Wedding Advice – Here Comes the Blog

Archive for the ‘Planning’ Category

Getting those memories down on paper, or stored online for for many years to come, is only one of the big decisions you will be making in relation to your wedding. However, it is the decision that will have the longest life. Choosing the right photographer can be a tricky task. You should take a composite view towards this decision making process. Here is a guide to some of the things to be on the look out for. It is your special day, and so let's get it right.

• Experience. You may choose your photographer based on all of their experience. You may choose your photographer based on their experience with weddings. If you are looking for something unique, a photographer who is very skilled in their job, and not necessarily one who does weddings all the time, may still be a good choice. Think outside the box in relation to experience. What you are looking for in previous work is the quality and personality. Someone who does not do much work in weddings might have some unique angles. Choose the quality of the images and style over the type of experience.
• Intuitive. Photography of people is all about people. In other words, if someone can take the right photos at the right time, they are probably intuitive at all times. This could be described as 'a professional illness'. Those who make the best hospitality professionals can rarely stop after work. A photographer will be the same. Pay a little attention to this matter and see how well they can read you during initial discussions.
• Attitude. Many artists like to feel special. That is fine if you are chasing them for a high-paying advertising campaign, but this is your wedding. Someone who is generally interested in the project is also extremely important. If they act like they are doing you a favor, then you need to consider them no more. Interest level of the photographer will have a huge impact on the quality of the shot. Really good photographers are fanatical about their job or the project they are working on.
• Personality. Photography is all about catching the mood. You have to be honest about how you feel about the photographer. This doesn't mean being 'satisfied'. It means that you should really like the person a lot. This will come out in the photographs. A picture speaks a thousand thoughts and emotions. What you are thinking and feeling at the time of the photograph will change the quality of the shot. Just because other people liked the photographer, or they have outstanding work, does not mean that you should be choosing them. How you feel about that person, is what really counts.

At the end of the day, this is your wedding, and so don't compromise on your choice of photographer. Spend some time finding someone you like, and enjoy being around. Someone who is building their career could be a very good choice.  The combination of all the factors above will mean the best images possible. You don't want to be just another wedding on another company production line.

It used to be that white was one of the only colors you saw at a wedding. Maybe one other accent color like black or silver might appear, but that was it. Cakes were white and flowers were white. No one dared splash color in. Every ribbon, bow, and favor item had to be white or you would be looked upon as a rebel. And no one wanted to break out of the expected traditions. All that has changed though and brides are glad.

Today, brides and grooms have no rules when it comes to color. There are bright orange wedding dresses and dark green cakes. Brides have come down the aisle wearing red shoes and tables have been draped in bright purple and pink. Bridesmaids now don’t even wear the same dress style, but just the same color palate. So anything goes. Your Aunt Ruth may tell you what it was like in her day, but you don’t have to use any of her suggestions if you don’t want to.

Fall colors are always going to be in fashion. Try oranges, browns and yellows. Pumpkin orange is a terrific color choice because pumpkins can be used as wedding centerpieces, and can coordinate with everything from napkins to favors. Several fall colors, including shades of rich dark green, are popular.

Summer colors include blues and yellows. The blues can be rich, royal blue or a more pastel blue. Yellows will bring to mind sunshine and can be from light to bright. It’s a very happy color that works when it’s light and almost cream colored or a more funky neon yellow. Try mixing a cream with a blue for a beach feel.

Spring is the season where color reigns. You can take any color you see in nature and know that it will work as a color at your wedding. Nothing has to match. Pick up colors from the flowers and you will find that everything matches back.

Winter weddings allow you to immerse yourself in the colors of the season for a warm glow.  Use reds, dark greens, royal purple, silver, dark blue, and gold. Think of the colors in Christmas ornaments. Any of them will work for you.

