to start guiding you.

✨ Why this matters:

• Delivery and setup timing depends on venue access and ceremony start time
• Some venues have rules about what we can hang, place, or fluff
• Outdoor wedding? We’ll need to talk about weather plans and flower durability

💡 Don’t have a venue yet?
No worries — but please book it before diving too deep into florals. The style, layout, and even color palette of your space can totally influence the design. What works in a downtown loft might not vibe in a vineyard or museum. And knowing the venue helps us give you real advice, not just Pinterest dreams.

Quick tip: You don’t need to send us floor plans or blueprints. Just the name of the venue and general flow of the day is a perfect place to start.

2. Have a Budget (Or at Least a Comfort Zone)

Okay, let’s talk money — gently.

We know the word budget can make people feel awkward, but trust us when we say: being upfront about what you’re comfortable spending is not only helpful, it’s empowering. It’s not about judgment, it’s about giving you the most value, beauty, and impact for what you’re working with.

Whether you’ve got a modest flower moment in mind or you’re planning to go full garden-on-the-ceiling, we want to help you spend intentionally. Sharing even a rough range helps us suggest realistic options — like whether we go big on the ceremony and scale back on tables, or keep things minimal and refined throughout.

💡 Not sure what flowers cost?
Totally normal. Most people have zero idea what a professionally designed bouquet or install runs — why would you?! That’s what we’re here for. Check out our Wedding Flower Pricing Guide (link it!) to get a feel for typical investment levels.

✨ Real talk:
We're not here to upsell you. We're here to create something beautiful within your comfort zone, not outside of it.

3. Be Ready to Share Your Vision (Even If It’s a Little Messy)

You don’t need to know the name of a single flower — promise. But having some kind of vibe, mood, or aesthetic direction in mind helps us design florals that actually feel like you.

Maybe you’re drawn to romantic, airy palettes with soft pastels. Or maybe you’re all about bold color and drama (say less — we love a main character moment). You might not have the words for it, and that’s totally okay. That’s where your Pinterest board, saved Instagram posts, or even a quick “we love this photo” from a real wedding helps us translate your taste into flowers.

✨ What’s helpful:

• A few inspiration images you genuinely love
• Descriptive words like whimsical, structured, bold, natural, garden-inspired, elegant, etc.
• Colors you love — or definitely don’t
• What you want to feel when you walk into the room

🖤 Not helpful? A 200-pin Pinterest board with 17 different styles and vibes. (We've seen it. We love the energy. We’ll help you narrow it down.)

And don’t stress if it feels unclear — that’s what we’re here for. Our job is to take your beautiful chaos and turn it into a cohesive, floral reality.

4. Know What You Might Need (Roughly, Not Rigorously)

You don’t need to show up with a full Excel sheet and guest count formulas — but having a rough idea of your wedding layout and flow helps us figure out what types of flowers will actually serve your day.

Are you having a ceremony with an arch, or something more minimal like a city hall vow exchange? Is there a cocktail hour where we can sneak in a cute arrangement or two? Will guests be sitting for a formal dinner, or grazing casually under café lights and good vibes?

✨ Here are some things to think about:

• Will you want personal flowers like a bouquet, boutonniere, or flower crown?
• Are there bridesmaids, groomspeople, parents, or VIPs who should have flowers too?
• Is your ceremony indoors or outside? Will you want something behind you — like an arch, pillars, or floral ground pieces?
• How many tables are you working with for dinner? Are we doing centerpieces, bud vases, garlands?
• Any signage, seating charts, or welcome tables you want to embellish?

Knowing what moments you want to highlight with florals makes your design more intentional — and makes sure no key spots are left bare when they deserve a little bloom love.

And if you’re not sure yet? No pressure. Bring us your outline, and we’ll fill in the petals.

5. When to Reach Out (Spoiler: Probably Now)

The best time to reach out to your florist? 9 to 6 months before your wedding day — especially if you're getting married during peak wedding season (hello, May through October). That gives us plenty of time to dream, design, refine, and source the perfect blooms.