Color is a very trendy thing, but the classics always work. When in doubt, pick one sedate color and one that is your favorite. Chances are they will match perfectly. You can visit a paint department at a home store to get some ideas for hues and colors that work well together. One strip card of paint is designed to work together, so gather strips and see which shades will work for you.

Having a white wedding these days is the exception. Most couples now hardly incorporate white at all or use it as an accent color. Go with what makes you happy and don’t worry about what anyone else likes or doesn’t like. It’s a fun time to be a bride because you can make all the choices you want based on your own taste, not society’s dictates.

Use your own sense of style as an indicator of what colors you naturally gravitate towards. Chances are the colors you wear the most and have in your home decor will be the colors that will work best for your wedding.

Related Wedding Color Articles:

• Silver and Blue Color Scheme: Inspiration for a Winter Wedding
• Wedding Inspiration: Tiffany Blue and White Color Scheme
• Wedding Inspiration: Pink and White Color Scheme
• Wedding Inspiration: Lemon Yellow Color Scheme
• Winter Wedding Inspiration
• Wedding Inspiration for a Purple Passion Color Scheme
• Teal & Brown - Fall Wedding Inspiration Board

As the stresses of wedding planning mount, you may be tempted to cut down the guest list to two: you and your spouse-to-be.  This feeling only grows as you tackle one of the trickiest aspects of a wedding, the reception seating list. There are so many factors to consider that you may be tempted to throw in the towel and have everyone grab the first seat you can.  You could always arrange a reception-wide game of musical chairs, or you could take a deep breath and follow these tips.

The first step is an easy one: find out how many guests you have (planning for those one or two who RSVP at the last minute or decide to bring another guest) and how many tables and chairs you will need.  Call your reception venue and ask how they will be arranging the tables.  If the venue is somewhere that you are going to set up, like a backyard, then work on the configuration first.  How would you like the tables arranged, and how many people will fit comfortably at each?

Next, decide how you want to arrange the head table.  Traditionally, the bride and groom sit with their attendants at a table in the front of the reception location.  Some couples are now forgoing that tradition in favor of having a table-for-two to themselves.  The attendants either sit at another “head” table or with the other guests.  This is purely up to your preference and which option you think your bridesmaids and groomsman will be most comfortable with.

These exercises are the warm-up. Now comes the workout.  It helps to enlist the aid of both sets of parents if there are a lot of family members coming or if they have invited guests with whom they are more familiar.  They can give you suggestions as to who should be seated next to each other based on their prior relationship or interests.

With relatives and friends, try to seat people who know and like each other together. If, for instance, you invite your five work friends, have them sit together.  If you have six or seven person tables, add a couple that you think will mingle well with them.  If you have “random” guests, or those who don’t know your other guests, try to pair them with your chatty friends and family members so they feel more comfortable at your reception.  If you make an entire table of these unrelated, unfamiliar guests, chances are they will become bored or uncomfortable, especially if they are more reserved or quiet.

The seating at tables is difficult, but the positioning of the place cards at the tables can be even more challenging.  Your mother wants to be front and center, his mother wants to be right up there, too.  Your best friend wants to be at the table closest to the couple, but your aunt thinks that is her rightful place.  People seem to think that the closer they are to the table, the more important they are to the wedding!

Feelings can be hurt.  Before you start worrying about that, worry about things like children and elderly or handicapped guests.  Small children may need to be close to exits or bathrooms, and you might want to arrange tables of similarly aged children together.  Elderly guests may need to be within short walking distance to the buffet line or among the tables that do not have to be moved for dancing.  These types of considerations trump whose mom feels most important.

Seating parents can be a big challenge, especially if there are step-parents to consider in the seating chart.  Your mother may not want to sit with your father and his new wife, for instance.  Traditionally, the best table is reserved for the bride’s parents, with the second best going to the groom’s.  If one or both sets of parents are divorced, have a table for the mother and a separate one for the father (unless their relationship is completely amicable, which may be rare).  Maternal and paternal grandparents can then sit with their children.  If there is room, you can seat siblings and significant others here.

In general, you then seat other close relatives closer to the head table.  After close relatives are seated, you can arrange the remaining guests in a way that is most convenient.  To avoid hard feelings, make sure to visit each and every table at your reception.  Starting at the back is perhaps the best idea, as is spending a little extra time there.

No matter how hard you try, someone will always manage to be offended or feel slighted.  There is really no way to get around this if you have friends and family members like this.  The best tip is to arrange people as they and you will feel most comfortable.  If the would-be offended guest is very important to you, like your mother, you could save yourself the trouble and just ask her where she would like to sit.

Another helpful resource is this article on Seating Chart Creation Tips.

Careful planning can prevent most wedding day emergencies – like not having your rings or failing to bring waterproof mascara.  But no matter how well prepared you are, there are little situations that arise that can go from a little inconvenience to a major problem in no time.  A blister, for instance.  If you are ready with a Band-Aid and a little pad for the back of your shoe, you’re all set.  If not, then your walk down the aisle may become a hobble down the aisle.  To prevent this, and other day-ruiners, it is a great idea to have a wedding day emergency kit. What should you pack, besides those Band-Aids?

Your wedding emergency kit should be customized to meet your needs as a bride (or groom.  Grooms can have emergencies, too!).   Assemble the following:

• Brush or comb
• Hair spray or extra hair product, pins, etc.
• Dental floss
• Extra panty hose if you’re wearing them
• Tissues (a wedding handkerchief might be a little more elegant)
• Mints
• Compact mirror
• Makeup essentials, such as blemish concealer, lip color, mascara, and foundation
• Perfume or scented spray
• Legal documents (don’t forget the marriage license!)
• Antacid and pain reliever
• Hand lotion. Your hand is likely to appear in more than a few photos, so make sure it’s looking pretty!
• A small sewing kit, which includes needles, thread, and safety pins. Add a roll of double sided tape, which can come in handy for quick hem fixes and other potential emergencies.
• White chalk. If you get a spot or stain on your wedding dress, don’t panic.  Dab it over with chalk to mask it.  Also make sure to ask at the dress boutique or your seamstress what to do if you spill something on your dress.  Should you get out the club soda or baby powder?
• Deodorant.  It’s a stressful day; smell your best.
• Tampons or pads.  Even if you are nowhere near your period, it is best to be prepared just in case for yourself and your bridesmaids.
• Wet wipes and/or stain removing wipes.
• Cell phones and important phone numbers.
• Healthy, energy-boosting snacks, such as fruit and granola bars.
• Chocolate.  Brides tend to get frazzled and stressed out on their wedding day.  Relax with a piece of luscious dark chocolate.  Just don’t get any on your dress.  But that’s what the stain removers are for, just in case.

A man’s wedding day emergency kit will of course be a bit different.  He won’t need the makeup items.  The groom or best man should have a kit containing:

• Extra black socks
• Brush or comb
• Cologne
• Corsage pins
• Shirt buttons
• Extra engraved cufflinks
• Lint brush
• Quick sewing kit with buttons, needles, safety pins, thread, and small scissors
• Shoe polish

Basics like breath mints, deodorant, legal documents, cell phones, phone numbers, and other must-haves should be tucked into both brides’ and grooms’ kits.

You can purchase pre-made wedding emergency kits, but it is just as easy, and much less expensive, to assemble your own.  The bride or groom can do this themselves or delegate to a dependable attendant or parent.  In either case, make sure to put in items that will provide you with a bit of comfort on your big day.  We mentioned chocolate, but you may find that lighting a lavender candle helps or having a sip or two of champagne.  Everyone’s emergency kit will be a bit different, but with the basics, you’ll make it through your big day looking and feeling great.

For more details on your wedding preparation, read this article on 10 Ways To Personalize Your Wedding.