Of course, if you're reading this with 4 weeks to go and a mild panic setting in, don’t worry. If we have availability, we’ll absolutely do our best to make it work. But more time = more flexibility, more design options, and less stress for everyone involved (including your future self).

✨ Quick tip:
Reaching out 18+ months in advance? We love your enthusiasm, but it’s a little too early. At that stage, most of the key details like venue, guest count, and even your vision are still evolving. Focus on booking your planner, venue, photographer — and then loop in your florist once the bigger puzzle pieces are in place. Trust us, it makes everything way smoother.

✨ Why sooner (but not too soon) is better:

• Some flowers are seasonal and need to be reserved in advance
• Dates book up quickly — especially for full-service design and delivery
• It gives you time to sit with your design plan and make intentional decisions

Even if you don’t have every detail figured out, starting the conversation at the right time means we can guide you through the process at a relaxed and fun pace — just how wedding planning should feel.

Let’s Make Something Beautiful Together

If you’ve made it this far — first of all, you’re amazing. Secondly, you’re officially more prepared than most couples when they first reach out to their wedding florist.

We know flowers can feel like a big, slightly mysterious part of the wedding puzzle. But they don’t have to be. With a little prep (and the right team on your side), florals can become one of the most exciting, expressive parts of your day.

So whether you’re ready to book or just dipping your toes into the world of floral design, we’re here for you. Browse our wedding flower portfolio, check out our à la carte collection, or head over to our contact page to start the conversation.

We can’t wait to hear your story, your vision, and all the gorgeous, creative things we’ll bring to life together.

Wedding Florals: FAQ About Reaching Out

Q: Can I just call you to talk about flowers?

We love that you’re excited — but we do all wedding floral inquiries by email or through our contact form first. That helps us stay organized, focused, and give you thoughtful replies (instead of shouting flower types over espresso machines mid-bouquet).

Q: Can I pop into the shop to chat about my wedding?

Not just yet! We don’t keep wedding florals or mockups on display, and we want to make sure you have our full attention. The best first step is filling out the enquiry form — we’ll guide you from there!

Q: What should I send you in my first message?

You don’t need a whole vision board — but it is helpful to include your wedding date, venue, rough guest count, color palette (if you have one), and any inspiration photos or Pinterest links. If you already know what items you need (like bouquets or centerpieces), let us know!

Q: Do I need to know my exact budget before reaching out?

Nope! But having a comfort zone or an approximate range really helps. You can say something like “we’re hoping to stay around $3,000–$4,000” or “we’re just doing personals and a few centerpieces.”

Q: I’m reaching out 18 months in advance. Is that too early?

Honestly? Yes. So much can change that far out — we recommend waiting until you’ve booked your venue, date, and planner/photographer, and then reach out around the 9–6 month mark. That’s the sweet spot.

Q: Can we have a meeting before booking?

For full-service weddings, yes — once we’ve received your initial enquiry and have some basic details, we’ll schedule a consultation. For à la carte orders, there’s no meeting needed — you can order everything online!

Q: Do you deliver and set up?

Yes! We offer delivery, setup, and breakdown as part of our full-service options. For à la carte orders, you’ll be able to select pickup or delivery during checkout — most couples choose morning-of delivery before noon.

Q: Do I need a consultation for à la carte flowers?

Nope! Our à la carte wedding collection is designed to be simple and fuss-free — choose your items, select a color palette, and add notes in the comments box at checkout. No meetings required (but we’re always happy to answer questions via email!) or if needed we can schedule a quick virtual call :)

Q: What if I have no idea what flowers I want?

No problem at all — seriously. You don’t need to know flower names or varieties. We work off of color palettes, moods, and inspiration photos, and we’ll guide you through options that match your style, budget, and season.

Q: What happens if a flower I love is out of season?

Mother Nature can be a diva. If something isn’t available, we’ll substitute with blooms that match the style and palette you’ve chosen. Our goal is always to keep the overall look, shape, and vibe exactly where you want it.

Q: Can I repurpose ceremony flowers at the reception?

Yes, and we love when couples do this! Ground arrangements can be moved to the head table, and arch pieces can become photobooth backdrops. We’ll help guide you on what’s realistic to reuse and how.

Have a different question? Reach out to us now!