After the hard work you’ve put into planning every detail of your wedding, it’s time for a little relaxation. Why not offer bridesmaid gifts of a spa weekend? It’s a lovely time to gather as girlfriends for the last time before you become a Mrs.

Just about every hotel that has spa services offers spa weekend packages. You’ll need to check your own state’s hotel directories and locate the perfect spa for you. But here are some guidelines to use when planning your perfect spa getaway.

• Decide if this will be an adults-only weekend or if you want to include the flower girl and/or junior bridesmaids. If you do, make sure you give their parents time to schedule in your weekend. You might just want to have the younger girls join you on Saturday morning and then return home. It’s up to you.
• Same for your girlfriends. They need advance notice to get away for the weekend. So don’t plan it too close to your wedding day as friends may have already had to ask for additional time off to travel to your wedding. A month or so out from your wedding is a good idea. Send those invited a lovely invitation and ask them to RSVP by a certain day.
• You’ll need to contact a few spas to get an idea of what they are charging. Often, if a spa is right in the hotel, you can speak to a concierge or other employee of the hotel to get the package rate for a spa weekend. Tell them you are a wedding spa party and they may give you an additional discount.
• What should you be asking when you call for rates? You want to sound confident and informed so that you get the best services and rates. Must-have questions include:

1.      How many girls can you accommodate at once at the spa? If you have eight bridesmaids and they can only take two at a time, you may want to think about choosing a larger spa. Or if it’s fine with you to stagger the girls’ appointments, go for it. You can snack on wine and cheese or spritzers while the other girls are having their spa time.

2.      What spa services do you offer? Here’s where you want to get specific. Does the spa offer manicures, pedicures, hot stone massages, facials, bikini waxing, deep tissue massage? Don’t be afraid to ask for what you want. If it seems like they offer most of the services you are seeking, ask more questions. If not, move on.

3.      What are the rates? Do you have special spa packages for brides and bridesmaids who are staying at the hotel? Delve into exactly what their packages include. Depending on the spa and hotel, you may be able to get them to throw in an extra sugar body scrub or drinks for the girls.

4.      Where will the services take place? Will you all be in the same room so you can chat? Is each girl given a private treatment room? Make sure you’re comfortable with what’s being offered. If you want all your girls to be together so they can chat, don’t book a place that only offers single rooms.

5.      Check with your bridesmaids to ensure they are comfortable with the services you want to book for them. You might not mind baring it all for a bikini wax, but you may have a shy girl in the bunch who’d be mortified. Also, make sure no one is allergic to anything that might be used during their treatments.

6.      Book the package. The hotel should be able to book the entire thing for you along with the discounted rate. They will most likely offer to hold a block of rooms together for you. If you are paying for the whole thing, offer to leave a credit card number to reserve, but don’t pay until you check out satisfied at the end of the weekend.

7.      It’s your weekend. If you want a nice quiet few days alone with your friends to gab and read magazines, go for it. If you feel like going out on the town, that’s fine, too. Just be sure to let everyone know what the plan is so they can be ready.

HINT: To get started, try visiting the website SpaWeek.com - They have a guide to spas in your area, plus discounts to many different locations.

Can't shell out the cash? Try this article on Do It Yourself Home Spa Treatments.

If I were to be able to do my wedding over, I'd choose this wedding scheme. As a big fan of vintage concepts and romantic colors, these designs are beyond lovely to me. A new 'wine' color has been picked as a color of the year for 2011, and it's not hard to see why. It's vibrant and full of life for any occasion, especially for weddings. Best of all, this color scheme can be used in any season! Picture this as a Summer wedding, Fall, Winter or Spring! It works for them all.

You might be wondering what color(s) would go well together with this so called, 'wine'. Or, better yet, you're probably not wondering because it's right in the title of this blog post. Hence, a wonderful complementary color for wine is a petal pink. In this inspiration board from Dessy.com, there are all kinds of ideas for how to make the colors work. Whether you choose one or the other to be the main color for bridesmaid dresses, or flowers, there are plenty of ways to make the other color just as beautiful and dominant in your wedding color scheme.

How about your groomsmen? Well, the traditional tux color is black, but with these soft colors, you could really go for a khaki, tan, or a light gray even! Or, if you'd still like it to seem formal, you can still opt for black tuxes.

What about the wedding cake? Choose a color for icing/fondant, and use the other color for decor. Pastel pink is a gorgeous color for a cake, so why not accent that with wine-colored flowers, ribbon or pearls? Don't forget another complementary color in this romantic color scheme; and that's brown. Any shade of brown, really.

With all these colors available to you, there's no possible way to go wrong! What do you think of these colors together? Would you use them for your wedding?

P.S. I know I said this color scheme is great for any season, but wouldn't it be the perfect Valentine's Day wedding??

Everyone’s in the same boat during hard economic times. If you’re planning a wedding, no doubt you are looking for ways to save money. There are many ways to cut costs that will not impact the beauty of your day. Look for some ways in addition to these to save even more money and you’ll come out with money left to spare.

1.      Go with silk flowers.

2.      Go without wedding favors.

3.      Choose a less expensive cake or go with cupcakes.

4.      Cut the guest list down.

5.      Forego the expensive invitations and make them yourself.

6.      Borrow items.

7.      Go for a vintage wedding dress.

8.      Skip the rehearsal dinner.

9.      Make it a morning wedding and have a brunch.

10.  Skip the open bar.

11.  Offer only one cocktail choice and only non-alcoholic drinks.

12.  Choose a cheaper location for your wedding.

13.  Buy less expensive wedding rings.

14.  Cut your bridal party down to a maid of honor and a best man only.

15.  Have friends sing, DJ, make your cake or provide any other services that they can.

16.  Ask companies to barter their services. You provide a service to them and they provide one of your wedding services.

17.  Enter contests that provide free weddings or honeymoons.

18.  Postpone an expensive honeymoon until your one year anniversary.

19.  Choose to serve just appetizers and cake.

20.  Host a more casual wedding at a relative’s home.

These are all great ways to save money on your wedding. There are ways to put on a wedding that’s elegant without being overly expensive. You can skip things that are optional like favors. Go cheaper on the reception decorations. No one is even going to notice. Make use of seasonal items that are already in place such as potted flowers at your reception venue. Anything that’s going to be a huge budget item like an open bar should be renegotiated. You can bring your own liquor in or just offer beer and wine.

There are definitely ways to trim your wedding budget without seeming cheap. If you can’t find ways that are agreeable to you, perhaps you can postpone the big wedding until you are more financially set and do a smaller wedding with just immediate family now. Or you could ask for a loan, but that should be your last resort. Paying back wedding loans can take years and you don’t need that hanging over your head in your new marriage.

No one expects anything of a new bride and groom. It’s all based on what you can comfortably afford. So take your budget into account and then scale back where you have to. No one will even notice half the things you cut out. As long as your guests are well fed and comfortable, there’s no reason you can’t pull the whole thing off without going into debt.

A charming and memorable wedding does not have to cost thousands and thousands of dollars. Borrow where you can and take friends up on favors. There’s no shame in asking for help. It can be the best day of your life with a little help from friends and family.

For more budget friendly tips, try some of the following articles:

• Eco-Friendly Wedding Tips and Ideas
• Cheap Bridesmaids Gifts
• How to Make Homemade Cookie Party Favors
• Cheap Wedding Bouquet Ideas

In the build up to your wedding day, you’ll probably be frantically making those last-minute preparations and adjustments: making sure the caterers are prepared, the flowers are going to arrive on schedule and all the guests know the way to the church. But ultimately, however much time you spend agonizing and fretting over the event, you can’t control every aspect of it. Even if you’ve endlessly rehearsed your wedding dance, the lead singer of your band could still lose his voice the night before. Even if you scour the calendar against various weather reports from the last decade to find the most probable sun-filled day, it still might pour with rain. Something as large and unpredictable as a wedding is impossible to control.

I’m not saying that things will go catastrophically wrong – they probably won’t. But the important thing to remember if they do is not to panic – just smile and carry on enjoying your day. If nothing else, these moments will at least be memorable, and you’ll be able to laugh about them in years to come.

Here are a few catastrophes that might crop up and how to deal with them if they do:

The dress gets ruined...

Muddy ground, energetic dancing, glasses of red wine in everyone’s hands – the probability of a ruined dress is quite high. Improvisation is the key here – be ready to whack a brooch over the stain and have safety pins handy for any tearing. And if all else fails, just remember that you’re only going to wear the outfit once, so you may as well mark it with a few characterful relics of the day! Then when you take it out of its cupboard, you’ll have some amusing anecdotes to share (although you'll likely want to get it cleaned right after the wedding for good measures!)

The speeches are too inappropriate…

Wedding speeches are a tricky matter. Tradition dictates that they will raise a few eyebrows and some blushes from the happy couple. However, you never really know what to expect, or how far someone will go. If a speech is made and it’s so inappropriate that the laughter stops, people start to whisper and the guy your sister’s dating has to leave the room, don’t worry about it. Just remember – it’s not you who’s making a fool of yourself up there. But you might want to read through the speeches with a red pen beforehand if you’re really worried.

You trip while walking down the aisle…

Bride-appropriate stilettos may not be the best footwear for walking gracefully down the length of the church with a long and cumbersome garment on. But if you trip up during the slow progress towards your groom, don’t worry. It’s quite easy to hide a fall when you keep up a distracting smile and lean heavily on your father!

The weather’s miserable…

This is one of the biggest worries for betrothed couples – an overcast day. Even Alanis Morissette adds ‘rain on your wedding day’ to her list of ‘ironic’ and unfair occurrences. But just remember that it’s your mutual love that you’re celebrating and the day should glow brightly, even if it’s pouring with rain. Plus, you can make any weather romantic – the peace of snowfall, the excitement of rain, the stirring of the wind. It doesn’t have to be sunny for a perfect day.

Couples who find love shouldn’t worry about things going wrong on the big day. Slip-ups will make great anecdotes, and as long as you love each other, that’s all that really matters. Just relax, calm down and definitely don’t panic.

Today’s media has changed the way we do things. Weddings are not the same as they were even ten years ago. Technology is running at a fast pace and brides and grooms have to keep up. So how do you know what sort of video options are available to you? How do you choose a videographer when wedding planning?

Because of the changes in digital photography and videography, you can now have a crystal clear record of your wedding day. That’s the good news. The other side of that coin is that you need to find a videographer who is up on the very latest technology. The last thing you want is some guy showing up lugging an outdated, clunky old corded VHS tape recorder to capture your big moments. Digital is the way to go. If the videographer you are considering is trapped in the 80s or 90s, best to look elsewhere.

Here are some questions you should ask a videographer before you hire him or her:

• What sort of equipment does he have? Is his camera digital? Ask for the specifics of the camera make and model (so you can secretly look it up at home before you book him).
• What sort of product is he going to produce for you? Will you get the files over the web? Will you get DVDs to hand out to family and friends? How many copies will he produce for you with no extra charge?
• How much of his time are you buying? Will he capture the whole wedding ceremony as well as the entire reception? It seems funny that you’d have to ask, but many a couple has been unpleasantly surprised when the videographer is nowhere to be found near the end of the wedding reception. If you want yours to stay the whole time, be sure to get it in writing.
• Ask if he will have any assistance. Are you paying extra because he’s bringing someone to help him with extras you don’t need? Be sure to get a breakdown of his fees and if another person is needed, ask exactly what that person will be doing.
• Do you like his appearance and personality? Unfortunately, not everyone shares your sense of reception decorations or tastes. What if he shows up in a white sequined tux and white patent leather loafers? If he is going to clash with your style, he’s not the proper choice. Some couples like a funky videographer who will “get in guests’ faces” to get a great shot. If that though mortifies you, choose a more professional type who will blend into the crowd to get your shots.
• Are there any essentials that cannot be left out? Write it all out. If you want the part of the ceremony where Aunt Doris walks down to her seat, be sure to tell him in advance. If Dad is going to make a toast and you want to capture it, notify the videographer in advance so he’s not caught off guard (or in the bathroom when the speech takes place!). The more specific you can be, the better the results you’ll get.
• Above all else, ask to see his prior work. You may discover that he’s done only three other weddings and the quality was poor. If he has few samples and/or is reluctant to let you see any of his work, then he’s not the one for you. A good videographer is happy to brag about his great work and will gladly let you watch entire weddings on DVD or online that he has filmed. Beware if he will only let you see clips and not entire weddings. There may be a reason. Perhaps he’s not good at segues or editing.
• Go with your gut. If you like a person and feel he’ll do a good job, go ahead and sign a contract that details every last bit of his job requirements. If you get a bad feeling, run as fast as you can and don’t sign anything.

What about a wedding photographer? Read this article on How to Choose a Wedding Photographer.

You will remember your wedding flowers forever. So, it’s wise to choose a florist who will make your dream arrangements for you. Not all florists are the same, so be sure you ask a lot of questions and shop around before you select your florist.

The first thing you will want to find out is whether the florist is available for your wedding day. If she is already booked for your date, move on. You can always put yourself on a list in case she has something open up in the near future, but you will probably already have chosen your florist by then. However, it doesn’t hurt to get on a wait list if you really love the florist’s work.

Next, start browsing through arrangements that she has done. This is usually in the form of photos in a book, but many florists will now email you photos. Under no condition should you book a florist without seeing her work. If you have a friend who used a particular florist and you’ve been to an event she’s done, that counts too! Just make sure you love the work and that it’s a comparable scale to what you’d be asking her to do for you.

Next, talk pricing. You’ll need to furnish her with a list of all the flowers you’ll want. This could include your bouquet as well as your bridesmaids’, your extra bouquet to toss, the groomsmen’s boutonnieres, any corsages you’d like your moms or grandmothers to wear, flower girl basket, and ring bearer’s boutonniere. You may also want your florist to provide your church decorations which would include aisle markers and altar flowers. If you’ll want her to do your whole reception as well, you’ll want to ask about pricing for your centerpieces and cake table. If you plan on having live flowers on your cake, ask about that too. Any other reception decorations you’ll want should be discussed at this time too so she can include it in her quote. If you want her to do an arch or extra baskets for the ladies’ room or guest book table, ask now.

When all the required pieces have been spelled out, you’ll want to talk about the actual arrangements you have in mind. The simpler and smaller you go, the less expensive the arrangements will be. It will increase the price if you want to use exotic flowers or flowers that are out of season and hard to get. So think seasonal and local or use decorations from nature in place of some of your flowers.

A good florist will work with you. Bring in any color swatches from your wedding theme colors. These can be a square of fabric from your bridesmaids’ dresses, a ribbon or a picture of an arrangement from a magazine that has the colors you like.

Get as specific with the florist as you can. You want her to quote a price that includes everything you’ve dreamed of. You can always scale back later if costs are prohibitive. Remember, this is your day and you are hiring a florist to work for you. So be sure to stand up for what you want and reject any ideas that go against your idea of the perfect wedding flowers.

For more ideas on wedding flowers, try:

• Calla Lily Centerpiece & Bouquet Ideas
• How to Preserve Your Wedding Flowers
• Cheap Wedding Bouquet Ideas
• DIY Flower Ideas for the Budget Bride